Yearly Training Requirements:

• A new supervisor (elected or appointed) must attend an initial training session (for example, Leadership Academy Training) and participate in an annual training event determined by the State Soil Conservation Committee (SSCC).
• A current/returning elected supervisor is required to participate in at least one annual training event determined by the SSCC.
• A current/returning appointed supervisor is required to participate in at least one annual training event determined by the SSCC.

The District Manager shall keep track of all supervisor training and provide it to the SSCC no later than January 31 each year. Please use the District Activity Reporting Tool (DART) Supervisor Training Report to submit your information.

Current Training Options:

• Attend the Leadership Academy Training.
• Attend the ND State Soil Conservation Association Annual Meeting.
• Attend your Area (I, II, III, IV, or V) Soil Conservation District Annual Meeting.
• Participate in a District/Area Conservation event or activity.
• Attend and receive Pesticide Certification Training (once every three years).
• Participate in an online webinar and/or listen to a podcast episode.
• Complete four microlessons together as a board prior to, during, or after monthly meetings.

Your conservation district board is charged by state law with specific responsibilities that no other agency is charged with and gives your district the necessary authority to carry them out.

SCD Training Resources

The SSCC and NDSU Extension have developed training that can be used to teach supervisors and staff the basic operations of conservation districts. The intent of these educational materials is to provide readily available content for districts to conduct “in-house” training.

These materials are especially useful when new supervisors are elected or new staff members are hired and state-sponsored training is not immediately available. Please see the links below for information regarding the history of soil conservation districts (SCDs), the SSCC, mill levy, audit and annual report information, the election process, and SCD planning.

• History of Soil Conservation Districts
• ND State Soil Conservation Committee
• SCD Mill Levy
• District Audit and Annual Financial Report
• SCD Elections
• Soil Conservation Planning

SCD Micro Lessons

Micro lessons are short (roughly 15 minutes or less) videos briefly covering topics relevant to SCD supervisors. Each micro lesson is accompanied by a handout that is linked below each YouTube video and can also be found on our Google Drive in the Micro Lessons Folder.

The Fall 2023 Playlist on YouTube includes: Supervisor Roles and Responsibilities; Ethics and Open Records/Open Meetings; Annual Plan of Work; and Human Resources Part 1 – Employee Job Description, Ins and Outs of Interviewing and Employee Onboarding.

The Spring 2024 Playlist on YouTube includes: Human Resources Part 2 – Employee Performance Reviews and Employee Exit Interviews; Meaningful Meetings; District Outreach:  Branding; and Watershed Planning and Management.

SCD Leadership Academy Short Takes

SCD Leadership Academy Short Takes are short, 30-minute videos covering topics relevant to SCD supervisors. Watching Leadership Academy Short Takes videos counts towards fulfilling supervisor annual training requirements.

The SCD Leadership Academy Short Takes playlist on YouTube includes: Urban Conservation Education, Ballot Requirements for Elected Supervisors, and Reviewing Financial Reports. This playlist will be updated as more Short Takes trainings become available.

More Than Dirt Podcast

This podcast offers a grassroots approach towards cultivating conservation in your local community. Go ahead grab a cup of joe and settle in as we converse about serving, preserving, and conserving across the Great Plains. You don't want to miss out!

Other Resources

The Soil Conservation Google Drive includes great resources like example documents, explanatory documents, forms, videos, and more that SCDs can use.

We're here to answer your questions! Feel free to reach out to:

• Hannah Nordby, Area V Program Coordinator
• Andrea Bowman, Extension Program Coordinator, Leadership and Civic Engagement
• Jodi Bruns, Leadership and Civic Engagement Specialist
• Amber Fetch, Administrative Assistant, Leadership & Civic Engagement and SSCC