National Association of Conservation Districts

Conference Program

NACD 2010 Annual Meeting • January 31 - February 3, 2010 • Orlando, FL

Planning is underway for a very full program, filled with general sessions, lively speakers, breakout sessions, board meetings, tours and training opportunities. See the links below for more specific details.

Final Program (Updated as of 1/13/10)
To download the 2010 Annual Meeting Program, click here.

General Sessions
Invited speakers include:

• U.S. Congressman Adam Putnam (R-FL)

• Dave White, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service
  Dave White was named Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in March 2009. Dave began his 32-year career with NRCS as a conservation aid in Missouri. Subsequently, he has served the agency in South Carolina,  Montana and its Washington, D.C. headquarters. From 2002 to 2008, Mr. White was assigned as the NRCS State Conservationist in Montana. For much of 2007 and 2008, he was also detailed to Senator Tom Harkin’s Capitol Hill office, where he helped the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry craft the Conservation Title of the 2008 Farm Bill.

• Steve Koehn, President of the National Association of State Foresters

• Tom Porta, President of the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators

• Bill Hammond, Consultant to the Babcock Ranch Partnership

• Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture (invited)
  Tom Vilsack was sworn in as the 30th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on January 21, 2009.  As Secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack has been candid and direct about the challenges and opportunities facing USDA, and the importance of fulfilling the vast missions of the Department as a champion of rural America, a steward of the environment and a protector of our food supply.  At USDA, Secretary Vilsack is working to ensure that America's forests and private working lands are conserved and restored to enhance water resources and help lead in the battle against climate change. USDA has implemented programs that create private sector jobs protecting and rehabilitating forests and wetlands.

• Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (invited)
  Administrator Lisa P. Jackson leads EPA’s efforts to protect the health and environment for all Americans. As Administrator, Jackson has pledged to focus on core issues of protecting air and water quality, preventing exposure to toxic contamination in our communities, and reducing greenhouse gases. She has promised that all of EPA’s efforts will follow the best science, adhere to the rule of law, and be implemented with unparalleled transparency.

Leadership Luncheon
Stuart Appelbaum, Deputy for Restoration Program Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will be the speaker at the 2010 Leadership Lunch. Mr. Appelbaum is responsible for overseeing the South Florida ecosystem restoration program, which includes the $10.9 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. He currently serves as the Deputy for Restoration Program Management for the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He led the interagency team that developed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan that was submitted to Congress in 1999. He was also responsible for developing the programmatic regulations that guides implementation of the restoration plan.

Concurrent Breakout Sessions
A series of exciting and dynamic breakout sessions and workshops will be offered during NACD’s 2010Annual Meeting. These sessions will provide registered members and guests with the opportunity to learn about current and upcoming conservation issues. Twelve breakout sessions will occur on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, as well as the three hands-on workshops on Wednesday. This is a great opportunity for conservationists—rookies and seasoned pros alike—to learn about new ideas and opportunities! To view a list of breakout sessions titles, descriptions, and times, click here.