2017 aacd september newsletter - aacd1944.com · 9/30/2017 gmail - 2017 aacd september newsletter...

9/30/2017 Gmail - 2017 AACD September Newsletter (Meeting Edition)

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2017 AACDSeptember Newsletter

(Meeting Edition)

Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

To support Conservation Districts in providing conservation leadership andeducation, and in addressing local conservation priorities in partnership withlandowners, federal and state agencies, tribal & local governments and other

partners.

Deborrah Smith <[email protected]>

2017 AACD September Newsletter (Meeting Edition) 1 message

Arizona Association of Conservation Districts <[email protected]> Fri, Sep 29, 2017 at 5:07 PMReply-To: [email protected]: [email protected]



A Special Thank you

"On behalf of Arizona Association of Conservation Districts, I want to thank youfor taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend this years 2017 NACDPacific & Southwest Regional Meeting. In my view, the meeting was anincredible success. It was great to have the opportunity to see so manyconservation leaders in the same room, making plans for the future. A veryspecial thank you to our team, our donors, our sponsors, our speakers, and ourvolunteers. It would not have been as successful as it was without your time,effort, and money. Once again, I would like to thank you for spending those fewdays in Tucson with us"

Bill Dunn President Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

Meeting Highlights



Thank you to everyone who contributed and all the Districts for making theNACD and AACD auction a huge success!

Tour day in the AltarValleySpecial thanks to the King family, Miller

family and Farm Bureau for providing a

great barbecue lunch and tour. Also,

thanks to our wonderful tour guides from

the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance! On

the tour the group was able to see some

perennial grasses growing up around the

one rock dam and half-moon structures.



AACD Award Winners



Conservation Heritage AwardThis award was presented to Walt and Francie Meyer who have been the core of theWinkleman Natural Resource Conservation District for 30 years. While Walt waschairman for almost 20 years, Francie was the unpaid district clerk.

For many years, the Meyer family has held a field day at their ranch for students ofthe Ray Schools. The kids were able to learn about branding, vaccinating, herdingand what it takes to be a rancher and a responsible land manager to conserve andprotect the rangeland and environment.

Walt and Francie Meyer were also instrumental in the Fish and Wildlife Servicesdecision to first determine that ranching was not a significant threat to the SonoranDesert Tortoise. As part of a team to develop a Best Management Practice forGrazing, the Fish and Wildife Service determined that the Sonoran Desert Tortoisedid not need to be named an endangered species. This was the first timecoordination with federal agencies in a proposed endangered species decision.

Outstanding District Staff Member Award

The Yuma Consevation Garden and Education Center, sponsored by the Yuma andLaguna NRCD’s has experienced the challenges most non-profit, volunteer basedprojects do, finding people who love to work for the available salary. Carson Snow,this year’s Outstanding District Staff Member has gone above and beyond what had



been the norm for those in his position. He not only maintains the trails and sprinklersystem. Irrigates, takes care of Baloo the desert tortoise, feeds the ducks and geesein the pond, and thins the overpopulation. This is in addition to his docent work,keeping the garden open weekends from November until May so it can be used byschools and the general public. Approved curriculum is available for local educatorsto use when bringing field trips to the garden, and Carson works with the teachers toset up materials needed for the lesson plans. He truly represents the spirit of thisaward.

Outstanding Supervisor AwardThe Arizona Association of Conservation Districts was honored to present theOutstanding Supervisor Award to Sadie Lister of the Little Colorado NaturalResource Conservation District. As a member of the State Association she bringsneeded insight and perspective to issues occurring on the Native American lands.She is a valued member of AACD and provides leadership to the board and ourpartners on potential projects and programs that will be successful on Tribal lands.



Conservation Leadership Award-FarmingThe Good Hand award was presented to a person who has furthered conservation ofnatural resources in Arizona for future generations. Nancy Caywood, Supervisor for

the West Pinal NRCD meets this criterion and exceeds it. As a 4th generation cottonfarmer at 11 Mile Corner, Nancy and her family also conduce Cotton Farm Tours.She is dedicated to teaching people about the wise use and management of ournatural resources. Farming in an area with much less water available, her farmdemonstrates the best management practices for irrigated cropland. A project in2016 was bringing the staff of the Arizona Department of Quality, Air Quality Divisionto her farm so employees could understand the challengers of farming andimplementation of clear air practices.



Conservation Leadership Award-Ranching

The Flying M Ranch has been a cooperator with the Coconino Natural ResourceConservation District for over 20 years. The Metzgers and Diana Kessler arecurrently practicing grassland restoration, rangeland management, waterlines anddrinker construction, stock tank construction and maintenance and wildlife habitatrestoration. As members and supervisors of the Coconino NRCD they have workedto practice good stewardship of their rangelands. In addition they are active in theArizona Cattle Growers Association, members and officers; Arizona Farm Bureau;and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Working with the Arizona Game and FishDepartment they participate in Healthy Habitats developing several habitat andstewardship projects. As ranchers, habitat managers and conservationists, the FlyingM Ranch is an outstanding model wise use and management of the naturalresources under their control.

