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 NACD Communications Manager Sara Kangas.
Agri-Pulse: Senate names nine farm bill negotiators, including GOP leader
By Philip Brasher
08/01/18
The Senate’s nine farm bill negotiators include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who wants the legislation finalized next month.
Washington Examiner: Senate passes $150B ‘minibus’ spending bill with increases for EPA
By John Siciliano
08/01/18
The Senate passed a “minibus” spending bill on Wednesday that would increase spending for the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department above the president’s requested levels.
Idaho Politics Weekly: Guest opinion: Ranching provides public lands stewardship needed in Idaho & the West
By Lt. Gov. Brad Little
07/29/18
(Opinion) Unlike government administrators, who are only there for a few years, ranchers have been on the land for generations. Ranchers are indispensable in the successful management of our public lands, but if they are regulated off, our country loses the most effective and efficient public lands managers, and the private inholdings will likely be sold for development.
Daily News: Wildfires scorching homes, land and California’s budget
08/02/18
Just a month into the budget year, California has already spent more than one-quarter of its annual fire budget, at least $125 million.
FedGazette: Conservation Reserve Program seeing steep decline
By Ronald A. Wirtz
08/02/18
With persistently low crop prices in recent years, farmers across the country are looking for help in the new farm bill currently being debated in Congress. Among the many federal programs in play, some are hoping the farm bill reverses a decade-long decline in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
The Columbus Dispatch: Getting conservation on the ground
By Jane Houin
07/28/18
The concept of soil and water conservation is a broad one, and it’s handled differently by soil and water conservation district across the country and even across Ohio. There is no one-size-fits-all conservation program.
Scientific American: Navigating a Sea of Superlatives in Pursuit of the Asian Carp
By Tyler J. Kelley
08/02/18
The only thing all sides seem to agree on is that they should not get into Lake Michigan— but how much prevention is enough, at what cost, and whether the fish would even be able to live in the lake—all of these questions remain up for debate.
MSN: Record ‘Red Tide’ Of Toxic Algae Is Killing Wildlife In Florida
By Nina Golgowski
08/02/18
A toxic algae bloom sweeping Florida’s southwest coast is being described as the worst in more than a decade, with the so-called red tide blanketing beaches in dead fish and killing sharks, manatees and endangered sea turtles.
Baker City Herald: Forest plans worry ranchers
By Casey Crowley
07/28/18
Carrie Matthews of Baker City is concerned about guidelines in the plans for the Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla and Malheur national forests that call for restricting cattle grazing in areas near wolf dens or where wolves are known to “rendezvous.” Matthews said local ranchers have had their federal grazing allotments closed due to technicalities, and she fears the wolf language in the new plans will have the same effect.
Star Tribune: Federal agency pauses tree-removal plan to help sage grouse
By Keith Ridler
08/01/18
The federal government on Wednesday put on hold one of the largest-ever projects to remove juniper trees to help an imperiled species after an appeal by an environmental group seeking to halt the plan.
Times Herald-Record: Mount Academy wins NCF-Envirothon competition
08/02/18
On July 27, the Mount Academy team from Esopus won the 2018 National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon, an international environmental education competition for high schoolers conducted by the NCF and supported by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).