Our Partners

Associated or Partnered With:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to put conservation on the ground to protect soil and water while providing wildlife habitat. Keeping our soil healthy is very important as food production increases to ensure we’ll be able to feed the world for generations to come.

• Colorado State Conservationist, Clint Evans
• Area 3 Conservationist, Deric Clemons
• Resource Team 15 Lead, Kevin Triplett
• NRCS Program Support Specialist, Linda Janssen
• Soil Conservationist, Sara Koeppel
• Soil Conservationist and Watershed Program Specialist, Blongshia “B” Cha
• Archaeologist, Michael Troyer
• Civil Engineer, Pamela “Pam” Mora-Lopez

Farm Service Agency
FSA has two primary functions: farm programs and farm loan programs. These programs support producers, from beginning farmers and ranchers who need access to loans to start up their operations to established producers who endured catastrophic weather events and need disaster assistance or a strong financial safety net.

• County Executive Director, Christine Mergelman

Rural Development
USDA Rural Development invests in rural America with loan, grant, and loan guarantee programs because we understand a strong community is rooted in its people. The commitment and resources we bring to rural communities helps drive economic security and prosperity.

Colorado Department of Agriculture

National Association of Conservation Districts

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. NACD’s mission is to promote responsible management and conservation of natural resources on all lands by representing locally-led conservation districts and their associations through grassroots advocacy, education and partnerships.The association was founded on the philosophy that conservation decisions should be made at the local level with technical and funding assistance from federal, state and local governments and the private sector. As the national voice for all conservation districts, NACD supports voluntary, incentive-driven natural resource conservation programs that benefit all citizens.

• Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Peters
• Southwest Region Representative, Rachel Theler
• President, Kim LaFleur
• Southwest Region Executive Board Member, Josh Smith
• 2023 Region Chair, Tina Thompson
• Colorado Board Member, Bob Warner

Colorado Association of Conservation Districts

• Executive Director, Abbey Grey
• Board President, Jim Cecil
• Upper Arkansas River Watershed Director, George Fosha
• Camp Rocky Director, Noah McCord
• Envirothon Program Manager, Mark Platten (CSU Extension, Teller County)

CSU Extension, El Paso County

• Colorado Master Gardener
• Family and Consumer Science
• 4-H and Youth Development

Other Cooperating Organizations:

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Bureau of Land Management
Care for Colorado Coalition
Colorado Ag Council
Colorado Ag Water Alliance
The Colorado AgrAbility Project (CAP)
Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Energy Office
Colorado Native Plant Society
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Colorado Springs Utilities Conservation and Education Center
Colorado State Fair
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Colorado Weed Management Association
El Paso County Community Services Department, Environmental Division (Noxious Weeds)
El Paso County Fair
FFA, Colorado
FFA, National
Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District
High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HICAHS)
Horticultural Art Society
National Park Service
North American Invasive Species Management Assoc.
Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival
SEE (Sustainable Educational Experience)
State Land Board
Team Ag Ed
U.S. Forest Service
USBR Hydropower Program
Water 22
Water Education Colorado
Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education

Rural Mental Health

• Colorado Crisis Services (CCS)
• Farm Crisis Center
• High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (HICAHS)
• Rural Resilience

Other Colorado Conservation Districts