October 20 - 22, 2026
Cragun’s Conference Center
Brainerd
BWSR Academy is a training event for conservation-based local government staff.
Registration opens at 10 a.m. on September 1, 2026. There is a daily capacity limit of 420 attendees. Registration will close at 4:30 p.m. on September 21, or when the daily capacity limit is reached, whichever happens first.
Cost to attend: The BWSR Academy registration fee for 2026 is $95 per day. This fee covers attendance at BWSR Academy sessions, lunch, breaks, and session materials for each day you register.
Link to register: (Link will go live on September 1, 2026)
Lodging: Registration for the BWSR Academy does NOT include lodging. Individuals are responsible for making (or cancelling, if necessary) their own lodging reservations directly with Cragun’s Conference Center. Preferred lodging is being held until October 6.
2026 Academy Session Tracks and Definitions
Fiscal Management: This track focuses on new skills needed to obtain, track, and manage funds.
Organizational Capacity: This track focuses on building internal LGU capacity. Participants will enhance their skills in managing/working within their organization and partnering with other LGUs.
Outreach: This track focuses on skills for communicating, educating, and engaging with the public.
Programs: This track focuses on non-technical, programmatic and administrative requirements of BWSR programs.
Technical: This track provides training on technical knowledge and skills necessary to assess and address conservation priorities in Minnesota (unless Wetlands and Soils focus).
Wetlands and Soils: This track focuses on enhancing knowledge and building skills related to wetlands and/or soils.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
| Time | Fiscal Management Track | Organizational Capacity Track | Outreach Track | Programs Track | Technical Track | Wetland & Soils Track | Workshops |
| 10:30-12:00 | SWCD Flat-Rate Payment Policies | Crash Course in Cultural Resource Management & Archaeology | Utilizing Local Networks for Improved Conservation Outcomes | Keep Calm and Buffer On | Biodiverse Community and Residential Projects for Long-term Success | Got Calc?! | Governing Galaxies |
| 1:30-3:00 | eLINK 404: Diving into Linking, Activity Details, and More! | Practical AI Tools for Conservation Professionals | Graphic Design Basics for Effective Communication | Competitive Grant Writing | Drainage and Conservation | Understanding Farmers to Improve your Soil Health Outreach | Prepping for 40 More Years of RIM! - Part 1 |
| 3:30-5:00 | Why and How to Manage and Fund Forestry | Project Management Strategies from Concept to Completion | Selling conservation: Getting Buy-In | Focusing on the Future - 1W1P | The Very Basics of Nutrient Management | Soil Health Basics | Prepping for 40 More Years of RIM! - Part 2 |
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
| Time | Fiscal Management Track | Organizational Capacity Track | Outreach Track | Programs Track | Technical Track | Wetland & Soils Track | Workshops |
| 8:30-10:00 | General Accounting and Audit Updates | Increasing Impacts: Local Government DEIA from Operations to Partnerships | Photo and Video: Crash Course in Visual Storytelling | I Track, You Track, We All Keep the CWMP on Track! | Forestry Estimator and Runoff and Nutrients (FERN) Calculator Basics | Wetland Banking for LGUs and SWCDs | Rooted in Results: Functional Plants for Shorelands - Part 1 |
| 10:30-12:00 | Accounting with QuickBooks | Planning, Zoning, and Influence | Civic In-Reach: Let the Community Lead | Everything Grants | Using TMDLs in Local Watershed Management | Mastering Soil Health Equipment | Rooted in Results: Functional Plants for Shorelands - Part 2 |
| 1:15-2:45 | NRBG Fiscal Tracking | Assembly Required: Building a Positive Workplace Culture | Mapping Your Education Ecosystem | What’s Up with Soil Health Programming | Watershed Hydrology for Planning and Implementation | WCA 101 | BWSR Grants: Cradle to Grave - Part 1 |
| 3:00-4:30 | Collaborative Watershed Progress Tracking Using GIS | Short-Term Staff, Long-Term Success | Using Social Media to Tell Your Story | From Idea to Funding | Tackling Chloride Pollution | Wetlands on the Minnesota Landscape: Classification and Function | BWSR Grants: Cradle to Grave - Part 2 |
Thursday, October 22, 2026
| Time | Fiscal Management Track | Organizational Capacity Track | Outreach Track | Programs Track | Technical Track | Wetland & Soils Track | Workshops |
| 8:30-10:00 | Get Ready to Reconcile! | Bringing Your Board to the Next Level | The Human Side of Conservation: Motivating Landowner Action | Supporting Pollinators through Resilient Landscape Programs | Private Wells and Performing a Well Inventory | Setting Up Successful Field Days and Field Trials | Managing Neonics to Support Productive Crops and Pollinator Habitat |
| 10:30-12:00 | Fiscal Management | HR Compliance: What You Need | Planning & Facilitating Effective Meetings | Funding Conservation, One Agreement at a Time | Making the Most of Each Acre: Crops + Livestock | WCA Enforcement | N/A |
Session details can be found on the daily pages below.
