National Association of Conservation Districts

National Association of Conservation Districts

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

AEM/NACD Award Partnership Awards

The National Association of Conservation Districts has partnered with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)—the international trade and business development resource for companies that manufacture equipment, products and services used worldwide in the construction, agricultural, mining, forestry and utility fields—for more than four decades.

Conservation districts also work daily with landowners and community leaders who rely on equipment to do their jobs and run their businesses. NACD and AEM are excited to launch a new award program recognizing conservation districts’ use of and need for equipment.

The award program will be split into two categories, Excellence in Conservation Equipment and Technology Use and Defining Conservation Needs for the Future. One winning conservation district will be selected from each category. Each award winner will receive a $2000 cash award, which will be presented on February 3, 2009 at the NACD Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Nominations must be submitted to Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org by November 21, 2008. Click here to download the award nomination form.


Award Category 1
Excellence in Conservation Equipment and Technology Use
Award nominees will demonstrate their effective and innovative use of equipment and technology through answers to the following questions:

  1. How does your conservation district use equipment to achieve measurable conservation benefits? Please explain in 500 words or less the specific equipment used and the measurable results achieved.
  2. Imagine that today it is your job to sell this piece of equipment to a conservation district in a nearby county or state. Please tell us in 500 words or less what you would say to the conservation district board to convince them that this equipment would be a beneficial purchase.

Additional information such as photos, news releases or other supporting information will be accepted as part of the nomination. Click here to download the award nomination form.

Award Category 2
Defining Conservation Equipment Needs for the Future
Award nominees will explain one of the following situations:

  1. Tell us about equipment that you have retrofitted to meet your conservation implementation needs. In 1,000 words or less, explain how the adaptation you made to the equipment allows you to accomplish your conservation goals.
  2. Tell us about your conservation district’s equipment needs that are not being met because the equipment you need does not exist or the cost exceeds your budget. In 1,000 words or less, explain how having the equipment would allow you to accomplish your conservation goals.

Additional information such as photos, drawings or other supporting information will be accepted as part of the nomination. Click here to download the award nomination form.