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 Blog: Did You Know – NACD’s Board of Directors Represents Local Interests, Nationally
07/21/2025
Did you know that every U.S. state and territory with conservation districts holds a seat on NACD’s National Board of Directors? We have 58 positions for NACD Board Members and their Alternates, and each of those individuals are responsible for representing the needs and interests of conservation districts within their home state or territory.
NCF: National Conservation Foundation 2025 Envirothon Competition Kicks Off in Calgary, Alberta
07/21/2025
The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is excited to announce that the 2025 NCF-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources academic competition for high school students, has begun at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. More than 500 students, teachers, chaperones, and guests have journeyed to Calgary to compete in this year’s competition.
USDA: USDA Invests $80 Million to Expand Timber Markets, Protect Forests, Fuel Economic Growth
07/17/2025
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Forest Service is awarding $80 million in Wood Innovation Grants to spur wood products manufacturing, expand active forest management, and accelerate energy innovation across America’s timber-producing communities.
Morning AgClips: The Conservation Plan: A Solid Foundation for NRCS Work
By Nancy McNiff
07/21/2025
A key part of NRCS’s 90-year history was the establishment of the conservation planning process by Hugh Hammond Bennett. Bennett was the agency’s first chief and is considered the “father of soil conservation.” He believed in considering each farm’s unique conditions when developing a conservation plan.
Pork Business: The Complicated Cost of Wild Pigs: It’s More Than You Think
By Jennifer Shike
07/21/2025
Nothing is more sickening to a farmer or rancher than waking up to a field damaged by wild pigs. New research from the University of Georgia (UGA) is putting a number on the startling damage inflicted on farms and crops by this invasive species. After viewing thousands of acres of damaged fields and wild pig activity in southwest Georgia, the research team estimates $107,000 in crop value lost per year. This did not include worker wages or equipment.
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Farmers.gov: Fridays on the Farm: Protecting Habitat and Subsistence Living in Alaska
By Tracy Robillard | Hooper Bay, AK | Pacific Region
07/11/2025
This Friday visit a Yup’ik community in Hooper Bay, Alaska, located about 534 air miles west of Anchorage on the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta. For the numerous communities throughout rural Alaska, hunting, fishing, and gathering are not a hobby or a pastime like we see in the lower 48 states. These activities are fundamental to culture, livelihood, economics, and the survival of their homes and families.
Mavens Notebooks: ASU: New algae system helps Arizona farmers grow better crops with less water
Pearce, AZ | Southwest Region
07/14/2025
Ed Curry is passionate about the green, red and yellow chile peppers he grows on his 3,000-acre farm in Pearce, Arizona, about 90 minutes southeast of Tucson. He’s also passionate about saving water. A new technology Arizona State University is analyzing and promoting has combined his love for spice and conservation.
Texas A&M Forest Service: Emerald ash borer reaches southernmost U.S. point, five new Texas counties confirmed
By Jonathan Stuckey | Texas | South Central Region
07/15/2025
The presence of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) has been confirmed in Jack, Navarro, Somervell, Bell and Rockwall counties. Bell County’s confirmation makes it the southernmost confirmed location of EAB in the nation. First confirmed in Texas in 2016, EAB has spread to 31 counties statewide. In 2024, EAB was confirmed in five new Texas counties.
Wyoming News: Absaroka Front ranch tour highlights success of voluntary program supporting working lands and wildlife
Cody, WY | Southwest Region
07/17/2025
Working lands and wildlife are what make Wyoming what it is – and are inextricably linked. Not only are working ranches a key piece of Wyoming’s economy, but they also provide critical habitat and maintain migration corridors and winter range for the state’s iconic big game species. On Tuesday, Gov. Mark Gordon visited four Absaroka Front ranches in partnership with the East Yellowstone Collaborative to showcase the importance of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stewardship funding that keeps lands open and wildlife habitat protected.
WDET.org: Michigan’s conservation districts face financial struggle to meet public need
By | Michigan | North Central Region
07/17/2025
Michigan’s conservation districts are raising concerns as they face increasing financial challenges and potential cuts in federal funding. Officials from the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts are asking lawmakers in Lansing to boost state funding to help support the many environmental programs managed by these local groups.
The Sacramento Bee: Yolo County nonprofit teaches youth, farmers to tackle climate change in community
By Olivia Cyrus | Davis, CA | Pacific Region
07/18/2025
The Yolo County Resource Conservation District received about $30,000 through the program to further their Yolo County Farm Partnership to teach climate-smart plans to local socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers with agricultural easements, according to Heather Nichols, executive director of the conservation district.
Capital Press: NRCS associate chief tours Odessa projects
By Matthew Weaver | Odessa, WA | Pacific Region
07/21/2025
Louis Aspey, associate chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, got to see first-hand the severity of low groundwater levels in the Odessa Subarea. As part of Aspey’s July 15 visit to the region, he saw Pacific Lake, which is “a barren lake now,” said Kristina Ribellia, executive director for the Columbia Basin Conservation District.