Recent Articles

Western Michigan’s coldwater streams rely on eastern hemlock, a keystone species that cools water, stabilizes banks, and provides vital habitat. That makes the spread of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), a pinhead-sized insect that threatens these trees, especially concerning. Julia Place, Project Manager of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Crew for the Mason-Lake Conservation District, leads a… Continue reading →

Across the country, conservation districts are taking soil education straight to the classroom. From teaching students about soil health to encouraging hands-on learning with soil projects to inspiring creativity through creating posters, district staff, educators, and conservation partners are helping students learn all about “Soil. Where it All Begins.” Missaukee Conservation District In Michigan, the… Continue reading →

By Desiree Van Dyke, NACD Southwest Region Representative Nearly every U.S. state and territory has a conservation district association dedicated to representing districts within its jurisdiction. Many are led by an executive director responsible for guiding the organization’s work. The roles of these directors vary by state, but generally, they support board-led advocacy, seek out grant funding, and build partnerships that strengthen locally-led conservation.   The Association of Conservation Executive Directors (ACED) became an NACD affiliate group in 2023. The… Continue reading →

By Kyle Venell, NACD Pacific Region Representative  Farm Journal Trust In Food, in collaboration with Blue Diamond Growers and Agriland Farming Company, Inc., recently hosted growers, industry leaders, and conservation partners for an in-field event focused on advancing innovation in California almond production. The takeaway was straightforward: growers are already testing and using new technologies. The challenge now is “scaling adoption in ways that… Continue reading →

By Nika Colley, NACD Northeast Region Rep A few years ago, the Saline County Conservation District’s local partner, Saline River Watershed Alliance, installed a piece of equipment called a trash trap in one of the local streams after noticing the need for trash catchment in the watershed. Inspired by the Watershed Alliance and the ever-present… Continue reading →

In southern New Jersey, the DelAtlantic Soil Conservation District (SCD), formerly Cape Atlantic Conservation District, began its forestry work with limited capacity to meet a growing local need. After a Northeast Mid-Atlantic Partnership for Forests and Water meeting, District Manager Michael Kent met Annica McGuirk, then NACD’s Northeast Representative, who encouraged him to utilize NACD's… Continue reading →

By Nika Colley, NACD Northeast Region Representative In conservation, it is often seen that natural resources, and the issues associated with them, do not adhere neatly with human borders. Many conservation districts work across municipal, county, and state boundaries. Some, like the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in Maine, lie on national… Continue reading →

By Jackson Moody, NACD Membership and Development Coordinator  Did you know that NACD has a sister organization that cultivates, educates, and inspires conservation leaders of all ages? The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) was formed to develop our next generation of conservation leaders. Organized in 1952, the NCF supports the advancement of programs and partnerships to deliver conservation solutions through locally led environmental conservation and… Continue reading →

By Jackson Moody, NACD Membership and Development Coordinator At our Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, last month, we were thrilled to kick off another year of the Friends of NACD Grant program. Since 2020, this program has awarded up to $2,500 to districts for conservation initiatives. While a wide variety of projects are eligible, the District and Partner Relations Committee emphasizes the desire for… Continue reading →

By Nicole Poitra, NACD Northern Plains Region Representative Every conservation district has those tasks that take more time and labor than we’d like. For many of us, installing weed barrier fabric during tree planting season is one of them. For the Hutchinson Conservation District in South Dakota, one of the most physically demanding parts of… Continue reading →