2025 UACD Convention Highlights

2025 UACD Convention Highlights 2025 UACD Awards   Connecting Conservation Award Recipient: Nathan Daugs The Connecting Conservation Award recognizes individuals whose dedication to partnerships and collaboration has strengthened conservation efforts across Utah. This year’s recipient, Nathan Daugs, Manager of the Cache Water District, exemplifies this spirit of service. Nate works tirelessly to oversee water resources and promote storage projects that ensure a reliable water supply—supporting both agricultural operations and growing urban communities while planning for Utah’s long-term water needs. 2025 UACD Awards ​ President's Award Recipient: Bill Zanotti Selected by the UACD President, this award honors exceptional leadership, dedication, and lasting contributions to UACD’s mission. This year’s recipient, Bill Zanotti, recently retired from the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands, consistently prioritized conservation districts throughout his career. Bill attended district meetings, ensured open communication between the agency and districts, and built meaningful connections that improved statewide collaboration. UACD extends sincere appreciation for Bill’s leadership, service, and the lasting impact he leaves on Utah’s conservation community. 2025 UACD Awards   Bill Rigby Award Recipient: Jason Morgan, Morgan Conservation District This year’s Bill Rigby Award goes to Jason Morgan, whose lifetime of service reflects unwavering dedication to agriculture, conservation, and community. Jason manages his 4th-generation family ranch in Morgan County, established in 1952. He and his wife Rhonda run Diamond D Beef—raising Angus-cross cattle with high-quality local feed—and grow produce for local families using a high tunnel and irrigated crop ground. National Anthem Performance We were honored to have Seilala Tofu, winner of our National Anthem Contest, perform at this year’s Annual Convention. Her beautiful voice and uplifting presence set the perfect tone for our event. Thank you, Seilala, for sharing your talent with the UACD community. Dust Bowl  Presentation What was Utah’s Dust Bowl, and why does it matter today? Pat Hearty breaks down the history, causes, and lasting effects of major dust events in Utah, connecting past land-use decisions to present-day conservation efforts. Photo Gallery DSC09653 1/53 Conference Presentations DUST BOWL CLICK HERE ZONE 2 CLICK HERE ZONE 3 CLICK HERE ZONE 4 CLICK HERE ZONE 5 CLICK HERE ZONE 7 CLICK HERE Regional Economic Values of the Bear River CLICK HERE UTAH LANDOWNER CONSERVATION RESOURCE CLICK HERE DUSCHESNE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE