2019 NACD ANNUAL MEETING KICKS OFF IN SAN ANTONIO

NACD's 73rd Annual Meeting kicked off this morning in San Antonio, Texas. To stay up to date with Annual Meeting news, follow the hashtag #NACDMissionFocused.

Check the NACD 2019 Annual Meeting resources webpage for access to photos, videos, press releases and presentations as they become available throughout the meeting. On the page, you'll also find a template press release, which you can utilize when you return home from San Antonio.

NACD ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION IN URBAN AG CONSERVATION GRANTS

During the opening general session of the 2019 Annual Meeting, NACD President Brent Van Dyke announced a third round of funding through the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative to boost technical capacity in developed or developing areas. Made possible through partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Van Dyke named 20 conservation districts across 14 states who will receive funding in 2019:

• Winkelman Natural Resource Conservation District (NRCD), Ariz.

• Crawford County Conservation District (CD), Ark.

• Alameda County Resource Conservation District (RCD), Calif.

• San Mateo RCD, Calif.

• Ada Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Idaho

• Gooding Soil Conservation District (SCD), Idaho

• Kootenai-Shoshone SWCD, Idaho

• Worcester County CD, Mass.

• Marquette County CD, Mich.

• North St. Louis SWCD, Minn.

• Cheshire County CD, N.H.

• Merrimack County CD, N.H.

• Dona Ana SWCD, N.M.

• Cortland County SWCD, N.Y.

• Hamilton County SWCD, Ohio

• Lehigh County CD, Pa.

• Northern Rhode Island CD, R.I.

• Southern Rhode Island CD, R.I.

• Okanogan CD, Wash.

• Palouse-Rock Lake CD, Wash.

With this third round of funding, NACD and NRCS have allocated $4 million in funding to 81 conservation districts across 34 states. Read more, including the 2019 project descriptions, in this press release.

NACD AND DUCKS UNLIMITED SIGN COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

NACD welcomed Ducks Unlimited, Inc., CEO Dale Hall as a keynote speaker during the opening general session on Monday, Feb. 4, at the organization's 2019 Annual Meeting.

Following his remarks, Hall and NACD President Brent Van Dyke signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU establishes a formal commitment between both organizations to enhance the productivity of wildlife habitats on private lands.

“Today’s agreement solidifies the efforts both NACD and DU have already begun to accomplish in getting conservation on the ground,” Van Dyke said. "This MOU will help both organizations promote and implement conservation practices at the local level, and we look forward to working with DU to achieve our shared natural resources goals and objectives.”

“As Ducks Unlimited continues our wetland and waterfowl conservation work across North America, we appreciate what the National Association of Conservation Districts does for wetlands all over the country,” Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall said. “This memorandum of understanding reinforces our great partnership and a shared desire for conservation and restoration of wetlands and associated habitats.”

Read the MOU press release on NACD's 2019 Annual Meeting Resources webpage or in the NACD Newsroom.

NCF AND NACD LAUNCH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

During Monday's Leadership Luncheon, NACD and the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) announced the launch of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI), a program to develop opportunities for the next generation of conservation leaders.

NGLI’s objectives include developing a program for future leaders, creating knowledgeable leaders and ambassadors, creating grassroots advocates, and creating a financial model for sustaining the initiative. Learn more in the NGLI launch press release or on the #NCFNextGen webpage.