Welcome to the 79th Annual Meeting of the National Association of Conservation Districts!
Download the Sched app (Apple) (Android) and search NACD for easier access to event schedules, session descriptions, speaker profiles, and more from your phone. Ask any NACD staff member for assistance. We are so happy to have you here with us in The Beehive State!
Sign up or log in to bookmark your favorites and sync them to your phone or calendar.
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!
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.
Agroforestry professionals and conservation district leaders: this session is for you! Facilitated by the National Agroforestry Center, this interactive networking hour will spotlight the vital role of collaboration in advancing agroforestry practices. Hear inspiring success stories, exchange ideas on overcoming challenges, and explore thematic discussions ranging from climate resilience to integrating agroforestry into conservation planning. With opportunities to connect with the National Agroforestry Center and peers in agroforestry-focused districts, this session is designed to foster partnerships and equip you with new tools and resources. Let’s build a stronger agroforestry network—together.
From the Columbia River Basin to the Mississippi and beyond, conservation districts and partners are working to ensure a future for aquifer recovery and groundwater access. Working together with agencies both state and federal, tribes, individual landowners, universities, and local communities, districts are making an impact that will have lasting effects.
Spokane Conservation District's Direct Seed Loan Implementation Program: How to Make EPA Clean Water Funding Work For You - In this session, you'll hear from the Spokane Conservation District about how they have successfully partnered with the Washington Department of Ecology and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to fund their Direct Seed Loan Implementation Program.
This session previously included the following presentation, as well, but stay tuned to NACD's publications for how to attend a virtual session about the program at some point in the future!
Introduction to the Conservation Innovation Grants Program (Presented by Caroline Sherony and Leah Hermens) - This talk will give an introduction and overview of the NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. The conservation innovation grants program is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) grants program that aims to improve innovation in agricultural operations in order to improve conservation of US natural resources on private lands.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Georgia's Conservation Districts and Feral Hog Control - Feral swine are one of the greatest invasive species challenges facing Georgia causing significant damage to agricultural crops and natural resources. The economic impact of damage caused by feral swine in Georgia is estimated at over $150 million. Conservation Districts and GACD are partnering with state and federal organizations to lead multiple efforts to address this growing problem including outreach and education, equipment rental and control services.
Managing Invasive Species on Rangelands: Staying with a Wicked Problem - Invasive annual brome increase in Great Basin shrublands has altered historical fire regimes and shifted landscapes to annual grasslands. Reestablishing the values of these lands requires using available research and knowledge, but with an increased emphasis on 1) detailed long-term conservation planning with well-defined contingencies 2) flexible availability of technical and financial assistance for landscape-scale implementation and 3) integration of site-specific monitoring results.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Creating a Vision and Steps to Action - Kona SWCD to present their innovated ideas and the process it took to get where we are today. A presentation to highlight where we were, where we are, and where we would like to continue, including the steps it took to get there and the partnership and communication that is necessary.
Forging Future-Ready Conservation Districts in the Pacific Islands: Strengthening Leadership and Collaboration - The Southern Guam SWCD led the recent "Forging Future-Ready Conservation Districts" event, empowering Pacific Island conservation districts to address regional challenges through strategic capacity building. This session will highlight how the event cultivated leadership, enhanced collaboration, and promoted innovative conservation solutions tailored to island contexts. Participants will learn about approaches to building strong networks and fostering resilience in diverse environments.
Hear three exciting presentations during this session!
Cultivating Conservation Leaders: The SMCM-NARCDC Internship Partnership - Join us for an insightful session where we explore the successful partnership between St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) and the National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils (NARCDC). This collaboration has created exclusive internship opportunities that are shaping the future of resource conservation. This session will highlight how strategic partnerships can drive innovation and sustainability in conservation efforts.
How to Start an AmeriCorps Program to Expand your Conservation Efforts - Learn how to develop and manage an AmeriCorps program in your local conservation district. The Hamilton County (OH) Conservation District started a program 2.5 years ago and has been able to leverage the service of 6 AmeriCorps members to increase education and conservation efforts in the southwest Ohio region. Presenter Gwen Z Roth, Education and AmeriCorps Program Manager, will share the great and not so great parts of the programs as well as many useful tips.
Natural Resource Apprenticeship Program - The Spokane Conservation District's Natural Resource Apprenticeship Program partners with many different entities in the community to provide three years of education and training for young people who are interested in a career in natural resources.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Construction of an Off-Channel Wetland Treatment System Optimized for Nutrient Removal - Clermont SWCD and the East Fork Watershed Cooperative completed construction of an off-channel nutrient removal wetland in November 2023 utilizing a 3-acre reservoir formerly connected to a low-head dam. This session will review the project design and results of a monitoring program which show that the wetland treatment system has been highly successful in reducing nutrient loads to the East Fork Little Miami River and ultimately East Fork Lake which has been experiencing annual HABs since 2009.
