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.
Editor’s Note: There will be no Conservation Clips next week because of the of NACD’s Summer Meeting. See you in Grand Rapids!
NACD: NACD Comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s Proposed Grazing Rule
07/14/2026
On behalf of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed revision of regulations for Grazing Administration, Exclusive of Alaska,” (“Grazing Rule”) Docket No. BLM-2026-0001 and RIN 1004-AE82.
NACD Blog: Alabama’s Emerging Leaders in Conservation Initiative
By Natalie Stewart and Courtney Curenton-Baker
07/13/2026
Recognizing that the future of conservation depends on strong local leadership, the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (SWCC) launched the Emerging Leaders in Conservation (ELC) Initiative in January of 2025 to prepare the next generation of conservation leaders. The two-year leadership development program equips participants with the knowledge, skills, and professional relationships needed to strengthen soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs), deepen collaboration among conservation partners, and ensure Alabama’s locally led conservation system continues to thrive for years to come.
Audubon: America’s Forests Depend on Private Landowners
By Jamey Fidel
07/01/2026
America’s private forests provide far more than timber. They filter drinking water, support outdoor recreation, store carbon, sustain rural economies, and provide habitat for hundreds of bird and wildlife species. Yet these forests face growing pressures from development, fragmentation, invasive species, pests, disease, and increasingly severe wildfires. Forest conservation programs included in the Farm Bill can help ensure these landscapes remain healthy, productive, and resilient for generations to come.
USDA: USDA Celebrates One Year Anniversary of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, Delivers Final ‘Farmers First’ Program Improvements
07/08/2026
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making significant improvements to its disaster assistance and commodity loan programs as outlined in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act to celebrate the one-year anniversary of President Donald J. Trump signing the Act into law on July 4, 2025.
AgNet West: USDA Modernizes Crop Acreage Reporting with New Digital Pilot
07/13/2026
A new digital crop acreage reporting pilot is bringing USDA’s reporting process into the modern era, replacing paper maps with digital tools designed to improve accuracy and make reporting easier for farmers. A recent report highlighted the pilot program, which will begin with spring-planted crops in county offices across a dozen states.
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Farm Progress: Timeless advice meets innovation on Oklahoma farm
By Helley E. Huguley | Oklahoma | South Central Region
07/08/2026
The Oklahoma farmer was determined to plant before the moisture got too deep on his farms near Luther and Wellston. As he recently walked between the towering corn rows, which are near black layer, or physiological maturity, he’s confident his sleep-deprived planting flurry paid off.
The Journal of the San Juan Islands: Weeds, wings and work ethic: Youth Conservation Corps starts its season busting Scotch broom
San Juan Islands, WA | Pacific Region
07/11/2026
Welcome to the first installment of Youth Conservation Corps Nature Nuggets, a recurring summer series highlighting the incredible environmental work by local youth happening right here in our island community. The YCC is an employment and environmental education program of the San Juan Islands Conservation District.
Europe Says: 400+ goats, sheep being used to prevent the spread of wildfires, invasive species near Woodward Park
Fresno, CA | Pacific Region
07/15/2026
Around 180 acres of the San Joaquin River Conservancy are at risk because of the vegetation, including invasive species. That’s why the Sierra Resource Conservation District is partnering with the City of Fresno to launch the first phase of a habitat restoration effort. A grazing project partially aimed at eliminating harmful plants is now underway at the San Joaquin Conservancy’s Jensen River Ranch and Lanes properties, adjacent to Woodward Park’s Art of Life Healing Garden in northeast Fresno.
Spokane Journal: Agriculture helps veterans find renewed purpose
By Sonja Jensen | Spokane, WA | Pacific Region
07/16/2026
AgWest’s support began in 2015 with a $6,000 startup grant to the Spokane Conservation District, the program’s founding organization. The grant helped launch the infrastructure and training needed to move Vets on the Farm from an idea to a working farm.
Link NKY: How one Boone County farmer’s gift is helping shape the county’s conservation future
By Kenton Hornbeck | Boone County, KY | North Central Region
07/16/2026
Upon Earl’s death in 2014, he donated his sprawling Verona farm to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Boone County Conservation District. Jones wanted to ensure the farm would be used to preserve natural habitats and landscapes within the county. Mark Jacobs, director of the conservation district, told LINK nky that Jones’ lifelong environmental stewardship reflected his organization’s core values.
Napa Valley Register: Napa County resource district shines spotlight on Suscol Creek
By Barry Eberling | Napa County, CA | Pacific Region
07/16/2026
The Napa County Resource Conservation District wants to help humans and nature coexist. It wants to improve that culvert fish passage below Highway 29 and improve the creek habitat on the NapaSan land. The district wants to succor Suscol Creek.