Welcome to the 79th Annual Meeting of the National Association of Conservation Districts!
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A plenary session to welcome participants to NACD's Annual Meeting, hear NACD's President's Address, and be inspired by keynote speaker Erik Weihenmayer, one of the most celebrated and accomplished athletes in the world.
Immediate Past President Michael Crowder holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in natural resources and environmental sciences, as well as numerous conservation awards, including Benton County and Washington state’s “Wildlife Farmer of the Year” awards, the Washington Association... Read More →
President Kim LaFleur is the state advisor and program director for the Massachusetts FFA Association and an independent consultant to agricultural organizations and associations. LaFleur has served as president (2007-2010) and vice president (2010-2012) of the Massachusetts Association... Read More →
Erik Weihenmayer is one of the most celebrated and accomplished athletes in the world. In 2001, he became the only blind person in history to climb Mount Everest. When he stood on the top of Carstensz Pyramid in 2008, he completed his quest to climb all of the Seven Summits-the tallest... Read More →
Homer SWCD has become a cornerstone for community knowledge sharing, and the NACD TA Grant has been a pivotal funding source for the expansion of activities by our local agriculture program. Come learn about ways we're sharing vetted, locally curated Alaskan agricultural and local habitat knowledge through our KNOW YOUR LAND series of talks, the Homer Grown public radio show, local soil testing initiatives, and our multitracked strategy to get this knowledge out to the people and rural villages
This session has been cancelled due to limitations related to federal travel, but we hope you'll stay tuned to future learning opportunities about NACD's work related to Public Lands, and our partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
Access your public lands and talk to BLM!! NACD Public Lands Subcommittee would like to highlight and discuss the important relationship between districts and federal land management agencies. This program will provide insight into implementation of the Public Lands Rule and others, building partnership at a local level and the importance of local input and community involvement in major land use decisions.
Dive into this interactive networking session to connect with forestry professionals from conservation districts, the Forest Service, and other key partners. This dynamic hour will focus on sharing insights, resources, and opportunities to enhance forestry programs.
Engage in small-group discussions on topics such as funding strategies, innovative conservation practices, and collaborative approaches to shared stewardship. Whether you’re looking to spark new partnerships or tackle common challenges, this session offers a valuable opportunity to build relationships, exchange ideas, and leave with actionable strategies to support your forestry efforts.
Indy Urban Acres (IUA) is a non- profit urban farm that harvests 60,000 pounds of produce annually in Indianapolis, IN and distributes all of its produce to local community partners that serve individuals experiencing food insecurity. IUA serves 250 families in need through its veggie box program and engages over 1000 volunteers annually. Come learn about the conservation partnership between IUA and Marion County SWCD that has implemented a variety of soil health practices on the farm.
Join NACD’s Outreach Program Analyst for a dynamic and interactive session aimed at building trust and meaningful connections with conservation district officials and employees. This workshop is more than just a discussion, it’s an opportunity to share your region’s challenges, successes, and opportunities while shaping strategies that drive impactful conservation efforts. Your voice matters, and your insights are key to fostering collaboration that strengthens our work in communities across the country. Let’s come together, exchange ideas, and build lasting partnerships that make a difference!
This session will cover NACD’s Annual Stewardship Week celebration, contests, K-8 education programs, and the NACD Marketplace. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss adapting district programs to align with evolving conservation goals and review NACD’s education initiatives. There will be time for questions and feedback with members of NACD's Education Team. Join us to explore ways districts can enhance community outreach through stronger, more inclusive educational programming.
This session is for previous and current NACD Urban and Community Conservation grantees and anyone interested in urban and community conservation and agriculture. Come meet your peers and learn about different projects going on around the country.
Join this informal session to learn how the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program and U.S. Department of Agriculture work together through the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership to protect critical agricultural lands and natural resources, strengthen military readiness, and support local communities. Representatives from the DOD REPI Program will share opportunities for conservation districts and their partners to engage with military installations and sentinel landscapes across the country to achieve shared goals.
Monday February 10, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Park City (3rd)
This event is included in the cost of full registration.
Hear from keynote speaker Marilyn Vetter, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever, and celebrate photo and poster contest winners, NACD membership awardees, and more during this plated luncheon.
President and CEO, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever
Marilyn Vetter became the third CEO in Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s history at the beginning of 2023, succeeding longtime President & CEO Howard Vincent who was appointed in 2000. She brings twenty-five years of strategic leadership, business management, and volunteer experience... Read More →
As part of the ACTION Climate-Smart Commodities Partnership project being led by OpenTEAM, CTIC, Houston Engineering and The Nature Conservancy are leading development of the CTIC Conservation Connector, a new web app whose initial purpose is to allow farmers, ranchers, landowners and trusted advisors find conservation and climate-smart ag programs available to them, as well as service providers who can assist with the planning, implementation, and verification of incentivized practices.
The session will dive into building and sustaining locally led volunteer efforts through meaningful and rewarding volunteer development and fostering personal satisfaction.
Matt Ward is Chairperson for the Hudson-Essex-Passaic (HEP) Soil Conservation District based in Bloomfield, NJ. The 67-year-old has served for nearly 39 years as a district supervisor. Past board member, NJ State Soil Committee, and is 2nd Vice-President for the New Jersey Association... Read More →
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Enabling Farmer Choice to Advance Precision Management of Pesticides to Scale Outcomes for Pollinators - Targeted use of inputs is prevalent in farming. Farmer access and choice for precision management of inputs is key. Selective use of high impact pesticides like neonics should be no different, but today neonics are routinely applied as coatings to most commodity crop seeds. This session will discuss the need for supporting farmer choice about the need for agronomic justification of use.
