Introduction to Conservation Leadership
Brought to you through a partnership between the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEFS and the USFWS
August 3-9, 2025 (travel dates included)
National Conservation Training Center
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Program Overview
“Best leadership and professional development training I've ever had, bar none. I was skeptical at first, but by the end of the week, it was clear how much I'd learned and how significantly this training influenced my personal development.”
— 2022 ICL Participant
Dates: August 3–9, 2025 (including travel days)
Location: National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), Shepherdstown, West Virginia
The Introduction to Conservation Leadership (ICL) Academy prepares the next generation of conservation law enforcement officers to successfully fulfill the conservation mission in a rapidly evolving world.
The program focuses on developing leadership capacity by addressing contemporary issues, future trends, adaptive leadership, self-awareness, and other critical skills for effective leadership in conservation law enforcement.
Participant Testimonials
"Learned more from this course than from any other leadership course I have ever taken!" — 2022 ICL Participant
"One of the best trainings I have ever attended. Training first-line supervisors in adaptive leadership—not just chiefs—will drive progress within natural resource agencies." — 2022 ICL Participant
"This was the first leadership course that truly challenged me mentally—something that could not have been absorbed through reading alone." — 2022 ICL Participant
Topics Covered
Adaptive Leadership
Enhancing Self-Awareness and Personal Leadership Capacity
Fitness, Stress Management, and Officer Wellness
Building Stronger Relationships and Professional Networks
Applied Learning Project
Participants will identify a contemporary adaptive challenge within their agency and apply academy concepts to make progress toward addressing it.
Eligibility Requirements:
Early to mid-career conservation law enforcement officers (typically with 5–10 years of experience)
Current field officers, supervisors, or program managers
Employed by a local, state, tribal, or federal conservation law enforcement agency
Endorsement from agency’s Chief Executive
Program Costs
$3,000 for agencies that are NACLEC members
$3,500 for non-member agencies
(Tuition includes all meals, lodging at NCTC, and instructional costs. Agencies are responsible for travel expenses.)
Tuition Payment:
NACLEC will invoice agencies after participant acceptance. Payment is due by July 15, 2025.
Training Schedule
Dates: August 3–9, 2025 (including travel)
Location: National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), Shepherdstown, WV
Located in the beautiful rolling hills of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the National Conservation Training Center is a premier training facility that is perfectly fitted for creating a conservation learning atmosphere. This training center is situated on 533 acres owned and managed by the USFWS. Find out more about NCTC by visiting http://nctc.fws.gov.
Asynchronous Learning Requirement
Participants will engage in 3–4 hours per week of online learning starting 4–5 weeks prior to the in-person academy. Completion of online work is essential to the academy experience.
How to apply:
Complete your application online using the link below.
Please contact Kim Elms for technical assistance or if an alternative application method is required.
Application Deadline:
May 9, 2025, 17:00 CST
Who can I call or write if I have more questions or need more information?
Randy Stark, NACLEC Executive Director
608-332-0176