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.

Glacier Reporter: Blackfeet ARMP awarded NACD TA Grant Funds
09/04/19

Loren Birdrattler, Blackfeet ARMP Program Manager, said, “The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) funding will assist us in moving Blackfeet farmers and ranchers into NRCS and other USDA program resources to prevent overgrazing, protect native grass species integral to the development of young heifers, as well as aligning eligibility requirements for USDA programs with Indian Trust Land policy.”

The Frontier and Holt County Independent: Lower Niobrara NRD Receives 2019 NACD Technical Assistance Grant
09/04/19

Lower Niobrara NRD will use the TA grant funding to help fund the salary for an NRD technician. Their duties include assisting the Boyd County NRCS office with all aspects of getting conservation practices on the ground and inspecting those practices to ensure they have been completed properly.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: West Texas farmers fight drought, heat with regenerative agriculture
By Jayme Lozano
08/29/19

Droughts and declining water levels can throw a growing season for a loop, which is why some producers are finding new solutions to long-lasting problems. Regenerative farming isn’t a new practice in the agriculture community, but it’s one that seems to be helping in a growing season that, for some, hasn’t brought significant rain since May and has endured record-breaking heat.

National Geographic: Forests on Utah’s public lands may soon be torn out. Here’s why.
By Jennifer Oldham
09/03/19

The federal government plans to remove an unprecedented number of trees, to reduce fire risk, improve habitat for greater sage grouse, and increase forage for cattle and a world-renowned trophy-hunting deer herd.

Albert Lea Tribune: Cover crops are moving in from the fringe
By Tyler Julson
08/30/19

In recent years the use of cover crops on farmland throughout the Midwest has been slowly but surely growing in popularity. By helping to eliminate soil erosion, fix nitrogen levels and maintain nutrients within the soil, cover crops are providing farmers new ways to help build their ground back up after being decimated by years of damage.

Phys.org: How California wildfires can impact water availability
By Julie Chao
09/04/19

The team found that post-wildfire conditions resulted in greater winter snowpack and subsequently greater summer runoff as well as increased groundwater storage.

Fox News: Farmers concerned over how mandatory water cuts from Colorado River will impact agriculture
By Benjamin Brown
09/04/19

Under drought guidelines from the Central Arizona Project, farmers will see a 60 percent reduction, from 275,000 acre-feet to 105,000 acre-feet per year for the first three years, followed by a complete cutoff from the Colorado River, relying entirely on groundwater.

The Oskaloosa Herald: Restoring soil can help address climate change
By David R. Montgomery
09/04/19

(Opinion) But what if it was possible to reverse course, regenerate soil organic matter and reduce farmers’ need for diesel fuel and chemical fertilizers made with fossil fuels? This would make it feasible to stash more carbon in the soil and reduce the amount that’s sent skyward in the process of growing food.

AP News: Maryland concerned about Pennsylvania’s water plans for bay
By Brian Witte
08/29/19

Maryland continues to have “alarming concerns” about neighboring Pennsylvania’s lack of progress in meeting clean water goals and how falling short will affect the Chesapeake Bay.

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