Conservation 101 Training: A Look Back

Date: Tuesday, March 10th

Location:  Poulin Grain Office | 3916 US-5, Derby, VT 05829

Time: 10a - 3p

About the Conservation 101 Training

OCNRCD’s Conservation 101 Training brought together farmers, conservation professionals, and agricultural partners for a day of learning, conversation, and connection around the role of conservation on Vermont farms.

Throughout the day, speakers explored how conservation practices function in real-world farm settings—and how those practices extend beyond the farm gate to impact soil health, water quality, flood resilience, and the broader community.

Participants heard from experts in watershed planning, grazing systems, agronomics, and river science, gaining a clearer understanding of how these systems work together across the landscape. The training emphasized not only the what and how of conservation, but also the why—highlighting the broader environmental and community benefits tied to on-farm stewardship.

A key theme woven throughout the day was communication: how farmers can translate complex, often unseen conservation work into stories that are accessible, accurate, and meaningful to the public. As interest in local food systems and environmental impact continues to grow, the ability to clearly communicate stewardship is becoming an increasingly important part of farming.

This training also marked the kickoff of OCNRCD’s Marketing Conservation Cohort, a pilot program supporting a small group of Orleans County farms in sharing their conservation stories through professional marketing, photography, and video.

A group of five people poses together in a casual indoor setting, smiling and dressed in relaxed clothing.
Matt Heywood of The Image Farm and the Orleans County NRCD Marketing Conservation farms. Left to right: Maple Mountain Sugarhouse, Ledgenear Farm, Sweet Rowen Farmstead. Not pictured: AJ's Happy Chick Farm.
A group in a classroom setting listens to a presentation, with a screen displaying images and information, and an American flag nearby.
OCNRCD Executive Director, Sarah Damsell, introduces the District and Marketing Conservation Program.
A group of people are seated in a conference room, listening to a presentation while taking notes.
Matt Heywood of The Image Farm introduces the concept of communicating conservation practices beyond the gate.
A group of people engaged in discussion and activities in a classroom setting, with tables, chairs, and a presentation screen.
Attendees of Conservation 101 discuss communicating conservation practices over lunch.
A presentation in a classroom setting, with a speaker discussing information on a screen while attendees engage with snacks.
Ben Copans of VTDEC presents on phosphorus reduction in Vermont Watersheds
A presentation on "Creativity, Agriculture, and Conservation" is being given, with students seated and a projector screen displayed.
Clara Fernandez Odell of Essex County NRCD presents on the creativity required to be successful in agriculture in Vermont.
A group of people attending a presentation in a conference room, with a speaker and multiple laptops in use.
Amber Reed of UVM Extension gives an in-depth lesson on how to create an effective rotational grazing plan
A group of people sitting around a table, appearing focused or engaged, with a mix of casual attire and a gray meeting room.
Conservation 101 attendees consider the conservation practices being implemented on their own land, and how to implement them.
A group of five people poses together in a casual indoor setting, smiling and dressed in relaxed clothing.
A group in a classroom setting listens to a presentation, with a screen displaying images and information, and an American flag nearby.
A group of people are seated in a conference room, listening to a presentation while taking notes.
A group of people engaged in discussion and activities in a classroom setting, with tables, chairs, and a presentation screen.
A presentation in a classroom setting, with a speaker discussing information on a screen while attendees engage with snacks.
A presentation on "Creativity, Agriculture, and Conservation" is being given, with students seated and a projector screen displayed.
A group of people attending a presentation in a conference room, with a speaker and multiple laptops in use.
A group of people sitting around a table, appearing focused or engaged, with a mix of casual attire and a gray meeting room.

 Not pictured: Sacha Pealer of Vermont DEC, who attended virtually and spoke to the science of Rivers and Floodplain management; Pam Heywood of The Image Farm, who attended virtually and spoke to marketing conservation; Sue Beshar of AJ's Happy Chick Farm, one of our inaugural Marketing Conservation Cohort farmers.

Topics Covered

  • How watershed planning connects farm practices to downstream water quality
  • The role of grazing systems in soil health and pasture productivity, and how to develop an effective grazing plan
  • River science and floodplain management fundamentals
  • Working lands conservation within Vermont’s regulatory and funding landscape
  • Communicating conservation practices in ways that resonate with the public

Featured Speakers

  • Sarah Damsell, Executive Director – Orleans County NRCD
  • Pam & Matt Heywood, Cofounders – The Image Farm
  • Sacha Pealer, River Scientist & Floodplain Manager – Vermont DEC
  • Ben Copans, Watershed Planning Supervisor – Vermont DEC
  • Clara Fernandez Odell, Working Lands Specialist – Essex County NRCD
  • Amber Reed, Grazing Specialist – UVM Extension

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversations throughout the day. Events like this continue to highlight the depth of knowledge within Vermont’s agricultural community, and the shared commitment to stewarding the land for future generations.

Stay tuned as we continue this work through the Marketing Conservation Cohort and future programming.

Questions?

 Contact:

Rebekkah Hochman

Community Engagement & Communications Program Specialist

Rebekkah.Hochman@orleanscountynrcd.org