National Association of Conservation Districts

Delaware's conservation districts, the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts and the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control were gracious hosts this week to NACD Staff members Keira Franz, Lisa Lerwick and Mary Hammon. The staff toured urban conservation efforts in New Castle, Kent and Sussex County Conservation Districts, where they learned first-hand about projects ranging from storm water management to shoreline restoration. In the picture on the left, Nate Zimmerman of the Sussex Conservation District explains the underground stormwater management system being installed at the Lewes Town Hall. Many thanks to the tour hosts for an outstanding tour!

NACD CEO Krysta Harden and Northern Plains Representative Debra Bogar traveled to Nebraska last week to participate in the Northern Plains Region Leaders Meeting. The meeting drew state association presidents and executive directors, NACD board members, state employee association presidents, state conservation agency administrators and NRCS state conservationists from five states, as well as representatives from regional federal agencies. Some of the issues discussed included Missouri River initiatives, water management in Nebraska, Farm Bill, program administration and the need for districts to grow through federal and state changes. Harden and Bogar are shown in the photo above with several Northern Plains leaders.

NACD Second Vice President Bob Cordova traveled to St. Louis, Mo. last week to meet with leadership from the National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA) at their mid-year board meeting. Cordova thanked the group for their support of NACD activities, provided a Farm Bill update, highlighted programs and resources available to conservation districts and their employees and outlined the challenges and opportunities ahead for conservation districts. Cordova is pictured in the photo above with NCDEA President Cindy Moon and the NCDEA Board of Directors.

With a little over a month to go until NACD’s Renovation Ride, the bike riders have kicked their training into high gear. To make their efforts worthwhile, they need you to kick your fundraising and donating efforts into high gear as well. The Renovation Ride is part of the larger 509 Capitol Court Campaign, an effort to raise money to renovate, repair and establish a maintenance fund for conservation districts’ national headquarters. To date, the Ride has contributed $33,745 to the Capitol Court Campaign, putting the fundraising total at $123,492. We are just short of half of the final goal of $280,000. Construction is scheduled to begin in August, so it’s time to kick the Renovation Ride into high gear! Are you up to the challenge? To learn more about the fundraising efforts and how you can help, click here.

Last week, NACD CEO Krysta Harden traveled to Puerto Rico to attend a portion of a leadership review activity held by NRCS. Harden’s visit was part of an outreach effort to conservation districts on the island. While in Puerto Rico, Harden visited several major conservation projects that involve districts and met with state and local leaders. In the photo to the left, Harden is pictured with Juan Martinez, NRCS Director of the Caribbean Area, on a tour of a Puerto Rico farm. NACD is hopeful this trip will help to improve communication and relationships between conservation districts on the island and their national association.

Twenty executive directors from state conservation associations across the country gathered in Saratoga, Wyoming last week for the annual Executive Directors’ Conference. Attendees networked, shared ideas and success stories and grew together as a stronger group of professionals. They heard from a variety of speakers, including members of the Wyoming legislature and oil and gas industry. The central theme that arose throughout the meeting was the importance of building and maintaining meaningful relationships. In addition to the program, the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts made sure attendees got the true Wyoming experience with a driving tour around the area, cattle branding and a float down the Platte River. Many thanks to Bobbie Frank and all of Wyoming’s conservation districts for a great event!

Under the banner of “New Directions for New England’s Conservation Districts,” Conservation Partnership leaders from each of the six New England states met recently in Portsmouth, N.H. State association presidents and executives, NRCS state conservationists, state agency executives and RC&D representatives participated in discussions about programs and activities in the region. Agenda items included Section 319 approaches, opportunities for districts to partner with municipalities, NRCS and USDA programs, plus Farmland Protection. State association executives Michele Tremblay (NH) and Bill Bell (ME) provided coordination and leadership for the meeting. NACD Senior Advisor and NE Region Representative Rich Duesterhaus represented NACD at the meeting.

