National Association of Conservation Districts

Conservation Districts—Your Community's Gateway to Natural Resource Conservation (PDF) - April 2010
In a world of varied government programs, comprehensive legislation and broader focuses on national issues, everyone can agree on one thing: no single program, piece of legislation or single issue can fully address the needs of local communities across the country. This is especially true of natural resource conservation. Learn more about how conservation districts can lead the charge to ensure the natural resource concerns of their local communities are fully addressed.

Conservation Recipes for the 21st Century (PDF) - March 2010
Changing land use and demographics in rural America and changing trends in agriculture and forestry have resulted in a more diverse client base and have created heightened demands for conservation products and services. This report outlines opportunities for providing services to a broader array of customers and providing more complex information than ever before. The report was created in partnership with NRCS.

Conservation Habits = Healthy Habitats (PDF) - Winter 2009
By working to improve our environment, everyone can develop good habits that will last a lifetime and also inspire others around them. This feature story provides basic as well as additional supportive information and highlights how conservation districts can help create a healthy habitat for the area you inhabit.

Low Impact Development: Put a 'LID' on it (PDF) - Fall 2009
Low impact development (LID) is considered by many as a more resource-friendly alternative to conventional stormwater practices. Read our feature story from the Fall 2009 edition of the Resource to learn about LID and districts’ roles.

Establishing Relationships with Lawmakers (PDF) – Summer 2009
A key to having the greatest impact when participating in grassroots advocacy is building relationships with lawmakers and their staff. Lawmakers are always interested in hearing from constituents, and conservation district officials possess a great deal of influence and credibility related to natural resource programs. This feature story includes some valuable resources that can be used to develop and maintain strong relationships with decision makers at all levels.

Markets, Trading, and Credits: New Opportunities for Conservation Districts (PDF) – Spring 2009
Market-based conservation quantifies economic values for natural resource conservation and utilizes an economic driver for implementation of conservation practices. Many of these emerging markets involve conservation practices that conservation districts have been helping landowners implement for years practices that provide clean water, clean air and wildlife habitat. This feature story explores possible market-based conservation opportunities for districts.

Market-Based Conservation Initiatives White Paper (PDF) – February 2009
Market-based solutions to natural resource challenges are emerging as new tools for public and private entities seeking improvements in air, soil and water quality. This paper seeks to offer insights on market-based engagement opportunities for conservation districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field staff and other interested conservation practitioners. While market-based initiatives are not magic bullets in and of themselves, they can be important additions to existing strategies and initiatives.

Districts Thriving in Challenging Times (PDF) - Winter 2008
Listening to the news, some say our country is facing its most challenging times. But conservation districts are familiar with challenge. This resource features a group of stories that briefly demonstrates how districts have continued to lead the way in conserving natural resources for our future, the real foundation of our country. At the same time they serve as an inspiration to us all to get the job done no matter what.

Outreach and Communication, Making the Connection Count (PDF) - Fall 2008
Communicating the availability of, need for and successes of conservation districts is one of the most important things a conservation district is tasked with. This feature story gives several tools to make your district’s and state association’s communication and outreach efforts count.

Time to Talk: Who Will Own the Family Woodlands? (PDF) – November 2008
Published with the November 2008 edition of Forestry Notes, this four-page guide was designed for families to use to talk about the next generation of ownership of America’s woodlands.

Our Land, Our Water: Case Studies in Local Successes (PDF) – November 2008
This report highlights 25 watershed or community scale projects led by districts and demonstrates the value of locally led conservation on a range of natural resource challenges. Available in 5.9MB Acrobat format, the 56-page publication was produced by NACD in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Conservation Districts' Role in Implementing National Fire Plan (PDF) – May 2007
This publication takes a second look at the role of conservation districts in implementing the Fire Plan. The booklet, available in Acrobat format, was produced by NACD in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and US Department of Interior to provide conservation districts with a tool to motivate and educate your communities and help mitigate the dangerous impacts of wildland fires in your areas.

Energy Conservation Opportunities in Agriculture (PDF) – May 2007
The goal of this report is to help raise awareness among producers about the energy conservation opportunities by highlighting how today's agricultural producers are changing farming and ranching practices to conserve energy, reduce consumption and generate energy from renewable sources.

Homegrown Energy: America's New Power Plants (PDF) – 2007
The way we farm is rapidly changing rural America and agricultural policy must adapt to new social, economic and environmental forces. Leading the way are clean, renewable biofuels. This report discusses renewable energy and the role of agriculture and producers in this rapidly changing energy industry.

Working Together: Tools for Helping Imperiled Wildlife on Private Lands (PDF )– December 2005
NACD and a number of partners worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to compile a “wildlife toolbox” brochure titled Working Together: Tools for Helping Imperiled Wildlife on Private Lands. From explanations of Habitat Conservation Plans to a definition of Safe Harbor agreements, this publication provides a “must-have” knowledge base for private landowners.

Conservation Marketplace – May/June 2003
This report addresses how market-driven approaches to conservation can stimulate new areas of innovation and flexibility by utilizing market forces to achieve environmental improvements. Trading provides incentives to sellers to provide more environmental protection measures than legally required and allows buyers to achieve compliance in a way that is faster and less expensive than the ultimate facility upgrade that might be necessary for a regulated entity. Learn how agriculture and conservation can help provide the solution and benefit in the process.