Good Hand Award

The Good Hand Award was presented to a person who has furthered theconservation of natural resources in Arizona who is not in farming or ranchingand not a district supervisor. Clare Strom (who was unable to be at themeeting) was this year’s recipient. As a volunteer in the Springerville, AZ NRCSField Office, she works with District Conservationist Dave Fisher and ThomasVarizant, Range Conservationist. Clare assists field office operations by doing



computer entry, updating a workload spread sheet and keeping track ofconservation projects. In addition, as a former irrigation district and FarmService Agency employee she has the knowledge to assist those coming in forEQIP planning and assistance. Her ‘can-do’ attitude and work ethic make her avalued member of the conservation team working with the Apache NRCD.

TOP RPG Meets in Tucson (Tribal Outreach and Partnership Resource Policy Group)

Michael Crowder is the 2nd Vice – President National Association ofConservation Districts (NACD) and Chair of the Tribal Outreach andPartnership Resource Policy Group (TOP RPG). Originally from southernIndiana, he moved to Washington State where he became involved withconservation districts and the Tribes of Washington state due to hisinvolvement with Barker Ranch. Michael has a rounded appreciation for thetribes and the differences in every tribe he works with. “For them it’s about putting conservation on the ground,” says Michael. David Vogel is the National Association of Conservation Districts advisor to theTribal Outreach and Partnership Resource Policy Group. His long backgroundin Natural Resources and Environmental Quality led him to be the ExecutiveDirector for the Washington State Association of Conservation Districts. Therehe found an interest in tribes. He says, “I have a respect for what tribes are doing and to me they seemed likea natural partner for us. Conservation districts and the tribes have a passion fornatural resources and how they manage their natural resources.” So Dave and the Washington State Association of Conservation Districtsbrought the districts and tribes together and since, has had some great successstories. Then, Dave decided to take it to the National Association ofConservation Districts and start the Tribal Outreach RPG. Members of the TOPRPG include district supervisors from eight states- Alabama, Arizona, Maine,Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wisconsin- togetherrepresenting all seven NACD regions. The group met for the first time last


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January at the NACD’s 71st Annual Meeting in Denver. The Tribal Outreach and Partnership Resource Policy Group has agreed to:

Identify opportunities for successful partnerships between tribes andconservation districtsSolicit, share, and celebrate success stories in such partnershipsAssist NACD members, traditional partners, and new tribal partners inputting additional conservation on the ground through partnershipsbetween tribes and conservation districts

The Tribal Outreach and Partnership Resource Policy Group met at theSeptember 2017 Pacific & Southwest Regional Meeting in Tucson, AZ. Daveand Michael thought the meeting was very well received and very muchappreciated Bill Dunn, President for Arizona Association of ConservationDistricts (AACD) and Sadie Lister, Executive Board Member (AACD and alsomember of the Resource Policy Group work on bringing the tribes to themeeting. They enjoyed hearing the issues going on with the different tribes andStates. Both love to see positive responses across the country.

Thank you Sponsors!

PlatinumNRCS

CKP Insurance, LLC Agua Fria - New River NRCD

Apache County Altar Valley Conservation Alliance

SilverCascabel Ranch & Consulting

Crop Production Services Resource Management Systems


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ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center Numex Hudbay

Sentek Technologies MIX 30 Liquid Feed

Giant Rubber Water Tanks Lincoln Financial Agribusiness Services

Arizona Farm Bureau Hargrove Ranch Insurance

Triangle/ Chino Winds NRCD Pima County Farm Bureau

Mohave Livestock Association Mohave County Farm Bureau

Bronze Arizona Cattlemen's Association

Route 66 Motorsports NEXTERA Energy

CopperArizona Land and Water Trust

Welcome Fall



Well it is that time of year again. Crops coming to harvest, calves to beweaned, and leaves turning color. It was a successful AACD summer/ NACDregional meeting with all our neighboring states in Tucson. I would like topersonally thank Arizona Association of Conservation Districts and the Board ofDirectors for all the work that was done to organize such a well-ran event. Itwas great to see the partnerships that we have been building over the last fewyears highlighted at the summer meeting. The continued effort inApache/Navajo counties, the follow up with the Southeast corner of Arizonaand the beginning efforts in the Northwest part of the state. It is good to seethe ideas of how we would like to see the landscape change for positiveconservation and that we are able to achieve it by bringing these districts andagencies together. Once we learn to bring even the most difficult agency orperson to the table then a positive conservation will be achieved in our areas.

This next year will be one for the books. We will be moving forward with theArizona Conservation Partnership and discussing with Arizona State LandDepartment what our best direction and fit should be. I am excited to see whatwe can achieve when we have a good foundation and support system to goalong with our tenacity as people whom are passionate about our conservation



efforts.

Finally, I would like all supervisors to go out and make a connection with anagency that they normally wouldn’t try to get involved with. Forest service is agood example, ask them to come to a meeting and see what they think. Somewill be open, some wont but if you ask them to show then maybe something willcome of it.

I hope everyone has a good and safe fall works with whatever your endeavoris. Make sure you all keep your eyes open for winter meeting and legislativeappointments notices. We need to keep showing our legislatures that we domore good for the State of Arizona than a lot of the other people that they havein the budget. Frank Krentz

1st Vice President of AACD

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Our mailing address is: Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

PO Box 50518Phoenix, AZ 85076

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2017 aacd september newsletter - aacd1944.com · 9/30/2017 gmail - 2017 aacd september newsletter...

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