Last week the Covington County Soil and Water Conservation District in Andalusia, Alabama celebrated Stewardship Week, themed "Water is Life," with students at a local elementary school. In the photo to the left, students learn about the water cycle. The event was one of many stewardship-related activities that took place across the country last week. Stewardship Week is celebrated annually, the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in May and helps remind all citizens of the power of each person to conserve natural resources and improve the world.

NACD President John Redding took a moment this week to hold a private stewardship lesson with his granddaughter Lucy. John and Lucy planted flowers together, talking about the need for plants to protect the soil and water. The event was one of many stewardship-related activities that will take place across the country this week as we all celebrate Stewardship Week, held Sunday, April 27 through Sunday, May 4. Stewardship Week helps remind all citizens of the power of each person to conserve natural resources and improve the world. Click here to learn more about 2008 Stewardship Week and the “Water is Life” theme.

Conservationists gathered this week at the picturesque and historic Elseroad Family farm in Maryland to celebrate Earth Day and recognize a new Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP) easement partnership between the Elseroad Family and Baltimore County, Maryland. NACD CEO Krysta Harden joined Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, USDA Undersecretary Gary Mast, NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster and many other state and local conservation leaders at the event. Harden is pictured at the above with Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts President Lee McDaniel (left) and Maryland NRCS State Conservationist Jon Hall (right).

NACD CEO Krysta Harden attended the U.S. Department of the Interior's 2008 Collaborative Conservation Award Ceremony in Washington D.C. Monday afternoon. Among the 21 award winners recognized at the event was the Restore New Mexico Partnership, an initiative in which the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD) and the Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District in New Mexico have played a key role. At the ceremony, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne presented the award to NMACD Executive Director Debbie Hughes. Hughes (l) is pictured in the photo to the left with NACD CEO Krysta Harden.

It isn’t every day that NACD shows visitors to our office storage room and then asks them to take a photo there! But what is happening is not an every day occurrence. NACD President John Redding and Secretary/Treasurer Gene Schmidt recently met with representatives from HITT contracting and 3dg architects to discuss the renovation of the NACD Headquarters office in Washington, D.C. NACD leadership has agreed to begin construction in August to give districts an office they can be proud of, but we need your support of the 509 Capitol Court Campaign and Renovation Ride to raise the funds necessary for renovations.

NACD CEO Krysta Harden (center) and NACD Western Issues Specialist Ralph Thier (not pictured) met last week with Bob Drake (r), the Chair of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), and John Peterson (l), NACD Board member from Virginia and GLCI volunteer. The group gathered at NACD headquarters in Washington D.C. to discuss their partnership and issues impacting conservation on grazing lands. NACD is a charter member of GLCI and actively supports the work of the group.

Representatives from NACD, NRCS, Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters were in Washington, D.C. last week for the Joint Forestry Team’s spring meeting. Executives from each organization met with the Team to discuss how to improve interagency communication and cooperation; overcome barriers to providing forestry-related assistance; and finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding between the four organizations. Pictured in the photo to the left (l to r) are: NACD board members and Joint Forestry Team members Johnny Sundstrom (OR) and Charles Holmes (AL); Associate Chief of NRCS Dana York; Associate Chief of the Forest Service Sally Collins; NACD CEO Krysta Harden; and NACD Consulting Forester Doug Williams.

NACD Director of Member Services Brad Ross traveled to Provo, Utah last week to participate in the Utah Association of Conservation District's second annual New Supervisor Orientation. Ross informed twenty-four newly-elected Utah district officials about NACD history, the functions of a conservation district, the roles and responsibilities of board members and the role of the various members of the conservation partnership. Ross (far right) is pictured to the left with three of the new Utah supervisors (l-r): George Allen, Piute CD; Blaine Nebeker, San Juan CD; and Cindy Stanton, Piute CD.

