NACD PUBLISHES SUMMER EDITION OF THE RESOURCE

Today, NACD released the Summer 2018 edition of The Resource.

The summer edition of The Resource showcases an extensive recap of the 2018 NACD Summer Conservation Forum and Tour and Southeast Region Meeting in Williamsburg, Va., a narrative from NACD’s visit to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and an editorial piece featuring Soil Health Champion Jimmy Emmons and his road to recovery following the devastating wildfires that ripped through Oklahoma this spring.

Conservation affects everyone, including our nation’s lawmakers who are tasked with reauthorizing a farm bill before the September 30 deadline. This edition includes a comprehensive government affairs update as well as what to expect in the coming weeks as Congress returns from August recess.

You can read the latest edition by clicking here, or you can browse past editions here on our website. If you have any questions or comments about this issue, or ideas for the next edition, please let us know. If you need help printing this issue, please contact sara-kangas@nacdnet.org.

LAST WEEK TO NOMINATE YOUR CONSERVATION HEROES

Each year, NACD honors conservation leaders through the national service awards program, recognizing their hard work and outstanding leadership in natural resource conservation. Time is running out to submit a nomination form - be sure to complete this form by this Friday, Aug. 31!

NACD offers two national awards categories for you to consider:

• Friend of Conservation Award - recognizes an individual, business, organization or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources. Any individual, business, organization or agency that is not directly associated with conservation districts at the local, state or national level is eligible to receive this award. Nominations can be made by any individual, organization, agency or conservation district.

• Distinguished Service Award - recognizes an individual within the association, a conservation district or state association that has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources. Nominees can be involved with districts or the association at any level, including past NACD officers. Nominations can also be made posthumously for individuals and may be submitted by any individual, organization, agency or conservation district.

Winners will be recognized at NACD's 73rd Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 2-6, 2019. Every nominee will receive a certificate of honorable mention along with a copy of the nomination that was submitted on their behalf. Please send in your nominations for this year’s NACD national service awards and honor your local heroes in conservation before time runs out!

SAVE THE DATE:
UPCOMING U&C WEBINAR

The next NACD Urban and Community Conservation webinar is scheduled for Sept. 20 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST and will discuss Urban Agriculture Conservation.

The Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District in Nebraska will showcase Project GROW (Growing Rotational crops On Wellfields), which is helping the City of York improve its wellfield by planting cover and rotational crops to improve soil health, a community garden and berry shrub orchard, and a pollinator habitat.

California’s Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County will give an update on the expansion of their Tijuana River Valley Community Garden, which now includes a native pollinator hedgerow and six quarter-acre plots for larger scale growing and education. It is the largest community garden in San Diego County; its members come from all walks of life.

These popular webinars, held on the third Thursday of each month, are sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in partnership with the NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group. There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register, email Debra Bogar at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org with your name, title, district or business name, state and email address. Information to access the webinar will be sent by email.

NACD ATTENDS TRIBAL PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP IN OKLAHOMA

On Aug. 21, NACD South Central Region Representative Keith Owen attended the 2018 Oklahoma Tribes Nation to Nation Consultation workshop. The meeting, hosted by the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and Oklahoma Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) was held in Shawnee, Okla.

State leadership from NRCS, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) attended, as well as leadership from several Oklahoma tribes. The workshop concluded with a tour of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation's Eagle Aviary, which cares for eagles rescued from the wild that are injured and cannot be fully rehabilitated.

Tribal leaders shared success stories of their cooperative projects with USDA agencies in the state and discussed building capacity in tribal conservation programs. Owen shared NACD’s commitment to Tribal issues and described the ongoing, successful work of the Tribal Outreach and Partnership Resource Policy Group (RPG). Read one of the RPG’s latest success stories in the summer edition of The Resource.