November 18-20, 2012
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wichita Airport
(formerly Wichita Airport Hilton)
"Planning for an Uncertain Future"
With public funding on the federal, state, and local levels becoming more limited and budgets
increasingly constrained, future appropriations for Kansas conservation districts are far from
certain. What does that mean to your district? How will you be affected?
These are key questions that will be addressed at the 2012 convention of the Kansas
Association of Conservation Districts. KACD will hold its 68th annual convention November
18-20, 2012, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wichita Airport. This year’s theme is “Kansas
Conservation: Planning for an Uncertain Future.”
Supervisors and district employees from all of the state's conservation districts are strongly encouraged
to attend this year's convention. The primary emphasis will be on the "Field Office of the Future"
initiative, a joint effort of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Ray Ledgerwood, a consultant from the state
of Washington who has been involved with similar efforts in other states, will be on hand to
guide the discussion and facilitate a workshop for convention attendees.
Because of the critical importance of the "Field Office of the Future" topic and helping districts prepare to face potential
challenges, the customary order of activities on Monday have been adjusted and breakout sessions are limited to only a
handful of timely, important topics. Key changes are as follows:
A block of rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wichita Airport was made available to districts on March 1, 2012. The
block is sold out; however, you may place your name on the hotel’s waiting list (indicate that you are attending the KACD
convention) because rooms typically become available at the start of the convention due to last-minute cancellations. You
may also book at one of the overflow hotels:
Even though meal costs have risen, we are keeping prices the same to allow as many supervisors and district employees to
attend the convention as possible. New this year, we are offering online registration in addition to the usual method of
completing registration forms and mailing them to KACD.
Please complete a registration form for each convention attendee (except spouses). Forms may be filled out and saved,
printed or submitted online. Registration forms must be submitted or mailed by November 10, 2012, to KACD at P.O.
Box 3510, Lawrence, KS 66046. Credit card payment is now available for both online registrations and those that are
mailed. Individual checks (or money orders) or a single check for multiple registrations should be made payable to KACD.
Please note that in order to be eligible for the bundle price of $195, which includes registration, Monday
lunch, Monday evening banquet, and Tuesday morning breakfast, registrations must be postmarked by
November 10, 2012. After that date, registration and meal tickets will be charged individually at a slightly higher rate.
Changes at This Year's Convention
Rawlins County wheat field at sunset - Photo by Kathy Davis-Vrbas, Atwood, Kansas