SCACD Awards

Honoring excellence in conservation across South Carolina

Each year, the South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts (SCACD) recognizes outstanding individuals, educators, districts, and partners who demonstrate exceptional leadership and commitment to natural resource conservation.

Nomination Deadline

All nominations must be received by Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
If mailing nominations, please send them at least one week in advance to ensure timely delivery.

Each nomination must include:

A completed cover sheet
A completed application
Supplemental materials limited to two pages per application

Acceptable supplemental materials may include newsletters, scanned letters of recommendation, photos, and supporting documents. For electronic submissions, all materials must be combined into a single PDF per nomination.

Submission Options

Email:awards@scacd.org
Use the Subject Line Format: Area_District_Award Name
Example: Pee Dee_Horry_Outstanding District Employee
Mail:
SCACD
Attn: Ann-Lamar Tuten
1805 Clemson Rd.
PO Box 290352
Columbia, SC 29229

What’s New for 2026?

SCACD has implemented a new Area-based Awards Process for the 2026 awards cycle. Under this updated structure, nominations will first be reviewed and selected at the Area level before advancing for statewide and national consideration.
Each SCACD Area will convene its own Awards Judging Panel composed of conservation leaders representing local Districts, SCACD, NRCS, and SCDNR. Area winners will be recognized at Area Meetings and forwarded as nominees for the Annual Partnership Conference and national award programs.This new process is designed to increase regional involvement, strengthen peer recognition, and create a more collaborative pathway for honoring conservation leadership across South Carolina.

2026 Judging Panel

The 2026 SCACD Awards Program utilizes a new Area-based judging process. Each SCACD Area will convene an Awards Judging Panel made up of conservation leaders and partners from across the state.

Each Area Judging Panel will include:

Four Area District Commissioners
SCDNR Conservation Districts Area Coordinator
SCACD Area Representative
NRCS Region Representative
One Area District Employee

Area panels will review nominations submitted within their respective regions and select recipients to advance for statewide and national award consideration.