NACD's sister organization, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF), provides crucial programming that strengthens the next generation of conservation leaders. With your support, NCF has been able to provide training opportunities and scholarships for young and emerging conservation leaders looking to make the world an even better place.

NCF has recently launched their fall campaign with the goal of raising $20K by the end of the calendar year. For Giving Tuesday, NCF is asking for your help to hit this goal.

Your support enables crucial conservation education programming like the NFC-Envirothon, which reaches more than 25,000 high school students annually, and the Next Generation Leadership Institute, which has developed dozens of conservation leaders ready to serve their community. The future is bright - help make it brighter with a donation. Learn more and pledge your support here.

NEW REPORT SHOWS POSITIVE IMPACT OF SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED

NACD and the Soil Health Institute (SHI) published a new report this week about the environmental and economic benefits of soil health management systems in the Delaware River Watershed. The study was supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

The collaborative project assessed the economics of soil health management systems (SHMS) on three farms in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. NACD conducted interviews with farmers who use no-till production and cover crops when growing corn, soybeans, and other crops to learn about their experiences after adopting these systems and assess the impact on net farm income, water quality, and the health of the surrounding watershed. SHI conducted a partial budget analysis comparing the costs and benefits before and after using the SHMS.

While the surveyed farms have differences in terms of location, size, and crops, all three experienced positive soil health outcomes after implementing a SHMS. In addition to increases in net farm income, other benefits reported by the farmers include improved water infiltration, increased soil organic matter, reduced soil compaction and erosion, and increased resilience to drought stress.

For more information about the soil health management systems report, including video interviews with the farmers and fact sheets that provide more details about the budget analysis, please visit www.nacdnet.org/shms.

LAST CALL FOR FRIENDS OF NACD DISTRICT GRANT APPLICATIONS

NACD's application for the 2024 Friends of NACD District Grants Program closes this Thursday, November 30!

The 2024 program will award top ranking applicants up to $2,500 each to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations. Districts are encouraged to think creatively about how they can use the funds to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations. 

Applications will be accepted through November 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Learn more about Friends of NACD, the District Grants Program, and find the application and Request for Proposals (RFP) on NACD’s website.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Before the Thanksgiving recess, President Biden signed a Continuing Resolution into law to temporarily avert a government shutdown, which also included an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.

In the coming weeks, Congress will be working to pass Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills, funding for foreign aid, the National Defense Authorization Act, and other legislation to support priorities including disaster assistance and border security. The House and Senate agriculture committees are continuing to develop and negotiate the 2023 Farm Bill.

NACD’s 2024 Spring Fly-in has been tentatively scheduled for March 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. Please stay tuned for more details and an event agenda.

CALIFORNIA DISTRICTS ENHANCE FOREST HEALTH AND FIRE RESILIENCE

In response to the devastating wildfires that swept through California's North Bay Counties in October 2017, local partners, including the Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD), created the North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP). The NBFIP is a collaboration between Napa RCD, Mendocino RCD, and Sonoma RCD, along with the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) and Rebuild North Bay Foundation. This program targets private non-industrial small forestland owners and managers, covering parcels ranging from 5 to 500 acres.

The program's primary goal is to incentivize non-commercial forest improvement activities to promote forest health and wildfire resilience, such as thinning, planting, pruning, and fuel hazard reduction. The NBFIP has the goal of creating a regionally appropriate, accessible, and nimble program to support private forested landowners and land managers.

The collaborative structure and efficiency of scale achieved through partnerships with neighboring RCDs have proven instrumental in navigating challenges and maximizing the impact of fire management activities. Napa RCD's involvement in the region extends to the Department of Conservation’s Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program, where it serves as the block grant administrator, overseeing a collaborative effort that includes Napa, Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC), and four other counties including their associated resource conservation districts—Colusa, Solano, Yolo, and a portion of Sonoma. The RCDs play a crucial role in day-to-day outreach, technical assistance, and project oversight within their service areas.

Through innovative partnerships, these initiatives not only address wildfire risks but also lay the groundwork for sustainable forest management practices. As other districts consider similar initiatives, the lessons from Napa RCD emphasize the importance of collaboration, flexibility in funding, and a regionally tailored approach to ensure long-term success in mitigating the impact of wildfires.

Read the full story on NACD's blog and see more stories like this in Forestry Notes.