August 9–12, 2026 | Cherokee, North Carolina
Join conservation leaders from across the Southeast for the 2026 NACD Southeast Region Meeting as we explore Conservation 2.0: Honoring Our Past and Securing Our Future. This engaging and forward-looking gathering will celebrate the legacy of conservation while focusing on innovative partnerships, leadership, and solutions that will shape the future of natural resource conservation across our region.
Hosted by the North Carolina Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in partnership with the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the North Carolina Conservation District Employees Association, this event brings together Conservation District supervisors, staff, and partners to exchange ideas, highlight successful programs, and strengthen regional partnerships.
Attendees can expect a robust agenda featuring training opportunities, policy discussions, and updates from state and national leadership, along with opportunities to showcase innovative work happening across the region.
Location
777 Casino Drive
Cherokee, NC 28719
(Hosted at the Harrah’s Cherokee Resort)
Registration & Tours Information
Early Registration: $380
Early Registration Deadline: July 8, 2026
Standard/Late Registration: $440
* Price includes Sunday Reception, Monday Breakfast & Lunch, Tuesday Breakfast, Lunch (Tours) & Dinner, $20 online processing fee charges automatically at checkout.
Tour Registration: $100- $150, depending on tour. Prices include lunch for tour attendees.
Tour Selections on Tuesday, August 11, 2026:
Conservation and Forestry at Biltmore—$150—Price includes transportation, entrance and tour of the Biltmore House and Gardens, entrance to the winery and lunch. Here you will see the largest privately owned home in the US and learn about the more than 8000-acre farming operation. You will also learn how forestry education got its start here.
Conservation Tour on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad—$140— Price includes transportation, lunch and tickets for the 4-hour journey. The train will travel along the old rail along farms and the land of the Cherokee. Traveling through the surrounding mountain watersheds provides a unique perspective on the long-term relationship between natural resource management, forest restoration, recreation, and rural economic development in the southern Appalachians. Much of the land in the area is working lands and is protected for production purposes.
Biochar and Stream Restoration—$100— Price includes transportation, lunch and stops at the biochar production site, stream projects done through partnerships and areas where biochar will help remediate soils damaged from Hurricane Helene.
Additional Information
- Full agenda and registration details coming soon
- Opportunities for networking, training sessions, and regional collaboration will be offered throughout the event
- Please share this information with Conservation District staff, supervisors, and partners in your state or territory
We look forward to welcoming you to Cherokee this August for a meaningful and impactful Southeast Region Meeting.
Need help with your registration? Contact Brandy Myers, brandy.myers@ncagr.gov or Bryan Evans, ncaswcd@gmail.com.