NEWS RELEASE

NACD Holds 2026 Summer Conservation Forum and Tours in Michigan   

Grand Rapids, MI – This week, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) held its 2026 Summer Conservation Forum and Tours in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Hosted in partnership with the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, this summer’s meeting gathered conservation leaders from across the country for learning, with a spotlight on natural resources conservation in Michigan. Participants were welcomed by Kris Swartz, NACD North Central Region Chair, Jerry Miller, Michigan Association of Conservation Districts President, Louis Canfield, Chief of Staff to the Grand Rapids City Manager, and Al Vanderberg, Kent County Administrator.

“l’m excited to welcome conservation leaders and partners to the great state of Michigan,” said NACD President Gary Blair. “With the meeting commemorating NACD’s 80th Anniversary, it is the perfect time to reflect on the strong roots we’ve established in locally led conservation across the country and connect on ideas, partnerships, and collaboration for the horizons ahead.”

Remarks from Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized ways they’re building resiliency across Michigan agriculture and adapting to meet new challenges. Governor Gretchen Whitmer furthered Dr. Boring’s message in video remarks, where she shared how Michigan’s 75 conservation districts help farmers and local communities tackle challenges and protect natural resources in Michigan.

Will Meeks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director, provided details about federal partnerships with conservation districts, including the newly established North Central Region Work Plan, leveraging the strengths of both organizations to reach mutual conservation goals.

Nicole Zacharda, Great Lakes Commission Program Manager, closed out the Conservation Forum speaking on the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction program, which directly supports conservation districts in the Great Lakes states, and their work assessing and enhancing district capacity.

Following several breakout sessions exploring topics like local working groups, river restoration and preservation, and farm linking, attendees reconvened for NACD’s Luncheon.

There, NACD President Gary Blair sat down with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Colton Buckley. Chief Buckley answered questions concerning new NRCS policies and streamlining initiatives, safeguarding America’s working lands, and building partnerships with conservation districts.

The meeting also provided attendees with the opportunity to see conservation in action in Michigan. On Monday afternoon, attendees participated in a walking tour learning about the Grand River’s dynamic ecosystem—highlighting fish migrations, floodplain function, water quality, and habitat restoration. Shortly after, they departed for the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which blends horticulture and artistic expression.

Tuesday saw a day-long tour with stops at Mast Young Plants, a five-acre-plus commercial greenhouse that grows more than 1,500 varieties of annuals, perennials, and cut flowers; the Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm Market, a fourth-generation farm that is a bustling agritourism business; the Schwallier’s Country Basket, a family-owned business adapting to meet new economic and climate-related challenges; Plainsong Farm, a Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program verified farm working to foster a sustainable and community-driven food system; and the Cannonsburg State Game Area, a DNR Wildlife Habitat Grant recipient addressing habitat degradation, wildlife management, and hunting opportunities.

Throughout the meeting, attendees heard from conservation leaders from Michigan and across the country who shared their experiences addressing natural resource challenges and getting conservation on the ground through collaboration.

Thank you to our meeting sponsors Abt Global, Boxed Water, the Michigan Farm Bureau, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

### 

About the National Association of Conservation Districts
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 individuals who serve on their governing boards. For 90 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.