This webinar series explores the adoption of conservation drainage across disciplines, regions, and landscapes. Through five, 75-minute sessions, leading stakeholders will share unique perspectives, engage in dialogue, and generate a set of recommendations to be used to advance conservation drainage adoption locally and nationally.

The series is intended for a broad audience of conservation professionals and the producers who implement conservation practices. Attendees will include researchers, drainage and land improvement contractors, technical service providers, local/state/federal agricultural and conservation agency technical and program staff, equipment manufacturers and distributors, agriculture industry, farmers, and others who share an interest in advancing conservation drainage across the nation for economic and environmental gain.

What to expect:

• Access to farmer adopters and leading influencers across sectors and states to gain an understanding of their perspectives and experiences, including exclusive Q&A sessions and the wrap-up virtual dialogue
• A broader understanding of the benefits of conservation drainage to various stakeholder audiences
• An opportunity to expand your network of contacts who are working to accelerate the adoption of conservation drainage
• The most up-to-date information, resources, and tools being used
• A set of recommendations for encouraging conservation drainage adoption locally and nationally
• Ability to earn Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
• A series completion certificate upon request

The webinars are FREE to members of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), Agriculture Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC), and the Conservation Drainage Network’s Growth Committee (CDN). To join visit www.swcs.org/join or www.admcoalition.com/join-admc

Webinar 1: Social Science Perspectives

January 26, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. CT

Speakers:

Dr. J. Gordon Arbuckle, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Iowa State University

Dr. Linda Prokopy, Professor and Department Head, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University

Moderator:

Keegan Kult, Executive Director, Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition

Agenda:

This sessions speaker will provide a 45-minute presentation on “A Meta-Analysis of Agricultural Conservation Intentions, Behaviors, and Practices: Insights from 35 Years of Quantitative Literature in the United States”, published September 2022 in the Journal of Environmental Management. Following the presentation, a 30-minute facilitated question/answer/observation discussion among speakers and attendees will focus on how the information presented specifically relates to conservation drainage.

Webinar 2: Practical Perspectives

February 22, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. CT

Speakers:

Clare Lindahl, Chief Executive Officer, Soil and Water Conservation Society presenting: The Conservation Practitioner’s Point of View: Perspectives from the field on conservation drainage practice/system adoption and management

Panelists:

Ben Reinhart, Conservation Planner, Ecosystem Services Exchange LLC

Ruth McCabe, Senior Conservation Agronomist, Heartland Co-op

Tim Rosen, Director of Agriculture & Restoration, ShoreRivers LLC

Scott Wagner, Agricultural Engineer, USDA-NRCS Indiana

Moderator:

Tom Christensen, CDN Growth Committee Chair & Ecosystem Services Exchange, LLC

Clare Lindahl, Chief Executive Officer, Soil and Water Conservation Society will be presenting on SWCS's work on gaining an understanding of the practitioners perspective as it pertains to adoption and management of conservation drainage panelists. Then there will be a panelist composed of leading practitioners in conservation drainage adoption from across the U.S. These panelist each bring a unique perspective as they represent a unique stakeholder group. Following the panelist, there will be a facilitated discussion led by the CDN Growth Committee Chair Tom Christensen.

Webinar 3: Farmer Perspectives

March 22, 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. CT

Moderator:

Keegan Kult, Executive Director, Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition

Tim Palmer: Tim Palmer has been a farmer for 40 years near Truro, IA. Tim's family utilize conservation practices to improve water quality and soil health. Practices include terraces, waterways, filter strips, ponds, and rotational grazing. Tim is the past President of the National Association of Conservation Districts and has served on the Marion (IA) County Soil and Water Conservation District Board since 2003. Tim is now the CEO of Regenerative Environmental Strategies LLC.

Kellie Blair: Kellie currently farms with her husband A.J. and two children near Dayton, IA on a diversified crop and livestock farm. She was raised on a Century Farm in western Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Forestry and Agronomy. Her focus has been in soil conservation and water quality on her own farms, locally, statewide, and nationally.

Jeff O'Connor: Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in Ag Economics from the University of Illinois, is a Certified Crop Advisor, and has recently earned a Sustainability Specialist certification. In addition, O’Connor has spent 25 years serving Kankakee County as a Director with the Soil and Water Conservation District. He routinely opens his farm to Legislators, overseas grain buyers, college students and the urban community in order to share the story of modern agriculture. O’Connor is an at-large director, Vice Chairman of the Utilization Committee and serves on the Finance Committee.

Webinar 4: Industry and NGO Perspectives

April 26, 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. CT

Moderator: Tom Christensen, CDN Growth Committee Chair & Ecosystem Services Exchange, LLC

Learn from leading industry and non-governmental organizations on what they are doing to drive adoption. Details to be finalized soon.

Webinar 5: Wrap-Up and Recommendations

May 24, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. CT

Moderator:

Keegan Kult, Executive Director, Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition

What did we learn and how should we apply it to achieve widespread and accelerated adoption of conservation drainage practices? Details to be finalized soon.

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