Ag in the Classroom Book Barns 

Chelsie Bobbitt, Allegany SWCD

Learn how we are putting agriculture related books into the elementary classrooms. We have built book barns for pre-k through second grade and working with Farm Bureau with their ag in the classroom book planter program. 

Learn about Soil Formation with Grasshead Babies!

Anna Edwards, Iredell SWCD

This program has been VERY popular among my school systems and has been an easy, fun lesson/activity to bring into schools for a variety of grades. Teachers go crazy over it! First, I go over the history or SWCD's along with the Dust Bowl and Hugh Hammond Bennett. After, I go over how soil forms and why it's so important. After, participants get their hands dirty by making their very own soil profile that grows!

Teaching Envirothon Skills: Biltmore Stick

Erin Lineberger Hines, Gaston SWCD

Would you like to be able to teach your local Envirothon teams how to use the Biltmore stick? Join us for an introductory program on determining pacing, tree diameter, merchantable height, and total Board Feet using the Biltmore Stick. We will practice your measurement skills while also covering tips for teaching these concepts to students. 

Creek Weeks: Why Your District Should be Involved

Kelli Isenhour, Rowan SWCD

Creek Weeks are held throughout the state as a way to bring awareness to our water resources. Districts can add a great deal of value to their local Creek Week by participating or starting one in your region. Learn ways you can be involved or come away with a packet of information to start your own.

2024-2025 NCASWCD EE Contests Theme: "Wetlands are Wonderful"

Marybeth Watkins, Brunswick SWCD

The upcoming contest theme, "Wetlands are Wonderful", will be highlighted with resources for district educators to use with their contest outreach this year.

New NC K-12 Science Standards

Amy Strickland-Rouse, Craven County Schools

This presentation is an overview of the newly adopted K-12 Science Standards that will be fully implemented in the 2024-25 school year. 

Water Resources

Living Shoreline Academy

Lauren Daniels, Carteret Community College

Participants will learn an overview of the NC Living Shoreline Academy being piloted at the Carteret Community College Campus as well as a "behind the scenes" look at the development process, determining content, and techniques for student engagement. 

Duplin StRAP Presentation

Billy Ivey & Zach Hatcher, Duplin SWCD

This is a presentation showing just on small scale how Duplin County have utilized the use of our StRAP Funds with Debris clean out.

Trying Something New: A Process-Based Approach to a Wetland Restoration System

Mikey Woodie, Watagua SWCD

This presentation will provide a short overview of the beginning stages of implementing a Wetland Restoration System on a former hay field. The Watauga SWCD Technician will share her experience with this process, including building a team, landowner engagement, and adapting low-tech, process-based restoration to fit conservation objectives. Listeners will be encouraged to try something new and get creative with BMP implementation.

Technical Tools

A Summary of Photogrammetry and Using Drone2Map to Process Flight Data

Charles Sanders, Dare SWCD

I'll summarize the last 10 months of processing drone flights with ESRI's Drone2Map software, the basics of photogrammetry, terminology, computing requirements and options, lessons learned, costs, and options moving forward. 

AgWRAP Water Balance Tool Review

Lorien Deaton, NCDA&CS:DSWC

The water balance tool has been updated. Instead of having a zip file to download, it will now be downloaded straight from NC State's website. I'll show the process and how the tool works and make sure everyone knows that if they're using a federal laptop, the tool likely won't work for them and I will need to run it for them. Fun Stuff!

GIS for Conservation Districts

JD Jorgensen, Haywood SWCD

Attendees will learn how the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District has used ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online for Conservation Planning, Storm Recovery, and supporting Emergency Services. Items highlighted will include Survey123, Dashboards, and Experience Builder as well as suggested best practices and a few tricks. Please bring a mobile device or laptop. Attendees are also asked to complete the linked Survey123 form prior to the session: https://arcg.is/1qauee

CET - GIS For Conservation (arcgis.com)

Communicating Technical Information

Voluntary Nutrient Reduction Program

Jack Brown, Durham SWCD

This will be a presentation on our Nutrient program that citizens can voluntarily participate in to help protect our impaired streams. It focuses heavily on reducing lawn and ornamental fertilizers but also incorporating other BMPs on their properties.

Working with Producers

Quinton Cooper, Franklin, SWCD

How to be open ears and through with all types of producers.

Communicating with Contractors

Edward Stephens, NCDA&CS:DSWC

The presentation will discuss communication needs for all conservation participants, including contractors, cooperators and district or division staff.   Understanding terminology, interpreting drawings and exploring the fine print of conservation projects will be covered.  

