You won’t want to miss Denver’s breakouts

NACD’s 2017 Annual Meeting in Denver will feature a long and diverse list of breakout sessions for our attendees to enjoy! Over the course of the meeting, attendees will have over 30 breakout opportunities to hear from conservation districts and their partners on a wide array of topics, including forestry, soil health, invasive species, water quality, communications strategies, and leadership development.

Meeting participants can also learn how to advance conservation in their communities by building relationships with local partners and increasing the effectiveness of their governing boards. Several districts from across the country will also showcase the innovative work they are doing through NACD’s Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative. Breakout sessions are the perfect venues for you to start a dialogue with other districts that have similar resource concerns. Don't miss out! Register today and reserve your room at the Sheraton Denver Downtown!

BLM recognizes several CD members as Rangeland Stewards

The Bureau of Land Management has announced their 2016 Rangeland Stewardship Award Winners – three ranching groups all connected to conservation districts who are dedicated to protecting healthy and productive rangelands and promoting appropriate rangeland management.

Mori Ranch in Tuscarora, Nevada, received the Rangeland Stewardship–Permittee Award. Mori Ranch uses a proactive approach to livestock management that combines riding and herding with three-pasture rotation to maintain healthy vegetation. Pete and Sam Mori’s practices have also protected and enhanced sage-grouse habitat throughout their allotment and kept cheatgrass at bay, providing lush wildlife habitat, appropriate fire return intervals, and an opportunity for sportsmen and recreationists to enjoy the area. Pete is the chairman and Sam is the supervisor for the Owyhee Conservation District.

The Shoesole Resource Management Group of Elko, Nevada, received the Rangeland Stewardship–Collaborative Planning Team Award. Each year in northeastern Nevada, several ranchers (including group members Agee Smith, Steve and Robin Boies, and Domingo and Ruby Uhart) propose a comprehensive grazing plan for agency approval. Together, these families also helped establish the Sagebrush Alliance of Northeastern Elko County (SANE) – a landowner-driven effort that aims to protect and enhance sage-grouse populations and sagebrush habitat through collaboration and cooperation. SANE is run through the Northeastern Elko Conservation District (NECD), of which Agee Smith is chairman.

The West Box Elder Coordinated Resource Management Group received the Sage-Grouse Habitat Stewardship–Collaborative Group Award. BLM commended the group for being an ideal example of a community-based, land stewardship organization. The West Box Elder Conservation District has long been a driving force within the group, starting with the creation of a coordinated resource management plan and bringing other members to the table. Ken Spackman serves as the district’s chair and as the co-chair of the resource management group.

NRCS’ Conservation Client Gateway ends FY 2016 with 2,400 clients

The latest status report from NRCS on its online toolshed – the Conservation Client Gateway – says thousands of people are using the web platform to request conservation assistance. As of Sept. 29, it had 2,400 registered clients, including 279 in Texas (the most participants in one state), 175 in Missouri, and 142 in Louisiana. Most clients are using the Gateway to submit documents, get technical assistance questions answered, and apply for financial assistance.

Now the agency is working on rolling out the second installation of the Gateway – called Version 2 Release 2. The CCG V2 Demonstration Site (here’s the direct link) is open to NRCS and affiliated field staff who would like to familiarize themselves with the new version before it’s made available to clients. If you have questions about CCG, contact NACD Director of Communications Whitney Forman-Cook.