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By Wesley Gibson, NACD South Central Region Representative  What if woody debris, crop residue, and other organic materials often treated as waste could instead become a tool for healthier soil, stronger crops, and more resilient farms? That possibility begins with a simple question: What is biochar?  Biochar is a stable, carbon-rich material created by heating…… Continue reading →

By Desiree Van Dyke, NACD Southwest Region Representative Hans Hunt has spent much of his first several months as NRCS Assistant Chief for the Western Region traveling throughout the West, meeting with producers, field offices, and conservation leaders.  “The most important part of it is being out on the road and meeting with people,” said…… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications This month marks the 80th anniversary of NACD. The association was formed on July 25, 1946, and this year we’ve been exploring the theme, “Deep Roots, Bold Horizons.” We’re celebrating the history of conservation districts, partners, and the association while moving confidently forward. Since the early days, a…… Continue reading →

By Beth Mason, NACD North Central Region Representative, and Ellie Stuckrath, NACD Communications Specialist [caption id="attachment_76983" align="alignleft" width="487"] photo credit: USFWSBack row: Mark Masters, Karl Jenkins, Caitlin Nagorka (PFW WI Acting State Coordinator/Assistant State Coordinator), Brad Milley (USFWS), Merideth Holm (MI State Coordinator), Brent Sodergren (PFW Indiana/Ohio State Coordinator), Gary Blair, Will Meeks (Regional Director,…… Continue reading →

By Natalie Stewart, Communications & Public Relations Specialist, Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee, and Courtney Curenton-Baker, NACD Director of Membership Recognizing that the future of conservation depends on strong local leadership, the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (SWCC) launched the Emerging Leaders in Conservation (ELC) Initiative in January of 2025 to prepare the next…… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications Rich Duesterhaus, NACD’s Senior Advisor, was seven years old when NACD was formed in 1946. Working on his family’s farms in Illinois and Missouri, he aspired to be a farmer. A summer internship with the Soil Conservation Service, now NRCS, changed that. Rich began to see a career…… 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 →

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications in collaboration with the NACD Natural Resources Committee  Land conversion and the loss of working lands to residential subdivisions, solar arrays, data centers, and other development are concerns NACD hears from conservation districts across the country. The American Farmland Trust’s report, Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future, states that “From 2001–2016, our nation lost or compromised 2,000 acres of farmland and ranchland…… Continue reading →

By Nicole Poitra, NACD Northern Plains Region Representative At the foot of Montana’s Crazy Mountains in Big Timber, Dan and Tami Sanders are transforming their leased 500-acre ranch along the Yellowstone River into a working model of regenerative agriculture. Guided by the wisdom of local ranchers and supported by modern soil-health practices, they’re blending tradition…… Continue reading →

The fight against invasive species is a growing challenge for conservation districts nationwide. In McKean County, Pennsylvania, the McKean County Conservation District has taken a proactive stance, implementing an Invasive Species Program in 2018 in partnership with the Penn State Extension and the U.S. Forest Service. This collaboration led to the establishment of the Allegheny…… Continue reading →