Do you love all things conservation? Do you love to take photos?
Then we want you to participate in the Kalkaska Conservation District’s first official Photo Contest!
Did you know that the Kalkaska Conservation District has been proudly serving our community since 1950 and this year marks our 75th Anniversary? It's true and we want to celebrate this incredible milestone with YOU! We are 'springing' into conservation and celebration for a whole year full of great events celebrating the woods and waters around us.
We are kicking off our 75th year by hosting our very own county-wide Photo Contest! This contest will give you the opportunity to be a part of a larger, nation-wide contest hosted by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).
This contest will be open to anyone, but all submitted photos must be taken in Kalkaska County. There will be separate divisions for adults (19 and older as of December 1, 2025) and youth (18 and younger as of December 1, 2025).
Categories for photos are:
Conservation Practices (CP)
Showcases conservation methods, such as contour buffer strips, cover crops, crop rotation, wetland restoration, riparian buffers, and nutrient management.
Highlights conservation efforts that support environmental sustainability and resource management.
Close-up Conservation (CC)
Focuses on detailed aspects of conservation, such as soil health, water in various forms, insects, farm animals, irrigation techniques, earthworms, roots, and composting.
Highlights the small yet significant elements of conservation efforts.
Conservation in Action (CA)
Captures conservation district activities, such as educational programs, field days, irrigation use, community meetings, and hands-on conservation practices.
Highlights farmers, landowners, district staff, and volunteers engaged in conservation efforts.
Agriculture & Conservation Across America (ACAA)
Features barns, crops, farm practices, livestock, grazing, pastures, tree farms, and youth participating in conservation-related activities.
Captures the relationship between agriculture and conservation across different regions of the U.S.
Contest Rules:
Photos must be taken in Kalkaska County between March 21, 2025 through October 3, 2025.
Minor digital enhancements for cropping, red-eye removal, filters, and corrective functions are permitted. However, images that are significantly altered may be disqualified.
Contestants may not add borders, frames, watermarks, dates, signatures, or copyrighted images to their photos.
While contestants may submit up to five (5) photos, each contestant may only win one (1) category.
If a contestant submits five photos in four categories, they can only win one prize from one category. They cannot win all four categories.
Submission Process:
Each contestant may submit up to five (5) photos.
A description of each photo is required in the submission form.
Kalkaska County’s submission form will open on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 9:00 am EST.
The Kalkaska County contest submission form will close on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 5:00 pm EST. Submissions received after this deadline will not be accepted under any circumstance.
File Requirements:
Submissions must be in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format with a high resolution (300 dpi or higher).
Each photo must be named using the following format:
Catagory_Level_LastName_FirstName_Submission# (“Level” is A (adult) or Y (youth))
Example: A 16-year-old named Al Dente submitting two photos:
CC_Y_Dente_Al_1 (Close-up Conservation, Youth Division)
CA_Y_Dente_Al_2 (Conservation in Action, Youth Division)
Example: A 60-year-old named Sage Advice submitting one photo:
CP_A_Advice_Sage_1 (Conservation Practices, Adult Division)
Photo Evaluation Criteria:
Conservation Message (50%): The photo aligns with the theme and effectively conveys a conservation message.
Visual Appeal (30%): The photo is compelling, well-composed, and high-quality.
Originality (10%): The photo showcases a unique perspective or creative approach.
Universal Appeal (10%): The photo should engage a broad audience and communicate effectively.
Judging Process:
All photos will be judged by the public from October 6, 2025 through October 17, 2025.
The top three (3) photos from each category for each division (youth & adult) will go to the “final round” of judging that will take place at the Kalkaska Conservation District Annual Meeting on Friday, October 24, 2025. Meaning 12 photos from the adult division and 12 photos from the youth division will be at the Annual Meeting.
Each contestant may only proceed to the “final round” (top 3) of judging for one photo they submit.
On Friday, October 24, Annual Meeting attendees will vote for one winner from each category for each age division (a total of 8 category winners).
Kalkaska County winners will be announced on Monday, October 27, 2025. Each first-place winner will receive a $20 cash prize.
The first-place winner from each category will go on to the NACD Photo Contest. At Nationals, one winner will be selected from each category and age division nation-wide. First-place winners will receive a $100 cash prize. Second-place winners will receive a $50 cash prize.
Additional Details:
All entries become the property of the Kalkaska Conservation District (KCD), and all first-place winners become the property of NACD. KCD and NACD reserves the non-exclusive right to use submissions in official publications and promotional materials.
The photographer retains the rights and use of their photo.
A signed photo release form must be submitted for any identifiable individuals in the photos.
To see national winners for 2024, click here.