Incentivizing Phosphorus Reduction in the Kalamazoo River Watershed via Novel Reverse Auction Program - Supported by the US EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, this 4-year collaboration between Delta Institute, Allegan Conservation District, and Michigan Farm Bureau was designed to reduce phosphorus runoff to Lake Michigan from agricultural fields through a performance-based incentive program.
Allegheny County Conservation District's Urban Soils Program has supported the growth of urban agriculture in Pittsburgh over the past 8 years. ACCD will review history of the Urban Soils Program's implementation and development, while sharing progress on the current expansion efforts to pilot soil health remediation on 2 urban farms, funded by NACD's 2024 Urban and Community Conservation Grant.
NEW Solutions has legislative authority to administer Experienced Worker Programs, for the purpose of utilizing talent, skills, and experience of individuals aged 55 and older to provide technical, professional, and administrative services. These programs support various Federal agencies, including USDA, DOI and others, in achieving mission-critical objectives.
Our partnership with these agencies strengthens the workforce to meet the nation's expanding conservation needs. As highlighted in a recent Agri-Pulse article, USDA’s reliance on external partnerships underscores the pressing need to address conservation staffing challenges—a need in which NEW Solutions is a recognized leader.
During this session, participants can learn about the following: 1. Leveraging Experienced Talent: How Experienced Workers Support Conservation Projects 2. Overview of key tasks undertaken by experienced workers, including conservation planning, mapping, disaster recovery, and staff training. 3. Highlighting the unique contributions of experienced professionals in specialized areas such as dam safety and emergency action planning, where their knowledge is indispensable.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Creating Unexpected Partnerships - What does a public library, a yoga studio, and a local artist have in common with the LPNNRD? In this case, nature. During this session, we will discuss different events and subsequent partnerships that were forged to help connect people to the outdoors in unique ways. The partnerships we will talk about range from single day events to quarterly meet ups, and a permanent trail at one of our recreation areas. Join Sydney to learn more about what we've learned and where we're headed next!
What Your Seed Library Can Do For You - Seed libraries are a common approach for disbursing conservation education and, of course, free seeds! But how can a seed library do more? Join to learn about stacking messages and recruiting volunteers.
Precision Farming with Smart Soil Insights: How Advanced Soil Profiling Enhances Farm Economics and Ecology
Traditional soil analysis is limited in scope and insight. Breakthroughs with in-field sensors and in-lab analytics provide a complete soil profile to help maximize yield and minimize impact.
Explore the value of STAR's adaptable framework in aligning state partners & amplifying conservation efforts using a locally led, science-based approach to evaluating & guiding practice adoption.
For those interested in becoming a Certified TSP, this required training will provide an in-person option to satisfy the “NRCS-NEDC-000191 TSP Orientation and Conservation Planning” course. For current and renewing TSPs, this training session will cover TSP program updates, the TSP Registry renewal and modification processes, and other helpful guidance. A hard copy Certificate of Completion for NRCS-NEDC-000191 will be provided to attendees at the end of the session.
H2Ohio addresses urgent water quality problems, such as algal blooms from agricultural runoff. Starting in 2020, H2Ohio has encountered challenges in contract management and efficient program delivery. With more than $60 million in annual support, the initiative works with local SWCDs to implement BMPs across 1.8 million acres, which creates opportunity and trials along the way.
In 2022, the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) and over 60+ member companies and organizations across the agricultural supply chain, launched Eco-Harvest a Scope 3 ecosystem services market program for agriculture that incentivizes producers to adopt regenerative agriculture. This presentation will highlight lessons learned ramping up to Eco-Harvest launch and conducting four years of projects. The speaker, Alana Pacheco, will focus on some of the challenges ESMC has faced in developing and executing projects and solutions to these challenges including opportunities for co-investment. She'll also provide a case study from one specific project in Kansas.
Pacheco will cover how Scope 3 programs, when designed with agriculture in mind, can provide significant opportunities for increased ecosystem services - including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increase soil carbon sequestration, improved water quality and water use efficiency, and increased biodiversity. These projects can also help producers increase soil health, improve resiliency, and earn income for practice changes.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
Benefits of Snow Survey to conservation in the U.S. West - Water conservation efforts in the U.S. West have benefitted from water supply forecasts based on snowpack conditions for over 100 years. This breakout session will focus on the use of NRCS Snow Survey data and reports to inform & support conservation efforts both historically and for the foreseeable future. Speakers will include NRCS Water Supply Specialists employed by the Snow Program as well as water managers from local Conservation Districts to underscore the importance of this partnership.
