Education and Outreach

Maine’s Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District helped coordinate a tree planting event on Arbor Day with elementary students from Lisbon Community School. “We planned a full schedule so all students would have time to be outside, learn about their local forest ecosystem, and participate in planting a native tree,” said Emma Lorusso, Androscoggin…… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti In Henry County, Ky., “tobacco paid the bills for a long time,” remarks Curtis Coombs (pictured left), a soil conservation technician covering Henry and Oldham Counties. Located northeast of Louisville and bordered on the east by the Kentucky River, Henry County’s primary crop used to be tobacco. Over the years, tobacco has…… Continue reading →

By Sunni Heikes-Knapton and Ray Ledgerwood When the winds of life blow our way, what do we do? It depends on who you are. Some complain.  Others wait for change. The truly wise ones understand the conditions for what they are, and they adapt to persevere. These realists are our modern-day leaders, and they learned…… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus Prince George’s Soil Conservation District (PGSCD) in Maryland is leading the way in educating the next generation of conservation leaders. Since joining the district in 1986 as an engineer, District Manager Steve Darcey has seen the district expand its programs to become more involved with the county’s youth. The district currently participates…… Continue reading →

By Teresa Matteson Thanks to NACD funding, I attended NRCS Conservation Planning Boot Camp in Lincoln, Neb., in May of 2018. Entering a room of 34 classmates, many of whom were less than half my age, was a bit daunting. During the first week of the course, Darnell Dunson, one of my younger classmates, initiated…… Continue reading →

By Gelyan Reyes In 1992, Caribe SCD became the first district in Puerto Rico to ever have a Youth Board. The Youth Board consisted of eight members (five Board Supervisors and three Vocals) and was a self- sufficient and complete team with its own regulations and bylaws. The Caribe SCD Youth Board operated from 1992-2000…… Continue reading →

By Sunni Heikes-Knapton The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) welcomed 10 students from universities across the United States to participate in the 2019 Conservation Careers Workshop at NACD's 73rd Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. This workshop was aimed at introducing college students to the history, trends and…… Continue reading →

[caption id="attachment_30902" align="alignright" width="342"] NRCS Chief Matt Lohr, pictured far right, with competitors.[/caption] Every year in May, nearly 1,000 4-H and FFA students and coaches from over 34 states gather for the National Land and Range Judging Contest. Students test their skills in judging the adaptability of the land for various purposes, including farming, range…… Continue reading →

By Ariel Rivers Across the United States, the high average age (57.5 years) of farmers and ranchers has motivated many conservation districts to support beginning farmers and ranchers in a number of ways as they begin their new operations. In Spokane, Wash., the Spokane Conservation District (SCD), led by director Vicki Carter, is taking an…… Continue reading →

By Sara Kangas Since 1910, Boy Scouts of America – which consists of Cub Scouts (grades K-5); Boy Scouts (beginning at age 10 or who have completed fifth grade) and Venturing (ages 14-21) – has overseen programs for millions of children, training them in responsible citizenship, character development and self-reliance. As part of the tradition…… Continue reading →