Conservation Practitioner Poll 2024 Summary Report
Soil and Water Conservation Society, 2024
The 2024 Conservation Practitioner Poll Summary Report, developed by the Soil and Water Conservation Society in partnership with Iowa State University, provides a comprehensive look at the experiences of over 300 conservation professionals across six Upper Mississippi River Basin states. Building on the inaugural 2021 survey, the 2024 poll captures the voices of those on the frontlines of conservation, offering critical insights to inform policies and improve conservation program delivery.
Conservation practitioners (CP) shared their thoughts about different kinds of support that would help CPs increase the effectiveness of their conservation work with farmers and landowners. Survey sections centered on human and other resource needs, ways that processes, procedures, and systems might be improved, and professional development needs. The survey also examined job satisfaction and specific factors that CPs like and dislike about their jobs. Other focus areas were personal safety concerns, the capacity to conduct outreach with historically underserved populations, and climate-smart agriculture. The report amplifies the voices of conservation practitioners, underscoring their contributions to advancing sustainable agriculture and fostering solutions that benefit communities and natural resources.
Suggested citation:
Arbuckle, J.G., C. DeLong, C. Lindahl, and C. Morris. 2024. Conservation Practitioner Poll 2024 Summary Report. Ankeny, IA: Soil and Water Conservation Society