Forestry

By Annica McGuirk, NACD Forestry Program Manager NACD recently participated in the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities' Markets Matter Convening in Madison, Wisconsin. The meeting brought together leaders from across forestry, conservation, government, industry, and investment sectors to examine a growing challenge facing forests and communities alike: how do we create durable markets and…… Continue reading →

From May 5 to 7, 2026, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), in partnership with the USDA National Agroforestry Center and the California Agroforestry Network, hosted the San Diego Agroforestry Workshop for Natural Resources Professionals in Encinitas, California. The training brought together resource conservation district staff, conservation professionals, technical service providers, nonprofit staff, producers,…… Continue reading →

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 →

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 NACD Forestry Manager Annica McGuirk Conservation districts are using Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreements to achieve shared goals with federal partners, deliver meaningful outcomes for local communities, and leverage diverse funding opportunities. To help more districts explore how GNA can work in practice, NACD hosted a three-part webinar series this fall featuring conservation district…… Continue reading →

by the Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District Lake County, Minnesota, bordered by Lake Superior, the Superior National Forest, and the Boundary Waters, is a landscape where forests dominate and clean water is abundant. With less than a quarter of the county in private ownership, each private acre plays a crucial role in maintaining…… Continue reading →

By Nicole Poitra, NACD Northern Plains Region Representative Across Montana, foresters, conservation districts, and local leaders are coming together to spark an important conversation about the future of the state’s forests. At the center of that discussion are two longtime foresters, Jim Simpson and Gordy Sanders, who launched the effort called “Which Montana Do You…… Continue reading →

How one RCD forester is scaling from single landowners to landscape-level action. by the Sonoma Resource Conservation District Jason Wells never thought he’d return to Sonoma County, California, as no forestry positions existed. But after the 2017 Tubbs Fire tore through Santa Rosa, destroying over 5,000 homes, everything changed. Not only is Jason back where…… Continue reading →

On September 14, 2025, a brushfire erupted in south Seattle, damaging four homes and hospitalizing two people—proof that wildfire is an increasing threat to both rural and urban areas. Yet Washington’s conservation districts (CDs) saw an 83% cut in state funding for wildfire resiliency work this biennium. For Jenny Coe, Forest Health and Community Wildfire…… Continue reading →

Earlier this year, Forestry Notes highlighted how Hurricane Helene reshaped the conservation landscape across western North Carolina. The storm left a lasting mark on forests and watersheds, with more than 187,000 acres damaged in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests and hundreds of miles of roads and trails blocked by debris. That coverage also noted how conservation…… Continue reading →