Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

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DEP Announces 2023 Environmental Education Grant Awards

Twenty Conservation District Projects Funded for over $172,700

Allegheny County Conservation District: $4,999 to host field workshops for municipal managers to elevate their knowledge of watersheds, watershed planning, and best management practices to remedy non-point source pollution and impacts of climate change, such as localized flooding.

Bradford County Conservation District: $29,942 to hold a Forestry Education Symposium, providing two Forestry Education events for private landowners, forestry professionals, and logging professionals who are interested in expanding their knowledge of forest practices, sustainability, and forest health. Eight conservation districts as well as the Northern Tier Hardwood Association will partner to host the events. Each event will include multiple guest speakers and a field tour.

Bradford County Conservation District: $4,912 to supply six school districts with the necessary materials, curriculum, resources, and guidance to implement Eels in the Classroom, an interdisciplinary, standards-based, educational experience throughout the 2023/2024 school year and beyond.

Bucks County Conservation District: $17,500 to develop county-wide education programs, including presentations for youth (K-12) and multi-municipality public events. Programs will be accessed through a website menu of curriculums with associated displays, brochures, and hands-on materials.

Cameron County Conservation District: $5,000 to hold several elementary and high school student field studies, along with adult-based workshops and community events. Hands-on activities and demonstrations will address water issues involving flooding and climate change.

Columbia County Conservation District: $4,998 to partner with the Borough of Berwick to construct and install approximately 15 downspout planters at homes along main streets in the Borough. Hold at least one public workshop addressing benefits of downspout planters and other ways to reduce stormwater runoff, non-point source pollution, and improve water quality.

Dauphin County Conservation District: $5,000 to partner with municipalities to host Stormwater Management for Homeowners workshops on reducing non-point source pollution.

Delaware County Conservation District: $5,000 to host a one-day sustainability conference, located within an environmental justice area, that aligns with the DEP 2021 Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan and the 2022 Delaware County Sustainability Plan. Multiple tracks will engage K-12 and college students, academics, community members and leaders, citizen scientists, non-profits, and businesses.

Indiana County Conservation District: $8,955 to incorporate environmental education principles into public outreach efforts. The initiative will incorporate current and relevant climate change and water quality information, hands-on materials, engaging activities, age-appropriate lessons, and in-person workshops.

Jefferson County Conservation District: $4,795 to hold a three-day outdoor camp for women and girls to increase knowledge about the environment, climate change, and sustainability.

Juniata County Conservation District: $1,440 to increase public awareness about stormwater pollutants by collaborating with the Mifflintown Borough maintenance department to stencil about 60 stormwater grates with the message “only rain in the drain.”

Lackawanna County Conservation District: $30,000 to create a permanent three-station stormwater best management practice demonstration area and hold three hands-on events for multiple audiences on stormwater and local water quality.

Lebanon County Conservation District: $4,758 to hold two streambank landowner workshops providing presentations, materials, and hands-on macroinvertebrate stream studies to educate landowners on assessing stream health.

Lehigh County Conservation District: $5,000 to develop an educational garden laboratory in a vacant school courtyard to improve students’ understanding of local climate change and water quality and other real-world sustainability challenges.

Mercer County Conservation District: $3,385 to conduct a three-week camp for middle school students, including outdoor activities that address climate change and water quality issues and education on science and/or environmentally themed careers.

Potter County Conservation District: $5,000 to use a stream simulation table to help municipal officials and workers understand stream processes and concepts related to stream management and in-stream construction.

Snyder County Conservation District: $3,298 to host two rain barrel workshops for residents and business owners of Snyder County who are interested in learning about storm water management. Each participant will receive one complete rain barrel and rain gutter garden for installation at their property.

Susquehanna County Conservation District: $19,722 to host education activities for school groups and community members along an interpretive trail. Trail signage features five points of interest highlighting climate change and regional water quality topics.

Westmoreland County Conservation District: $5,000 to provide stormwater education to 40 students in the Mosaic Community Development Center’s afterschool program. The conservation district will present two in-person educational programs for the students and work with the students and center to develop a demonstration rain garden that incorporates the lessons learned.

