(CHEROKEE, N.C., Aug. 18, 2026) –Leadership from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in North Carolina attended the 2026 Southeast National Association of Conservation District (SENACD) meeting from Aug. 9-12. The Assistant Chief of the South Region, Kennon White, provided remarks on behalf of NRCS on the first day. The NRCS state resource conservationist and assistant state conservationist for easements provided key presentations on the Regenerative Pilot Program and conservation easements, respectively. Numerous other break-out sessions were also held on the first day covering the importance of biochar, leadership training, disaster response, and the roles of partnerships. Day two gave district employees and other partners a chance to visit several field tours, which were hands-on opportunities to see the best management practices in action in terms of disaster response, farmland preservation, biochar, and stream restoration. During the meeting, several people were also inducted into the Regional Hall of Fame. 

“This meeting was a great opportunity to strengthen our relationship with our regional partners, share knowledge, expertise and ideas, and listen to and learn from technical experts thereby strengthening the conservation efforts across the southeast region,” said NRCS State Conservationist Matt Walker in North Carolina.

The first conservation district, Brown Creek Soil and Water Conservation District, was established in North Carolina on Aug. 4, 1937. Created after the devastation of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, conservation districts have a more powerful voice than ever. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) represents nearly 3,000 districts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

Conservation districts are local units of government responsible for soil and water conservation work within their boundaries. The districts' role is to increase voluntary conservation practices among farmers, ranchers and other land users. Conservation districts are a core partner of NRCS, together they help landowners put conservation practices on the ground where they can have the greatest local impact. 

For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one technical advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.   

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