ADVOCACY

Testimony and support

WACD advocates for the interests of Washington State’s 45 local conservation districts. We testify before the Washington State Legislature, submit letters and comments on proposed rules and legislation, and regularly meet with lawmakers and agencies to advance policies and procedures that benefit voluntary conservation.

Member engagement

WACD’s team also engages our membership each spring with a Legislative Day to help connect conservation districts with state legislators. The event serves as an opportunity for conservation districts to advocate for policies that benefit them directly and to familiarize decision-makers on the ins and outs of conservation district work.

WACD’s advocacy on behalf of conservation districts occurs throughout the year.

COMMUNICATIONS

WACD regularly communicates information to members and partners

• WACD’s public-facing website helps to inform the general public, agencies, and lawmakers about Washington’s conservation districts, the importance of locally led conservation, and the role of WACD in advancing the interests of our member conservation districts.
• Our members and partners website provides more granular, detailed information of importance to our member districts and partners.
• A regular newsletter is sent to subscribers to alert them to the most important and urgent items before WACD.
• We maintain a list of current bookmarks that help members and partners find current articles and news about conservation from around the country. This resource is updated several times a week.

WACD supports statewide interactive communication systems

Our statewide communication portals make it easy for people in our conservation community to resolve needs and better serve their customers.

• A Slack chat group is available through our close partner, the Washington Conservation Society.
• A Groups.io email group is also available.

WACD coordinates communications within our conservation community

• WACD coordinates internal communications at the state level between districts and state and federal partners. Our external communications, such as press releases, blog posts, interviews with media, and our website make up another core facet of WACD’s strategy to educate the public about voluntary conservation.

EDUCATION & RECOGNITION

Webinars and events

• We sponsor webinars and workshops to help our members and partners work through key needs and opportunities.

Leadership development

• WACD helps to develop conservation leaders through direct interactions with conservation district board members and providing training opportunities at an annual meeting held just after Thanksgiving each year.
• We also provide assistance to six area associations in Washington State, including helping to organize and deliver annual meetings of each area association.
• WACD’s leadership structure also cultivates skills in problem-solving and collaborative planning. WACD’s committees offer members opportunities to guide WACD policy and lead WACD initiatives. WACD’s officers and directors are elected by their peers.
• Throughout the year, WACD partners with the Center for Technical Development and others in developing and delivering training for conservation district leaders.

Recognizing excellence

• WACD provides a variety of annual awards to help recognize and celebrate excellence and achievement.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES TO DISTRICTS

Native plant materials

• A highlight of WACD’s work for conservation districts is the operation of a native plant nursery. The WACD Plant Materials Center provides high-quality conservation-grade native plants for restoration and enhancement projects throughout the region. The sale of plants helps to fund the operation of WACD.

Directory and contact lists

• WACD maintains a directory of conservation districts and partners to facilitate interactions with and within our conservation community. We also make available to members several region-specific contact lists of board chairs and managers.

Email service for members

• WACD provides free email accounts for members when needed. For more information, please visit our district email page or contact the WACD Executive Office.

Access to legal services

• Beginning in September 2023, WACD has engaged an attorney to serve as WACD’s General Counsel. Conservation districts can request an hour of free-to-them legal consultation with WACD’s attorney. Read the announcement and contact WACD Executive Office staff for more information. Announcement

Access to IT help desk service

• Beginning in July 2024, WACD has engaged an experienced information technology firm to provide help desk service to conservation districts. Conservation districts can request an hour of free-to-them IT help. Additional time is available at discounted rates.