Conservation Clip List is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what's driving conservation. If you have a relevant submission, please contact your NACD Communications Team.

NACD Blog: Celebrate SepticSmart Week: Maintain septic systems to protect water quality
In observance of the Environmental Protection Agency’s SepticSmart Week – September 18-22, 2017 – conservation districts nationwide are discussing septic systems and how they can help landowners use them sustainably.

NACD Blog: NACD’s 2018 Farm Bill Requests
Starting with a survey of our members last summer, the Farm Bill Task Force created a set of principles that helped to guide the formulation of NACD’s 2018 Farm Bill requests.

Survey shows cover crops gain in popularity via KTIC
The latest survey on cover crop use shows more farmers are using cover crops on a larger set of acreage, and those farmers using cover crops state they have a variety of benefits.

US Wildfire Costs Hit Record $2.3 Billion; Season Isn’t Over via CBS Denver 4
The U.S. government says it has already spent a record $2.3 billion fighting wildfires this year, and 64 major fires are still burning in 10 states.

Farm Bill expected to be made before Thanksgiving via KCRG
For the last several months, committee leaders have been visiting states in forums to find out what is needed. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley expects a bill to get out of committee before Thanksgiving.

Researchers find cereal rye is effective at reducing Amaranthus spp. density in soybean crops via Phys.org
Not all cover crops are equally effective against Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, and other Amaranthus spp. weeds. Cereal rye, though, consistently reduced the density of Amaranthus spp. weeds, even in the absence of herbicides.

Reports of Livestock Deaths, Other Ag Losses Trickle in After Harvey via Texas Observer
Since Harvey made landfall three weeks ago, livestock producers have been tallying their losses. Though no official estimate has been given on the number of cows, horses, and other livestock killed in the devastating storm, the final count is likely in the thousands — the 54 counties that bore the storm’s brunt are home to about 1.2 million cattle, a quarter of the state’s total.

Three at-risk species are now protected under the Endangered Species Act via The Verge
Three new species have been added to the endangered species list: Arizona’s Sonoyta mud turtle, the Hawaiian bird ‘i’iwi, and a fish called the pearl darter that’s found in the Southeastern US. Eleven more species are currently being considered for protection.

Scientists: Ash tree species on brink of extinction via Ithaca Journal
Five prominent species of ash tree in the eastern U.S. have been driven to the brink of extinction from years of lethal attack by a beetle.

Leaked report advises Trump to open Maine monument to commercial forestry via Bangor Daily News
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke advised President Donald Trump to open Maine’s national monument to commercial forestry.

$12M+ given to improve the Chesapeake Bay Watershed via WMAR
The $12.6 million will go towards grants that will improve the waterways, restore habitats, and strengthen iconic species in the bay.

Op-Ed: U.S. Needs to Be Smarter About Fighting Wildfires via U.S. News and World Report
(Opinion) The U.S. has been engaged in aggressively fighting wildfire for more than a century, spending billions of dollars each fire season to try to button up blazes that have gotten larger and more frequent in recent decades. The truth is far more nuanced, though: For many species, fire is a prerequisite for their health and sustainability.

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