Conservation Programs Across Arizona
AACD & Conservation Districts across the state work with multiple partners to apply best management practices that conserve our natural resources. Through several programs and partnerships, we are all helping to Conserve AZ!
Arizona Climate-Smart Practices Program
USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant opportunity funds “partnerships to support the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities”. Our Arizona Climate-Smart Practices Program is a pilot program designed to encourage growers in Arizona to adopt climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices that will allow for abundant agriculture while using practices that conserve water, promote healthy soil, and mitigate climate change providing beneficial ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration.
Range Monitoring & Assessment Program
The purpose of this program is to support data collection pertaining to rangeland use and conservation practices. Monitoring data can be used to assess whether or not a conservation practice has been successful, as well as to help determine what changes in the landscape have occurred over time and what the potential causes of the change are.
Technical Assistance
Through several grants awarded to Conservation Districts and AACD, technical assistance has been given to Conservation Districts to support local NRCS conservationists. The professionals contracted to assist with crucial conservation tasks have helped producers get conservation work on the ground through programmatic support, archeological clearances, and technical assistance.
Resource Rangeland Management Program
In a statewide, landscape-level rangeland program, Conservation Districts and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have partnered to work with multiple stakeholders across Arizona to restore and sustain natural aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and their associated processes, while at the same time providing for the managed development and maintenance of productive working lands through the Resource Rangeland Management Program (RRMP).
Fire Recovery Program
Conservation Districts play a crucial role when natural resource disasters hit, and their response to Arizona's dangerous fire seasons over the past few years is a prime example of what the Districts can do for Arizona. The Fire Recovery Program began in November 2021 when the Districts responded to the devastating Mescal & Telegraph Fires. Through multiple partner programs, AACD has been able to cultivate funds to help producers and private landowners rebuild infrastructure and heal the land that was destroyed by wildfires since July 2020. We provide Program Management, Technical Support, and Administration.
Conservation Education
Conservation education is key to responsible stewardship of our natural resources. This education can happen at any age and Conservation Districts work hard to make sure this happens through adult and child education outreach.