Conservation Clips is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what's driving conservation. These articles are not indicative of NACD policy and are the opinions of their authors, unless otherwise noted. If you have a relevant submission or need assistance with accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.

NACD Blog: Saving our brook trout with wood in streams
By Linda Brownson
07/17/19

More than 20 years ago, in the Pacific Northwest, the value of putting wood in streams was being evaluated closely, as work was being done to rescue the endangered salmon population. Interest in ‘wood in stream’ started picking up in the Northeast a few years after. Fish biologists were behind it, as our native population of Eastern Brook Trout was declining.

NACD Blog: NACD Supports Boot Camp Bridge
By Teresa Matteson
07/15/19

Thanks to NACD funding, I attended NRCS Conservation Planning Boot Camp in Lincoln, Neb., in May of 2018. Entering a room of 34 classmates, many of whom were less than half my age, was a bit daunting.

Pipestone County Star: Cunningham called to Washington
By Debra Fitzgerald
07/17/19

The Congressional Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a public hearing on June 25 on the conservation and economic benefits of healthy soils, and NACD’s secretary-treasurer, Ian Cunningham, was one of the five people invited to testify.

Western Ag Reporter: Soil Health Champions Network
By Kerry Hoffschneider
07/18/19

A group of more than 240 farmers, ranchers and woodland owners make up the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Soil Health Champions Network and share the goal of increasing the adoption of soil health systems by landowners nationwide.

E&E News: BLM picks new headquarters
By Scott Streater
07/15/19

(Subscriber Only) The Interior Department will announce on Tuesday where it plans to move the Bureau of Land Management's Washington, D.C.-based headquarters, and multiple sources said the leading candidate is Grand Junction, Colo.

High Plains Journal: Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll shows conservation increasing
07/14/19

As more land is rented in Iowa, tenants perceive an increase in their responsibility for conservation actions, but they are less likely to invest in conservation on the land they rent.

Successful Farming: Montana Ranchers Can Now Get Paid to Sequester Carbon using Rotational Grazing Practices
07/18/19

In partnership with international carbon credit broker NativeEnergy, Syracuse University soil science organization Soils for the Future, and the US’ largest national park concessionaire Xanterra Parks and Resorts, WSE is helping farmers figure out whether implementing rotational grazing practices make sense for their ranches through the Montana Grasslands Carbon Initiative.

Civil Eats: Will Indigo Ag’s New Private Carbon Market Pay Off for Farmers?
By Jeanne Merrill
07/11/19

The company has raised millions to help farmers sequester a trillion tons of carbon in the soil. Their Terraton initiative will pay farmers $15 per metric ton for the carbon that they store in their soils and in trees on their farms.

Blackburn News: Farmers get more help to protect water quality in Lake Erie
By Adelle Loiselle
07/18/19

After an American agency predicted a bad summer for algal blooms in Lake Erie, the provincial and federal governments are boosting funding to help farmers improve farming practices.

Des Moines Register: Iowa could need hundreds, potentially thousands of years to reach nutrient goals under current approach
By Donnelle Eller
07/17/19

It could take Iowa hundreds, potentially thousands of years to reach its goal to cut by 45% the nutrients that contribute to the Gulf of Mexico dead zone, according to a new report.

Sierra Leone Times: Farmers Benefit from Having Nature Nearby, Research Shows
07/12/19

A study finds that having diverse natural areas near agriculture helps farmers financially during droughts, and the more diverse the areas are, the better.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: USDA offices studying possibility of future without Ogallala Aquifer
By Jayme Lozano
07/14/19

The U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Lubbock studies several possibilities regarding the Ogallala Aquifer, including the idea that the aquifer may not be able to be used in the future. A big focus is geared toward what the best farming practices can be with only rainfall, as they try to get away from using the aquifer.

Phys.org: Smart irrigation model predicts rainfall to conserve water
By Melanie Lefkowitz
07/17/19

A predictive model combining information about plant physiology, real-time soil conditions and weather forecasts can help make more informed decisions about when and how much to irrigate. This could save 40 percent of the water consumed by more traditional methods, according to new Cornell research.

Deseret News: Stewardship agreement will funnel $20 million to improve Utah's forests
By Amy Joi O’Donoghue
07/16/19

Two "shovel ready" forest health improvement projects in Utah will get an infusion of $4 million designed to help protect critical watershed areas and curtail the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Overall, $20 million will be spent over four years in a cooperative partnership that exists in only two other states, Idaho and Washington.

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