NACD's 72nd Annual Meeting Unites Conservation Leaders
More than 1,000 leaders in conservation from across the country gathered in Nashville, Tenn., to celebrate the 2018 NACD Annual Meeting, network and gain insight on the central challenges facing their work in the field.
On Monday, attendees heard from country music star Shea Fisher and her husband, rodeo champion Tyson Durfey (pictured), about the importance of perseverance. The audience also heard remarks from Davidson Soil Conservation District Chair Bob Strasser, Jr. and Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton.
That afternoon,
meeting-goers were treated to a performance by Nashville's own Sunshine Girls, a bluesgrass band that sang about soil, conservation, and bugs. Chad Pregracke, founder and president of Living Lands and Waters, provided the keynote address at the Leadership Luncheon and discussed how he led the charge to clean up the Mississippi River in his community. Pregracke epitomized what many of us in the field know to be true; locally-led conservation works, and one person can make a positive impact on our natural resources.
The 72nd Annual Meeting has also spotlighted the future generation of conservationists. Monday's general session featured Middle Tennessee State University sophomore Ashley Brooks singing the national anthem and students from McGavock High School's FFA program to lead the pledge of allegiance. Tuesday's general session featured a state welcome from Tennessee FFA President Julia Knaggs and keynote speaker Dr. Sam Clovis, Jr. emphasized the importance of educating our future generations of conservationists.