Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts hosted 77th Annual Meeting
MESSAGES
The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts hosted the 77th Annual Meeting
February 1, 2023
The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts held its 77th Annual Meeting
The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts (LACD) held its 77thth Annual Meeting in Baton Rouge January 11-13, 2023. Over 200 supervisors, district staff, conservation partners and sponsors attended the conference.
The theme ‘Healthy Soils: The Key to the Future’ was promoted throughout the gathering with dedicated speakers, breakout sessions and panel discussions providing information and education related to soil health and associated conservation practices.
Keynote speakers included the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservationists, state officials and representatives from the Farm Bureau, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR), Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), the Office of Community Development, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), the US Forest Service, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the LSU AgCenter.
Updates were presented on The Waters of the United States rule, Carbon Sequestration Initiatives, Louisiana Outdoors Forever, the Louisiana Watersheds Initiative update, and more.
A luncheon was held during the meeting to highlight the 2022 Louisiana Certified Master Farmers and a dinner featuring awards ceremonies to recognized district overseers and staff, state poster competitions and scholarship winners, as well as Conservation Champions and Distinguished Service Awards. Supervisor training was offered Friday by the LDAF Office of Soil and Water Conservation, followed by the Legislative Session and Business Meeting, an LACD Business Meeting, and finally Code of Government Ethics training for district board members and employees.
In connection with the aforementioned activities, district staff, board members and conservation partners were also invited to attend the 2ndnd Annual Project Water Education Today (Project WET)/Project Learning Tree (PLT) and Wonders of the Wetlands! (WOW!) Friday morning combo workshop. Project WET, PLT and WOW! are objective, experiential, science-based educational programs that provide both formal and non-formal educators with educational topics appropriate for students in grades K-12. The participants met for a training full of activities and demonstrations to protect water, forests and wetlands. At the end of the training, participants received manuals for each program with over 100 pre-packaged lesson plans for activities created for outreach and classroom instruction.
The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts would like to thank all of their sponsors, exhibitors, districts and conservation partners for another successful annual meeting.
Newly certified Master Farmers include Trent Broussard of D&B Farms, Roland Crymes and Rex Calhoun. Re-certified Master Farmers are Richard Damien Bollich and Raymond J. Fontenot.
Special awards
Outstanding District Secretary
Stephanie Garvin—Lower Delta SWCD
Outstanding District Engineer
Kalee Dorton – Dugdemona SWCD
Outstanding District Manager
Preston E. Broxson-Calcasieu SWCD
Louisiana Conservation Master
Inspectorate of the Soil and Water Protection District of Calcasieu
State Representative Jerome “Zee” Zeringue, District 52, Lafourche-Terrebonne SWCD
State Representative Jack G. McFarland, District 13, Dugdemona SWCD
Merit Award
State Representative Charles “Chuck” Owen, District 30, Calcasieu SWCD
Guy Caire Prize
Mr. Wesley Coffman – Calcasieu SWCD
LACD Scholarship Award
Mrs. Isabella Hardy—Jefferson Davis SWCD
Mr Kade Schexnayder – Lower Delta SWCD