Engaging Climate Conversations: Helping Planners Navigate Climate Strategies - This session explores the powerful role of conservation partnerships in driving climate mitigation and resilience. Through collaboration with USDA, NRCS, and RCDs, participants will learn about the climate change and mitigation projects happening across the U.S. and gain insights on how planners can effectively guide clients in climate mitigation outreach and education. The session will include an interactive segment where participants can share their training needs and hear how to get involved.
Climate-smart opportunities are available in historic numbers, but finding the right producers and matching them with the correct opportunity is challenging. National Pork Board, Ducks Unlimited, and Trust in Food share insights and tangible examples of how data can be used to better understand producers, adapt program design to their unique needs, and accelerate practice uptake. Learn how this methodology can be applied to conservation uptake in your community.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
A Case for Utah Agriculture & How the Agricultural Water Optimization Program is Helping - The Agricultural Water Optimization Program has two goals. First, maintain viable agriculture without increasing depletion. Second, enhance water availability and minimize impacts on water supply, water quality and the environment. This discussion will give a case for maintaining viable agriculture in Utah and how doing so can be mutually beneficial to farmers and other environmental interests.
Biochar as a Soil Amendment: Science and Practical Implementation Under NRCS 336 - Soil Carbon Amendment, CPS 336, provides cost share for using amendments to sequester carbon in soil. This session provides training in implementing CPS 336 while learning about biochar and compost.
The Taos Soil and Water Conservation District is empowering community members to play a more active role in the planning and implementation of wildfire risk reduction efforts on federal lands near Taos, New Mexico. This work is training high school students in forestry sciences while delegating oversight of forest thinning efforts to local agricultural producers who are concerned about the wellbeing of the watersheds they rely on and are eager to take action.
Hear two exciting presentations during this session!
"Supporting Staff in Districts: Harnessing Resources for Effective Conservation Outreach" - District staff are crucial for community outreach and conservation efforts. Clare Lindahl, CEO of SWCS, will discuss how we can support conservation professionals using three new resources, including the 2024 Conservation Practitioner Poll and the Conservation Professionals' Guide to Inclusive Conservation Delivery. She'll highlight barriers conservation staff face, motivating opportunities, and how Districts and partners can enhance outreach and foster stronger partnerships for conservation.
New and Innovative Partnerships Reaching Communities Previously Unrecognized or Challenged in our Engagement Efforts - As a contributor to the goals in our Annual Meeting this has been being developed along with NACD staff and Board members since the Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico. Friendships that happen in Agriculture are "organic" by nature. Our combined struggles become natural and the magic happens. Conservation and our abilities to find the answers is what takes place during our coming together in this shared convening, providing answers to our challenges and how to employ newly developed strategies.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), established the Soil Carbon Monitoring Network (SCMN) in 2024. SCMN establishes locations where field-based information will be collected to assess and track trends related to soil carbon sequestration associated with conservation programs and management practices on cropland, pastureland, and rangeland across the country. Most of the sampling sites for the SCMN are on producer-controlled private lands.
Join the session to learn more about collaboration between NRCS staff, NACD staff, and local conservation districts for this effort. Collaboration will focus on assistance at the field office level to gain producer permission, clear cultural resource requirements, sample sites, and capture management information to complete data collection.
This presentation will highlight Field to Market's tools and programs that foster collaboration among supply chain actors, conservation organizations, academia and governments. Dubuque County SWCD will present their collaborative projects with Sand County Foundation and growers in Iowa, which use our Fieldprint Calculator to measure and advance the environmental impacts of conservation practices on agricultural land.
Sustainability Projects Manager, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
Sydney serves as Field to Market's Sustainability Projects Manager. Prior to joining Field to Market, she worked in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Soil and Water Conservation for three years, holding two positions - AgWRAP Coordinator... Read More →
Agricultural Geospatial Data Scientist, Sand County Foundation
Haleigh joined Sand County Foundation in 2023 as the Agricultural Geospatial Data Scientist. She uses soil and water data and geospatial models to quantify the impact of Sand County Foundation’s conservation projects. Haleigh obtained her Ph.D. in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental... Read More →
Learn how Kansas Association of Conservation Districts increased local event attendance and cost share application with social media ads. A portal on KACD website was added for district resources.
The ICCD Growing for Good Health Initiative was launched with a goal of inspiring and empowering our older adult population to prioritize nutrition and health through the benefits of growing and consuming fresh produce. Participants in this workshop will learn how the ICCD was able to utilize non-traditional partnerships to implement a unique specialty crops program to reach an undeserved population in Indiana County.
