National Association of State Conservation Agencies Forum - Recent Topics

Districts and portable mills

Nikki Brinson — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:47:58 +0000

Does anyone have a conservation district that owns/leases out a portable mill? We have forestry questions!

Municipal Biosolids applied to Ag land?

Joey Breaux — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:56:28 +0000

Do your states allow use of municipal biosolids on agriculture land, and does your state conservation agency or local SWCD play a role deciding if, when or how it should be used on ag land? In LA, any use of biosolids is highly regulated by our state DEQ, and has only on rare occasion been permitted by them for beneficial use land application on very small hay-land tracts, and without input from any other entity.

I would be interested to know of 1) any States through which the state agency or SWCDs may be involved in oversight of biosolids use or land application restrictions, 2) of any State's with concerns of potential negative biosolids-effects to soil & water beyond PFAS, pharmaceuticals, metals, or bacteria, and 3) any State conservation agencies or SWCDs that may be engaged in soil/water monitoring in association with land application of biosolids.

Thanks!

Joey Breaux - Louisiana

District phone systems in co-located offices

Marsha Setzkorn-Meyer — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:57:30 +0000

In Kansas, the districts are co-located with NRCS. Several of the offices are "pilots" in a new phone system where the land lines are being disconnected and phone service is now through Teams. Our concerns: Some areas have unreliable internet service and therefore, when internet is down, phones will be down. Secondly, any new district manager does not get an NRCS computer until after background check and link pass card is issued. Without an NRCS computer, they have no phone service. This can vary from weeks to months. At this time, some of the districts are considering adding a district land line.

Any other states with the new phone system? And if so, are the districts installing landlines or getting cell phones to cover the communication gap? How are states working to keep communication open between farmers / ranchers and conservation districts?

Farm Bill- CRP acerage

Jennifer Thum — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:58:00 +0000

Has any state contacted NASDA or NACD or requested support related to proposed Farm Bill changes to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), specifically regarding increasing the acreage cap or removing the grasslands acreage requirement? If so, what feedback or concerns have those folks shared?

Mike Brown is asking for important input

Dakota Ewert — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:08:18 +0000

I hope all of my friends at NASCA are doing great! A few friends and I are seeking a
good place to hunt Merriam’s turkeys nest spring. I would appreciate any leads you
folks could provide. I can be reached at wirehairmail@gmail.com or at 302-270-8624.
Thanks very much, and I miss all of you!
Mike Brown
Former NASCA Executive Director

What technology do other states use to store and share resources for Conservation Districts?

Breegan Andersen — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:27:01 +0000

Hello!

I’m looking to learn what systems other states use to organize, store, and share resources with their conservation districts. I’d love to hear:

What technology or software platforms you’re using (e.g., SharePoint, custom portals, databases, learning management systems, etc.)
What software or program do you use to collect information or uploads from districts (e.g., MS Forms, Survey123, Qualtrics, Google Forms, etc.)
How districts access these resources (public website, login-based portal, internal network, etc.)
Any features or approaches that have worked particularly well—or not so well
Whether your system was built in-house or purchased

Our technology limitations are being highlighted of late, and we've been having more conversations if whether we need to migrate from SharePoint and Microsoft 365 to something else. Thanks in advance!

Time Management Speaker or resource

Marsha Setzkorn-Meyer — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:59:19 +0000

Thanks to NASCA Staff Sharing Session at the annual conference, we now hold a virtual monthly training webinar (CIA - Conservation in Action) for our district managers. DOC staff has presented topics, but we have also asked other professionals - usually partners - to share topics where our agencies work together to benefit conservation. It has been well received, with over 70% of the districts on the most recent call. We surveyed DMs asking for topic suggestions. "Time Management for Busy offices, tips, tools, strategies for multitasking, prioritizing, and completing tasks efficiently during high demand periods" was requested. Anyone have suggestions? Has your office created a time management program? Anyone bring in outside speakers to address this subject?

District Manager Performance Reviews

Clare Ireland — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:30:40 +0000

We're looking at requiring district boards to conduct annual performance reviews of their district managers as part of their core services funding agreement, and I'm wondering if any other states provide guidance to district boards around performance reviews. If so, I'd love to see copies of any guidance or materials currently in use. We're finding lots of generic examples to reference, but ultimately, I think we're going to try to tailor the templates and best practices we produce to the district context.

TSPs - are your districts, association, state agency staff certified TSPs?

Nikki Brinson — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:09:05 +0000

Who is a TSP in your state? Specifically, are there any conservation districts that provide that service (or state agency/association staff)?

Recommendations for LMS to Train District Employees

Sam Allbee — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:40:50 +0000

Hi everyone! The NC Soil & Water Conservation Division is considering implementing a Learning Management System (LMS) to onboard and train district staff.

Does anyone currently use an LMS for district or statewide staff training? If so, which one, and what has your experience been like (ease of use, cost, features)? Any recommendations or lessons learned would be appreciated!