2026 Conservation Poster Contest
Soil. Where it all Begins
For Kindergarten through Grade 6 students
When we take care of soil, we are taking care of everything it supports. That is why soil is where it all begins.
Free classroom visits: Knox-Lincoln SWCD staff introduce the contest to students. Visits can be scheduled Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from January 2 through January 30.
Posters due by Wednesday, February 25.
Questions? Contact Louisa at louisa@knox-lincoln.org or (207) 596-2040.
Register Now
Register your classroom(s) for the 2026 contest: Soil. Where it all Begins.
If requesting an optional classroom visit by Knox-Lincoln SWCD staff, register by Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Classroom visits start on January 2, and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If forgoing the optional classroom visit, register by Friday, January 23, 2026.
Resource Guide
A specially curated resource guide will be released in mid-December to provide participating teachers with activities for enhanced curricular integration of the poster contest.
About the Annual Conservation Poster Contest
The annual National Association of Conservation Districts Conservation Poster Contest provides K-6 students with the opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water, and related natural resource issues through art. Each year, the contest theme follows the annual stewardship theme of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). The contest highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, and is co-sponsored by the NACD and the NACD Auxiliary. It is open to all public, private, and home-schooled students.
Students first enter their posters into their Soil & Water Conservation District’s local contest. Winning posters then advance to the State and National contests.
Check out last year’s Knox-Lincoln SWCD Local Conservation Poster Contest winning posters
Registration, Entry, and Poster Requirements
This information is available in PDF format. Educators should read this information carefully in order to understand requirements for registration, entry, and poster design.
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Register your classroom(s) or student group as soon as you know you are participating. You may register your own classroom or be the point of contact for scheduling visits to several classrooms at your school.
If you would like a complementary classroom visit, please register on or before Wednesday, December 17
30-to-45 minute visits are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting January 2. Knox-Lincoln SWCD staff will introduce the poster contest and relevant science ideas of the theme to your students through interactive activities and a slide presentation. A resource guide with lesson plans, suggested activities, books, and videos will be provided to all teachers who participate. Classroom visits are limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis.
If you choose to forgo the classroom visit, please register on or before Friday, January 23.
It is absolutely fine to introduce the contest and poster theme to your students yourself. A resource guide with lesson plans, suggested activities, books, and videos will be provided to all teachers who participate.
Posters are due on Wednesday, February 25. Choose the most convenient option for you:
Picked up at your school office on February 25. If you choose this option, the posters must be in your school office by 8 AM for Knox-Lincoln staff to collect.
Dropped off on February 25 by 5 PM at the Knox-Lincoln SWCD office.
Sent by mail and delivered by February 25 to the Knox-Lincoln SWCD office.
Please attach a completed 2026 Poster Contest Form to the back of each poster securely using masking tape.
Category Level and Classroom Level awards will be announced by March 11, 2026. Posters will be returned to schools by March 31, 2026. Learn more about award designations.
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Poster size is flexible depending on what teachers and students have available to them. Posters must be at least 8.5”x11”. Do not use neon-colored paper.
Any media may be used, including paint, crayon, colored pencil, charcoal, stickers, paper, or other materials.
Posters must visibly include the contest theme, Soil. Where it all Begins.
The entry must be the contestant’s original creation. Although younger students will most likely receive help in planning from parents or teachers, NACD encourages each student to do their own work.
Each poster must be created by an individual student rather than a team of students.
Student names must only be written on the back of the poster, not the front. Please attach a 2026 Poster Contest Form to the back of each poster securely using tape.
Students in grades K-6 are eligible to participate.
2025 Poster Contest Results
Home is Where the Habitat is
Thank you to all the schools, teachers, and especially the students who participated in this year’s National Association of Conservation Districts annual poster contest: Home is Where the Habitat is. We had students representing 70 classrooms and 20 schools, with over 630 posters submitted. It was exciting to see so many students engaging with habitats, biodiversity, and conservation.
We would also like to thank our three poster contest judges, Morganne Price (Midcoast Conservancy, Medomak Regional Stewardship Manager), Joseph Roy (Private Lands Wildlife Biologist), and Liz Cunningham (conservation writer). Judges carefully evaluated the conservation message, visual effectiveness, and originality of each poster to select category winners, category honorable mentions, class winners, and class honorable mentions. See an explanation of awards here.
2025 Poster Contest Category Overall Winners