The newly elected NACD officer team gathered in Washington D.C. last week for their first full official meeting. The officers discussed NACD budget issues, outlined annual priorities and met with NACD staff. In addition to dealing with internal issues, they also participated in meetings with agency partners, members of Congress and Congressional staff on a variety of issues, including appropriations and the 2008 Farm Bill. In the photo to the left, (l to r) NACD Second Vice President Bob Cordova, Secretary/Treasurer Gene Schmidt and President Elect Steve Robinson (far right) meet with NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster at USDA headquarters.

It’s appropriations time on the Hill and conservation district leaders from California, Georgia, Minnesota, Arkansas and Kentucky have all been in Washington, D.C. this month to meet with their Congressional members and staff. District representatives have also stopped by NACD’s Washington headquarters to talk policy, learn about NACD’s 509 Capitol Court Campaign and visit with staff. In the photo to the left, a delegation of conservation leaders from Minnesota are pictured in front of NACD’s national office with NACD CEO Krysta Harden, NACD Policy Director Keira Franz and NACD Grassroots Coordinator Jeremy Peters.

NACD President John Redding traveled to Oklahoma last week to participate in the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts’ annual meeting. Redding presented to the full crowd on several topics, including the 2008 Farm Bill, watersheds, progress in the district official accreditation program and NACD’s successful 2008 Annual Meeting. He also spoke to the Oklahoma Board of Directors, Oklahoma Conservation District Employees Association and the Presidents’ Association. Redding (right) is pictured in the photo above at the Oklahoma state meeting with and OACD President Scotty Herriman (left).

Conservation district officials from Texas, Georgia, Michigan and California and members of the Great Lakes Committee were in Washington, D.C. this week for several reasons, including Great Lakes Day and Hill visits. Several district leaders also attended the National Association of RC&D Councils’ (NARC&D) 2008 Annual Leadership Forum. NACD Legislative Director Keira Franz participated in one of the NARC&D receptions this week. Franz is pictured in the photo to the left with NARC&D Executive Director Roberta Jeanquart (left) and NARC&D Immediate Past President Sharon Ruggi (center).

NACD President Elect Steve Robinson of Marysville, Ohio, traveled to Jackson, Tennessee this week to address the crowd at the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts’ Annual Meeting. Robinson provided updates on the 2008 Farm Bill and general NACD business. He is pictured on the left with TACD President Barry Lake and Tennessee State Conservationist Kevin Brown. In related news, NACD President John Redding was also on the road, traveling to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to participate in the annual meeting of the state’s conservation districts.

More than 1000 conservationists from across the Nation gathered in Reno, Nevada last week for NACD’s 62nd Annual Meeting. The conference was a huge success, with the highest attendance in five years, a buzzing Conservation Expo, dynamic general sessions, prestigious award winners, policy-setting board meetings and more. Both general session speeches and conversations in the hallways centered on the conference theme—“Conservation Beyond Boundaries.” Conservation district officials and their partners came away from the meeting reenergized and ready to stretch their own boundaries. Details about the conference are available at http://www.nacdnet.org/events/annualmeeting/.

NACD CEO Krysta Harden attended a celebration of the one millionth acre enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) programin Washington, D.C. The one millionth CREP acre is owned by Steve and Margaret Lange in Pipestone, Minn. Farm Service Agency Administrator Teresa Lasseter (pictured in the photo to the left with Harden) and other USDA officials, Congressman Tim Holden (D-PA), Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN), landowners of the first and one millionth CREP acres, CREP partners and others gathered at USDA to celebrate the achievement.

NACD Second Vice President Bob Cordova traveled to Jackson, Miss. last week to attend the annual meeting of the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts. Cordova addressed the crowd, providing updates on NACD activities and recognizing Mississippi leaders for their contributions to the national association. In the photo to the left, Cordova is pictured with Canon Envirothon Executive Director Clay Burns.

NACD President Olin Sims died unexpectedly last week in an accident on his ranch in McFadden, Wyoming. Sims was a trusted friend and colleague to many. He truly loved the land and was committed to the work of conservation districts. He was a family man who was proud of his Wyoming roots. Olin will be deeply missed by the NACD family.