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 the NACD Communications Team.
Clinton Herald: Students get the dirt on soil
10/18/21
The Clinton and Jackson Soil and Water Conservation Districts hosted their annual high school soil judging contest Sept. 23.
Washington Post: Carbon farming, one of the oldest agricultural practices, is growing on winemakers
By Dave McIntyre
10/15/21
So what is carbon farming? (No, you’re not growing carbon.) The idea is to capture more carbon from the atmosphere than you release into it. It means composting biomass and growing cover crops between vine rows.
The Clanton Advertiser: Local farmer focuses on soil health
By Joyanna Love
10/18/21
The regenerative ranching approach emphasizes that all soil should be covered by something. The animals on the farm keep vegetation at bay.
Civil Eats: Pollinators Could Win When the Infrastructure Bill Passes
By Matt Kelly
10/18/21
Bees, butterflies, and other insects are abundant in areas along the nation’s highways. The $1.2 trillion federal bill would make them pollinator-friendly.
Terramera: Regenerative agriculture: The proof is in the soil
10/12/21
Regenerative practices—such as no till, cover crops, crop rotations, increasing biodiversity, and minimizing chemicals—pull carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil where it boosts crop quality, bolsters the predictability and resiliency of farms, and turns back the clock on climate change.
Spectrum News 13: Honeybee population has improved, but Florida beekeeper says more progress needed
By Emily Braun
10/18/21
After years of declining honeybee populations across the United States, Dennis Langlois, a beekeeper in Central Florida, says even though things are looking up, the work doesn’t stop here.
Radio Oklahoma Network: Noble Research Institute Presents the Top Five Considerations for Increasing Wildlife Diversity
10/13/21
Ranchers who want a large variety of wildlife species need to know where to focus their efforts to obtain the best results.
Deming Headlight: Wildfire preparedness in New Mexico is a year-round activity
10/14/21
A healthy forest is a resilient forest that undergoes fire occurrences on a regular basis. To reintroduce low-severity fire to fire-adapted forests, land managers across New Mexico use prescribed fire under carefully planned conditions that typically align with spring and fall weather.
Agri-Pulse: Ag productivity far off needed pace, according to new data
By Philip Brasher
10/21/21
(Subscriber Only) The 2021 Global Agricultural Productivity report, released each year by Virginia Tech with support from major agribusiness firms and nongovernmental organizations, says productivity is growing at an annual rate of 1.36%, well below the rate of 1.73% needed to keep up with rising food demand between now and 2050.
The Bismark Tribune: Drought improves dramatically in North Dakota; wildfire activity weakens significantly
By Blake Nicholson
10/21/20
Widespread precipitation in North Dakota over the past week has dramatically improved drought across the entire state and significantly weakened wildfire activity.
EcoWatch: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Saving the Bees
By Tiffany Duong
10/19/21
“Pollinators are small but mighty parts of the natural mechanism that sustains us and our world,” Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius said in a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) statement that accompanied the agency’s listing of the rusty patched bumblebee as endangered.
Agri-Pulse: House, Senate panels briefed on state of western drought
By Amy Mayer
10/20/21
(Subscriber Only) A House subcommittee on Wednesday will serve as the venue for the third hearing in 10 days aimed at studying the impacts of a lingering drought on California and other western states.
Lancaster Farming: Creating native grasslands and wildflower fields for Moorestown’s butterflies, birds, bees — and people
By Kevin Riordan
10/21/20
The grassroots nonprofit Save the Environment of Moorestown (STEM) is leading an effort to transform the Burlington County site, now called Swede Run Fields, into a destination for butterflies, birds, bees, other pollinators — and people. All of which are species under significant stress and in need of safe and nurturing places.
National Geographic: How does wildfire smoke affect wildlife? Here’s what we know.
By Starre Vartan
10/20/21
As climate change makes wildfires more frequent, scientists are racing to understand how animals suffer.
CNN: The drought in California this summer was the worst on record
By Rachel Ramirez
10/14/21
The West’s historic, multi-year drought is threatening water supply, food production and electricity generation. It has drained reservoirs at incredible rates and fueled one of the most extreme wildfire seasons the region has ever experienced.
PR Newswire: North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Honors Almond Farmers of California
10/19/21
“ABC’s name is on this award, but it really goes to the 7,600 almond farmers in California,” said Josette Lewis, ABC’s chief scientific officer. “Farmers understand how important pollinators are to growing almonds and to all of agriculture and the environment. They want to be part of the solution.”
WNAX: NACD Urges Congress To Put $28 Billion In Federal Budget For Conservation
10/12/21
The National Association of Conservation Districts along with a coalition of ag, conservation and wildlife groups are urging Congress to include $28 billion for conservation in the final budget package.
USA Today: Early hopeful signs from California’s plan to bring back monarch butterflies
By Mike Snider
10/18/21
Across the state, environmental and nature conservation organizations are teaming up to create and restore suitable habitats for the butterflies, which in the past would migrate by the tens of thousands to California ahead of winter.
Yahoo! News: Florida environmentalists turn to cattle ranchers for help
By Ben Montgomery
10/20/21
Environmentalists want to help cattle ranchers preserve their swaths of land and be a line of defense against sprawling development, protecting watersheds and wildlife’s habitat and migrations.
Heart of Illinois ABC: USDA urges farmers to be on the lookout for soil erosion
By Austin Evans
10/18/21
The recent rain in the Heart of Illinois temporarily halted much of the harvest festivities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service wants to remind farmers to be on the watch for anything that they may need to address before the next harvest season.