2022 NACD Executive Directors Conference
The 2022 NACD Executive Directors Conference was held October 3-5 at the Virden Retreat Center on the University of Delaware’s Lewes Campus.
The remnants of Hurricane Ian made for a soggy and windy work experience, but we hunkered down and developed a set of bylaws for the new Association of Conservation Executive Directors.
Delaware is grateful for the opportunity to host this conference! Many thanks to everyone who was able to attend the meeting in person and virtually.
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Association of Conservation Executive Directors (ACED) Bylaws (signed October 2022)
- Self-Guided Conservation Tour- Join the “Conservation Execs” Facebook group to share photos and clues for the sites that you visit (in-person attendees) or guess the sites that other people post (virtual and in-person participants)
- NACD’s Climate Smart Grant Presentation (tentative info- subject to change as details are finalized)
- Ag Container Recycling Council Program Overview
- During the Farm Bill Update, Grant Hammer mentioned a tool that uses to make it easy for his members to engage in advocacy- One Click Politics and AISWCD (Click on the E-Action Center)
- NCPP Local Working Group Guide
- Google Drive Photo Gallery
- Time Management Presentation & Time Management Presentation Handouts (we didn’t get to this on the agenda, but included here for reference)
Agenda
Monday, October 3- Travel Day
- 6:00 pm- Meet at the Crooked Hammock Brewery for dinner (included in registration) at 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes, DE. Crooked Hammock is a half indoor/half outdoor bar & restaurant with their locally brewed beer selection. They also have a backyard area with games, fire pits and hammocks to relax from the travel and reconnect.
Tuesday, October 4
- 8:00 – 9:00 am- Breakfast Buffet at the Virden Center
- 9:00 am – 12:00 pm- Morning Session
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Presentation with Dr. Thomas Easley (Mind Heart for Diversity Consulting, LLC, virtual presentation)
- Farm Bill Update- NACD
- New Climate Smart Agriculture Grant – Strengthening Grassroots Leadership & Capacity to Scale Climate-Smart Production Systems and Facilitate Historically Underserved Producers’ Access to Markets – NACD
- Introduction to the Ag Container Recycling Council – ACRC
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm- Lunch Buffet at Virden Center
- 1:00 – 5:00 pm- Afternoon Session
- Welcome to Delaware- DACD
- Ground Rules Exercise to prepare us for discussion on ED Organization
- Discuss draft bylaws and creation of a temporary board for NACD ED Organization
- 5:30 pm- Goat Social at Goat Joy, owned by NACD Soil Health Champion Brad Ritter. Hear Brad talk about his soil health management practices on his farm in Lewes and hang out with goats! Located at 22114 Ritter Lane in Harbeson, DE, about 9 miles away from the Virden Center.
- Dinner on your own
Wednesday, October 5
- 8:00 – 9:00 am- Breakfast Buffet at the Virden Center
- 9:00 – 10:30 am- Morning Session
- Professional Development Session- tentative topic, “Making Time for the Important Things”
- Review the white paper developed by Mike Beacom and the focus group to develop a plan for the next four months.
- 10:30 am- Tour of University of Delaware’s marine research complex onsite at the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm- Lunch Buffet at Virden Center
- 1:00 – 4:30 pm- Self-guided tour of conservation projects in Eastern Sussex County