How to Deal with Difficult Landowners and Contractors

Evan Crawley & Madison Bridges, Lincoln SWCD

How to deal with difficult landowners or contractors and understanding how to deescalate a situation so that everyone can go away from a situation with mutual respect. What can you do to keep a relationship with a landowner even if you are at odds on a project.

Best Management Practices

Installation of Heavy Use Area Protection Pads and the JAA Process

Darren Layton, Alamance SWCD

In my two years in the Alamance district, I have assisted or completed a few contracts that included Heavy Use Area Protection pads, either as feeding pads or in conjunction with troughs and pipelines.  I would like to share some pictures and methods that we have used in Alamance County.  Also submitting JAA for this BMP and would like to help others to prepare their submission.

Precision Agrichemical Application: an Underutilized BMP

Brandi Talton & Alex Hooks, Wayne SWCD

We will be discussing the policy, limitations and underutilization of the practice, and steps needed to get this BMP into contract.  We will also go through the importance of the practice from a water quality standpoint and from the farmer's point of view.  We hope to enable districts to speak with cooperators about this BMP to help get it implemented in more widespread regions.

Pond Permitting Exemptions and Requirements

Loren Deaton, NCDA&CS:DSWC

This presentation will review when a pond project is exempt, when additional permitting may be required, and how landowners can move forward with permitting requirements from federal and state agencies. 

Considerations for Complex CCAP Projects

Tom Hill, NCDA&CS:DSWC

This session will discuss considerations for more complex CCAP projects such as stream restoration, marsh sill, and structural stormwater project conveyances and pitfalls and buzzsaws you may encounter with one of these projects.  Designs, permitting, discussions with applicants will be topics covered.

Communicating Conservation

The Impact of Social Media on Our Districts

Chelsie Bobbitt, Allegany SWCD & Jessica Wilson, Caldwell SWCD

While social media is often associated with communication, entertainment and networking. It's impacts on Soil & Water Districts may not be immediately apparat, however discussing the influence of social media on these environmental aspects is crucial for several reasons.  This will help Districts have a better understanding of how social media impacts their District. 

Conservation Farm Family: the How's and Why's You Should Nominate a Farm

Kelli Isenhour & Chris Sloop, Rowan SWCD

Nominating a farm family for their conservation efforts not only brings awareness to the great things farmers are doing, but it is also a great marketing tool for your District. However, it can take a lot of time. We will discuss the process for nominating a district winner to planning the celebration for the state winner. A step-by-step timeline will be provided.

Call the Parents

Celeste Maus, Albermarle-Chowan SWCD

How do you involve the parents of your student audiences? Unique ways to create relationships with parent organizations and local foundations.

Connecting with Conservation: Adaptations, Partnerships, and Tools for District Outreach 

PJ Andrews & Hannah Smith, Pitt SWCD

Where and how does your Soil and Water District Office fit within your county goals and objectives for serving the citizens of your communities?  Can we apply the knowledge of the local soil and water office to help meet these goals?  Is your soil and water office using partnerships, staffing, and budgets to meet those goals and objectives? In this session, we will discuss how our office has expanded to assist our county with the growth in areas where we have found a niche for our services.   This presentation will cover tools and resources available to develop and create outreach materials/programs for the local district. These tools are versatile and can be used to promote cost-share programs, voluntary ag districts, educational opportunities and more.

District Development

What to Do if You're New

Evan Crawley & Madison Bridge, Lincoln SWCD

Go over what to do within the first year of starting the job from a county perspective.  Goals and objectives to help put your district in a better position after a transition.

What Makes a Successful District

Rob Balwin, Kayla McCoy, and Mariah Owen, Wilkes SWCD

Wilkes Soil and Water Conservation District would like to present our perspective on What Makes A Successful District. Rob Baldwin-Director- will discuss, funding, staffing and face time. Kayla McCoy-Grants Administrator/ Conservationist-will discuss technical knowledge and grantsmanship expertise. Moriah Owen-Intern/Education Conservationist-will discuss her perspective as a newcomer into the conservation family. 

Conservation is for Everyone

Dr. Loutrina Staley, National Association of Conservation Districts

The need for conservation work is at a critical level. As of 2023, we have an opportunity to implement conservation practices on over 80 million acres of land. These acres represent producers who have not engaged with SWCDs but are important to the local economy and their communities. Equitable conservation is the only way to stay true to our mission for every American, every acre, every day. Come and learn more about why this is important, the barriers that exist, and the strategies districts are using to help meet their goals of making conservation work more equitable.