Ugly to Beautiful: Changing the Visual Acceptability of Cover Crops - Cover crops and no till can make a field look "messy" which can discourage farmers to use these practices. National Wildlife Federation and the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition completed a 16 month communications campaign to better understand this social barrier and test messaging to try and shift the visual acceptability of conservation practices from "ugly" to "beautiful". We will discuss our messaging campaign and the results that will better inform outreach messaging across the country.
Manager, Pollinator Conservation, World Wildlife Fund-US
Clay Bolt is the Manager of Pollinator Conservation for World Wildlife Fund-US (WWF-US), Manager of Communications for WWF-US’ Great Plains Program, and a conservation photographer focused on supporting policy that protects insects from pesticides and other threats. Clay’s words... Read More →
TSPs provide third-party technical assistance to NRCS program participants and can be instrumental in addressing targeted resource concerns in your region. This session will discuss the process of becoming a TSP and how NRCS and partners benefit from utilizing TSPs.
Hear three exciting presentations during this session!
Dairy Conservation Navigator: Simplifying Sustainability for Farms and Farm Advisors - Learn about and give feedback on Dairy Conservation Navigator, an online platform offering practical, credible insights to help farmers and advisors make informed sustainability decisions. It simplifies complex topics, providing clear information on the economic, management, and environmental impacts of various practices, making it a valuable resource for on-farm decision-making.
Farmer Outreach Approaches for Reaching Beyond the Choir - Reaching farmers who are "beyond the choir" of those already engaged in conservation requires social science-based approaches. We will share three, interrelated outreach approaches to reaching segments of farmers who might be called the "moveable middle." The approaches facilitate farmer-to-farmer learning. Our evaluation data show these approaches help increase participating farmers' willingness to adopt practices. Learn insights to inform your farmer outreach!
The Economic Case for Soil Health: Engaging Producers with Scientific Evidence and Real-World Case Studies - Need evidence on costs and benefits of soil health practices for crop and livestock producers? Learn about six 2-page research summaries and 20+ 2-page case studies from American Farmland Trust.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Capacity Through Partnerships in Times of Need - Within North Carolina, we have an agreement that allows employees in the conservation partnership to be trained to complete Damage Survey Reports (DSR's) in response to natural disaster to expedite the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP). This agreement builds capacity, enhances partnerships, and supports the mission of delivering conservation in real times of great need. David and I will share the successes of the work performed through our agreement. We will highlight the steps taken to get the agreement in place and accomplishments and services provided to citizens and local governments.
The Emergency Watershed Protection Program in East Providence: A Case Study In Partnership - Rhode Island USDA NRCS is a nationwide leader in using Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) funding to conserve land and assist residents in the state's increasing number of flood prone areas. In this case study, learn how USDA NRCS, Rhode Island Association of Conservation Districts, and Northern Rhode Island Conservation District worked together with the City of East Providence and other stakeholders to bring relief to residents of a flood prone neighborhood along the Runnins River.
Hear three exciting presentations during this session!
Conservation Planning Training: Access to Certification - Join us for a panel discussion with staff and supervisors around the benefits and challenges on the path to becoming a certified planner. Through the discussion, we'll share key updates on several programs and initiatives designed to support conservation planners in their training and certification, as well as new resources on how to navigate from access to certification.
Navigating NRCS Policy for Certified Conservation Planners - In August 2024, NRCs updated Conservation Planning Policy (Title 180, General Manual, Part 409) to clarify and streamline the planner designation levels and requirements. During this session, representatives from the NRCS Conservation Planning Branch will provide an overview of the conservation certification requirements and changes from the recent policy updates.
Unlock the Future of Integrated Conservation Tools with AI-Powered Applications - In this session you will learn about the current state of NRCS's primary planning tool: Conservation Desktop (CD) /Conservation Assessment and Ranking Tool (CART), how NRCS is overcoming obstacles of slow bandwidth and internet speeds and share the vision of future workflows and AI tools usage to benefit all NRCS and partners working directly with producers.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Building a Soil Health Partnership - The Utah Soil Health Partnership began in response to the state's low adoption rates of no-till (47th out of 50) and cover crops (45th out of 50). Initially launched in 2017 with small workshops, it has grown into a comprehensive program focused on education, research, and outreach, guided by the Utah Soil Health Advisory Committee. This presentation will cover the past seven years of progress, key lessons learned, and the collaborative efforts that have fostered a commitment to soil health.
PA's New Ag Conservation Program: A District Partnership Success Story - Have you heard about ACAP, PA's new Ag Conservation Assistance Program? PA districts get annual state funding for Ag BMPs. How did that happen, how can it happen in your state? Learn ACAP's partnerships, initial impact, & long-term goals.
This event is included in the cost of full registration.
Join us for the annual National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Live Auction! Auction proceeds directly fund NCF's conservation education programs, which prepare students and adults to be the next generation of natural resource protectors.
Lane Nordlund is a trusted voice in agriculture and rural America. Raised in Central Montana, Nordlund’s deep roots in production agriculture shape his award-winning work as a farm broadcaster. He co-anchors Western Ag Network reports, airing on over 114 radio stations across ten... Read More →
