NACD's 2022 Annual Report has arrived! Click the cover above to begin browsing the latest publication from the National Association of Conservation Districts. 

This past year, NACD, conservation districts, state + territory associations, and conservation officials across the U.S. continued to deliver natural resource and conservation management for working lands everywhere. In this edition of the Annual Report you'll find updates on:

• NACD's FY2022 finances,
• Friends of NACD District Grants Program 2023 recipients,
• NACD's Technical Assistance grant program,
• Activities across NACD's seven regions,
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts,
• And more!

You'll also read about how conservation districts are continuing to champion locally-led conservation in their communities, including:

• A Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District project funded through the Friends of NACD Grant to build partnerships and raise invasive species awareness in the community;
• The Northern Rhode Island Conservation District's Urban Growers Leadership Program, a bilingual training program geared towards supporting the diverse beginning farmers and growers in the surrounding urban communities;
• A program between the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to get more local dollars allocated to fund conservation;
• And more!

On behalf of all of us at NACD, we are proud to be your national voice and look forward to the great work we have already begun to accomplish together in 2023. 

ONE WATER POSTER AND PHOTO CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

The NACD Auxiliary/Partner Stewardship Poster and Photo Contest is held each year to promote the topic and theme of NACD Stewardship Week. The 2023 topic is watersheds, and the theme is “One Water”.

The Poster Contest provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade the opportunity to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative. Posters first compete at the district level and winners advance to the state, and then to the national level. The poster contest is open to all public, private, and home-schooled students. The NACD Auxiliary – through their quilt project proceeds, the Country Store at the NACD Annual Meeting, as well as individual donors and partners – sponsor cash prizes for the top three posters in each grade category at the national level.

The Photo Contest has both a youth (18 years old and younger) and an adult category for images that promote the 2023 theme of “One Water” in four categories: Conservation Practices, Close-up Conservation, Conservation in Action, and Agriculture and Conservation Across America. Images submitted to the photo contest are featured through the next year in NACD digital publications and presentations. Winners of the photo contest also receive cash prizes from the NACD Auxiliary/ Partner organization.

For 2023, NACD has implemented a new digital form and artwork submission process. For more information, contest rules, and submission forms go to the NACD Conservation Education Hub Contest Tab or contact stewardship@nacdnet.org.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON: GOVERMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

The House and Senate agriculture committees are working to write the 2023 Farm Bill and are continuing to hold hearings to inform its development. There are doubts that the legislation will be passed before the September 30 deadline, but lawmakers and stakeholders are pushing to pass a bill on time. An extension could be passed in lieu of a new bill, which would fund expiring USDA programs at current levels.

On May 9, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with President Biden to discuss Congress raising the debt ceiling. In April, the GOP House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act; a bill to raise the debt limit and cut spending, which includes expanded work requirements for nutrition assistance. President Biden committed to taking a “hard look” at rescinding unspent COVID aid funding, but no deal was reached in the meeting. President Biden will continue negotiations with Congressional leaders to raise the debt ceiling before the nation defaults early next month.

On May 11, President Biden met with the four leaders of the agriculture committees to discuss the new Farm Bill. The committees reported that the meeting focused on the importance of bipartisanship and passing a Farm Bill this year. On May 12, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released 10-year cost projections for federal programs, including Farm Bill programs. The CBO increased the estimated costs for many USDA programs, which will influence the upcoming Farm Bill.

NGLI HOLDS SUCCESSFUL

MID-YEAR TRAINING SESSION

The 2023 Cohort of the National Conservation Foundation's (NCF) Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) completed their mid-year training session this April. This cohort marks the first time the program has moved to a three session model, which allows for less travel but more face to face time with a week-long session in the middle of their leadership journey.

Throughout the week, the cohort spent time in Washington, D.C. and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia. They had classroom and hands on learning experiences focused on legislative affairs, strategic communications, and conservation projects. The group heard from conservation experts and leadership from partner organizations like NRCS, EPA, Syngenta, and the West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts.

Read about the experience on NCF's blog.

TEXAS AREA 5 SWCDs

HOST WILDLIFE CONTEST

In Texas, the Area 5 Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Wildlife Alliance for Youth (WAY) support their local 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters through the annual Region 5 Wildlife Contest in Cooke County, Texas. This event is made possible through the partnerships of Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD), USDA: Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field office staff, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Dixon Water Foundation.

This year’s contest was hosted by the Dixon Water Foundation on April 5, 2023, at the Leo Unit of the Josey Ranch located Northwest of Dallas. Within the 1,900 acre tall grass prairie unit lives a 5,000-square-foot living building, called the Josey Pavilion. The pavilion promotes healthy watersheds through sustainable management and was designed to have positive environmental impacts. 240 students from sixty-one different school districts arrived the morning of the contest, each contestant eager to take home the title of High Point Individual and $500 scholarship.

Before the students began the competition, Richard An, Operations and Education Coordinator, and Hilary Knight, Vice President of Operations at the Dixon Water Foundation welcomed the students and talked to them about the history and purpose of the Foundation and Ranch. After the welcome, students were divided into groups and led by both NRCS staff and SWCD Directors to their stations as the competition commenced.

“NRCS, TPWD, Ricky Linex and the local SWCD’s all played a vital role in setting up the Plant ID, Wildlife Habitat Evaluation, and Wildlife Techniques portion of the contest,” said Carolann Corado, Contest Coordinator and Upper-Elm Red SWCD District Manager.

As the competition concluded, all the students were treated to a meal and refreshments sponsored by Area 5 SWCDs and WAY. After lunch, the high point individual of the day was announced along with the top five high scoring teams, and top ten individuals. Jack Debnar, from Glen Rose FFA took home the high point individual score and a $500 scholarship. The win at the regional competition sent Glen Rose FFA Wildlife Team to the state competition where his team placed second overall. Alongside Jack in the photo are his teammates and ag teacher.