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 accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.
NACD: NACD Announces Application Period for Urban and Community Conservation Grants
01/21/2024
Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the open application period for the 2025 Urban and Community Conservation (UAC) grant initiative. The grants are open to any conservation district within the U.S. and the territories NACD serves, state associations, and tribal organizations. Proposals are due by April 1, 2025.
NACD Blog: Protecting Local Ecosystems: The West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District’s Invasive Species Program
01/21/2024
In the lush landscapes of Oregon, the West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) serves as a critical guardian of natural resources. Among its many initiatives, the district’s Invasive Species Program stands out as a vital effort to protect the region’s rich biodiversity and economy from the threats posed by invasive weeds.
Rural Radio Network: One Last Time… As Your USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator… It’s Been a Great Ride
By Zach Ducheneaux
01/20/2025
Rather than go through the countless accomplishments we’ve been a part of together, I thought it may be of interest to you all how and why you came to have a recovering rancher and aspiring horseman as “Your Administrator” and have my last message to you all end with a friendly suggestion or two. The short version is, “my dad was a rancher, and in a roundabout way, that’s how I got here.”
USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Slate of Presidential Appointments
01/21/2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of the following individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda, ensuring that the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.
WXPR: Wisconsin farmer uses ‘mock beaver dams’ to restore wetlands
By Bennet Goldstein | Black River Falls, WI | North Central Region
01/16/2024
Jay Dee Nichols stamped and packed stiff willow branches between maple wood posts, with muffled crunches. At 63, the semi-retired handyman from the Wisconsin city of Black River Falls has trapped beavers before. But he’s never heard of a mock beaver dam – much less constructed one.
USDA-NRCS: Bartlesville Urban Farmers Find Their Niche with Help of NRCS
By Carrie Chlebanowski | Oklahoma | South Central Region
01/17/2025
When Matt and Amanda Hakola moved to Oklahoma, they brought with them a desire to get a garden growing and share its abundance with their new neighbors, like they had done back in Oregon. They knew the work involved, but were not prepared for the poor soil quality, insect pressure and extreme weather that makes growing in Oklahoma so challenging. These environmental factors, coupled with the recognition of the food insecurity caused by supply chain problems in their area during the pandemic, solidified their commitment to using no-till regenerative practices to build a healthy ecosystem and living soil in their backyard garden.
The Keene Sentinel: From the Big Apple to a small town, Hancock’s Spikol makes space for nature everywhere
By James Rinker | New Hampshire | Northeast Region
01/18/2025
(Edited) Susie Spikol is a kid at heart. On a sunny afternoon at Hancock’s Harris Center for Conservation Education, the teacher-naturalist shared stories about the various creatures that have brought her decades of joy. Her work has garnered numerous accolades, most recently her receiving the 2024 Conservation Educator of the Year Award from the N.H. Association of Conservation Districts.
Napa Valley Register: MLK Day volunteering in Napa includes park restoration, care packages and more
By | Napa County, CA | Pacific Region
01/20/2025
In one of Napa County’s many community service efforts that marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, some 40 volunteers came to the city of Napa’s Westwood Hills Park to continue a seemingly never-ending war against French broom. The invasive plant has long held a roothold in the 106-acre nature park near Browns Valley. It can take over a landscape, forcing out native plants needed by local wildlife, and hasten the spread of a wildfire.
Craig Press: Community Agriculture Alliance: Moon Farms invests in soil health
By Reece Melton | Moffat County, CO | Southwest Region
01/23/2025
Doyle Moon, an agricultural producer in Moffat County who manages Moon Farms, has taken serious steps to improve his farm’s soil health. The producer is enrolled in the second round of funding available through the Colorado Soil Health Program (CSHP), offered through the Colorado Department of Agriculture. He is excited to see positive results in his implemented practices to improve soil health since enrolling in the program.
UAPB News: Never Too Late to Participate in NRCS Programs: 80-year-old Forrest City Farmer Enhances Farm
Arkansas | South Central Region
01/21/2025
In the last year, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Small Farm Program and the East Arkansas Enterprise Community (EAEC) helped over 120 historically underserved and limited resource farmers participate in the East Arkansas Delta Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), according to Dr. Henry English, director for the UAPB program.