Natural Resource Conservation Professional Development Project

Project Overview

WPDP21-007
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2021: $96,400.00
Projected End Date: 08/31/2023
Host Institution Award ID: G374-21-W8617
Grant Recipient: Arizona Association of Conservation Districts
Region: Western
State: Arizona
Principal Investigator:
Deborrah Smith
Email
Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring, networking, technical assistance, workshop
  • Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement, wildlife, Landscape Level Planning for Conservation Action
  • Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, community services, food hubs, leadership development, new business opportunities, partnerships

    Abstract:

    PROGRAM

    Arizona Association of Conservation Districts (AACD) is in the process of holding 16 professional development workshops over the next two years. Conservation District Supervisors are being trained to become more effective leaders in locally-led conservation efforts; workshops are being used to expand the knowledge base of Supervisors and other invited agricultural professionals about natural resource conservation management best practices. Best practices are scientifically based, developed, and accepted by experts in the field. Workshops are providing effective leadership training and increasing the skills/knowledge of Supervisors and other agricultural professionals needed to educate farmers and ranchers about best practices and technical and financial support programs available to them emphasizing sustainable agriculture and natural resource conservation.

    Project objectives:

    AACD is providing leadership training to District Supervisors so that they may become more effective educators and trainers to producers, as well as increasing the knowledge base, skills, and technical capacity of District Supervisors and other agricultural professionals in best practices suitable to Arizona and, more specifically, to each Supervisor’s specific District, so that they may in turn educate local producers and landowners/managers. In addition to best practices, District Supervisors are becoming proficient in the types of technical and financial assistance programs available to producers so that when advising them around best practices, Supervisors can also effectively guide producers towards which programs may be best for them to find support.

    • AACD visited with 30 Conservation Districts to obtain a list of desired training topics.
    • AACD secured technical support for seminar and workshop topics
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.