Items Added Daily to the Annual Meeting Live Auction

The Solo Drone by 3D Robotics is the latest item to be added to the lineup for the NACD Live Auction. The drone is the latest high-tech tool for many farmers and ranchers. The camera can provide producers with a bird’s-eye-view of their entire operation. This is great for locating livestock or checking crops.  

The Live Auction will feature a little something for everyone. Jewelry, beautiful artwork, hunting packages, ag chemicals and high-tech gadgets and toys are just a few examples. Other recent additions include Liberty Link by Bayer Crop Science, a GoPro Hero 4 and a set of three Appalachian prints.  

Once again, we will be running the Draw Down during the evening, so be sure to bring plenty of $20s so you will not miss out on the opportunity to win a cash prize at the end of the night!

The Live Auction is just 13 days away. Do not miss your opportunity to have your donation featured on the new auction flyer on the NACD webpage. We are making updates daily. We look forward to seeing everyone in Reno at the Live Auction! 

NACD Fly-In Set for March 14-15

As the second session of Congress gets underway, NACD is making plans for a legislative fly-in March14-15 in Washington, DC to advocate for conservation district priorities on Capitol Hill. A draft agenda is available online and additional details will be confirmed soon. State associations and district leaders wishing to participate are encouraged to make hotel accommodations early, as March tends to be a busy time in Washington. If you are planning on attending this year’s fly-in, please let us know by emailing Katie Stump at katie-stump@nacdnet.org. 

California Association of Resource Conservation Districts Hosts Western Forest Health Listening Session

Glenn Franklin, President of California Association of Resource Conservation Districts and Karen Buhr, Executive Director, convened the first of three forest health listening sessions in Davis, California, on January 13. Participants from five states (California, Idaho, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming) discussed priority forest health and wildfire issues, obstacles and opportunities to achieve forest health, funding needs, collaborative examples, and the role of conservation districts pre and post-fire. Franklin will present details of the session at the NACD Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada later this month.  

Two other listening sessions will be hosted by the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts in Santa Fe, New Mexico February 23, and by the Idaho Association of Conservation Districts in Boise, Idaho on March 1. Other western states will be invited to attend these sessions. NACD would like to get perspectives from as many western states as possible so that feedback canl be shared with the U.S. Forest Service and conservation districts.  

For information about the New Mexico session contact Debbie Hughes at conserve@hughes.net and for the Idaho session contact Benjamin Kelly at Benjamin@amgidaho.com or Jeff Burwell, NACD's Western Issues Specialist at Jeff-Burwell@nacdnet.org.  

NACD at Delaware Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting

On January 13, NACD President Lee McDaniel, Northeast 

Executive Board Northeast Region Representative and Policy Specialist Katie Stump attended the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD) Annual Meeting. It was held at the state NRCS offices in Dover, Delaware. District officials and staff from Delaware's three districts were present. Kim LaFleur gave a national update and presented service pins to district supervisors for five, ten, fifteen, and twenty-five years of service. DACD had a business meeting and supervisors received district official training.   

In picture (left to right): NACD Northeast Executive Board member Kim LaFleur, NACD Northeast Region Representative and Policy Specialist Katie Stump, National Conservation Districts Employees Association President and Kent Conservation District Coordinator Tim Riley, NACD President Lee McDaniel, DACD President Robert Emerson, National Association of State Conservation Agencies Executive Director Mike Brown, and Delaware State Conservationist Kasey Taylor.

NACD North Central Region Meets in Indianapolis

The NACD North Central Region Board of Directors met with conservation partners on January 13 in Indianapolis, Indiana, in advance of the NACD Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada to reconnect and prepare for the larger meeting, focusing on both national and regional issues. USDA NRCS, NASCA, EPA, and NCDEA were in attendance.  

The meeting agenda included discussion on NACD legislative priorities, the next Farm Bill and getting input from the local districts, and resolutions that will be presented in Reno. These three main categories were catalysts to more in-depth discussion throughout the day and hope to be continued at the annual meeting later this month. 

The board invited guest speaker, Robert Jean, Ph.D., an entomologist from Environmental Solutions & Innovations Inc., to speak about bees and their roles as pollinators. He covered the bee’s genetic specificities, its role in varied ecosystems, environmental impacts, the need for more research, and some practical ways to address its decline. From this presentation, the board discussed and wrote a resolution to be presented at the NACD Annual Meeting addressing pollinator decline. 

Conservation partners, including USDA NRCS, NASCA, EPA, and NCDEA, played a valued role in the region meeting as they gave program and project updates. They also provided valuable background and agency input on various issues that were addressed through policy discussion. 

After the meeting concluded, some of the board members stayed and attended the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts annual meeting the following day where NACD Executive Board Member Tim Palmer spoke and NACD North Central Representative Beth Mason provided outreach on NACD programs. 

In picture: NACD North Central Representative, Beth Mason  

Seely Named President of Society of American Foresters

Clark W. Seely, CF, current president of Seely Management Consulting, Inc. and former executive of the Oregon Department of Forestry, has been named president of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Seely has more than 39 years of experience in forestry, natural resource management and organizational leadership. He is also currently adjunct faculty with the Natural Resource Policy and Administration Master’s Program at the University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation.  

Seely has been a member of SAF since 1977, was elected Fellow in 1996, and became a Certified Forester in 1997. He was awarded the 2012 SAF's John A. Beale Memorial Award in recognition of his long-term leadership, dedication and contributions to the forestry profession. He assumes the role of president having served previously as the SAF National Vice-President and as a member of the SAF Board of Directors from 2011-2014.  

Mr. Seely graduated with honors from the Oregon State University College of Forestry with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management.