York County Conservation District: $4,039 to hold two seminars for residents on York County’s watersheds. The seminars will provide in-depth information on how residents’ actions can make a difference, even if they don’t have a waterway or a water body on their property.

Click here to read about all the projects funded.

 

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Harrisburg Hosts Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training

Participants receive instruction on an active construction site during the field day.

Fifty learners from 28 conservation districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection convened for Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training at the Red Lion Harrisburg-Hershey in Harrisburg, PA, May 23-26, 2023.

Classroom training covered Chapter 102 basics, including permits and applications, field safety, and key components of both technical and completeness reviews. The field day incorporated learning stations at key points in an active construction site, as well as review of a completed site. Special thanks to the York County Conservation District, particularly Program Manager and E&S Resource Conservationist Eric Jordan and Resource Conservationist Tiffany Crum, for making the field day a huge success.

This training was funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

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Berks County Conservation District Completes Streambank Rehabilitation Projects

Photo of Pine Creek project provided by Berks County Conservation District.

Berks County Conservation District completed streambank restoration projects in Pine Creek and Blue Marsh Lake.

Click here to see before and after photos of the Pine Creek streambank rehabilitation project. 

Click here to see before and after photos of the Blue Marsh Lake Shoreline Rehabilitation project. 

 

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PACD Hiring Agricultural Conservation Technician in Bloomsburg Office

As the Conservation Technician for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) in the North East Region, the incumbent will provide technical assistance to the Growing Greener program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

This position will: provide technical assistance to area partnership Growing Greener personnel and the NRCS in the planning, design, and construction of engineering practices; prepare designs of agricultural conservation practices and water quality best management practices (BMPs), which are site-specific and require coordination among various groups and individuals; and provide engineering assistance in conducting preliminary investigations.

Salary Range: $40,000 to $42,000. Benefits include health insurance, a 401k retirement plan, and accrued PTO leave.

Click here for the full job description. Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to PACD at jobs@pacd.org. The deadline to apply is May 30, 2023.

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$80,000 Available for CREP Mini-grants!

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) work. Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications are being accepted and approved on a rolling basis. The deadline for final reports is extended until December 1, 2023.

Project examples:

-Walkabouts/field days
-Farmer and landowner workshops
-Riparian buffer workshops
-Workshop series with several topics
-Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
-Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

Eligible expenses include staff wages, promotional items, mileage, postage, office supplies, room rental for workshops, food & beverages, materials, transportation, etc.

The guidelines and application for the CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

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Volunteers Needed: Ag Progress Days 2023

Penn State Ag Progress Days will be held August 8-10, 2023, at the Russell E. Larson Agriculture Research Center, 2710 West Pine Grove Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace.

We are looking for volunteers for the Conservation District Exhibit for this event. If you’d like to schedule a shift, send your name, contact information, and preferred shift(s) to Brenda Shambaugh at bshambaugh@pacd.org.

The remaining open shifts are:

  • Tuesday, August 8: 1:00 pm – 5:00 p.m. 
  • Wednesday, August 9: 5:00 pm – 7:00 p.m. 

When available, a final volunteer schedule, parking passes, and other show information will be sent to volunteers. For more information on Ag Progress Days, visit their website at http://agsci.psu.edu/apd.

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Register for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference Today!

Registration is open for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference July 19-20, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey Area) in Grantville, PA. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with fellow conservation district staff, board members, and agency partners in conservation.

Registration is open to conservation district directors, associate directors, district staff, partner agency staff, and invited guests. Click here to register and for more information. 

PACD committees will meet virtually in June and July prior to the conference. Committee registration is free and each committee requires separate registration. Please email the listed contact to request a registration link.

June 27, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Legislative Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

June 29, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Conservation Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 6, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Education and Outreach Committee Videoconference
Contact swehinger@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 12, 2023 | 1:30-2:30 PM
PACD District Employees Committee Videoconference
Contact hmiller@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 13, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Ways and Means Committee Videoconference
Contact abrown@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 14, 2023 | 1:30-2:30 PM
PACD Operations Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

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Clarion Conservation District Holds AMD Treatment System Field Tours

Photo provided by Clarion Conservation District.

The Clarion Conservation District and other partners provided three educational tours of the newly overhauled acid mine drainage (AMD) passive treatment system at the Clarion County Park in Shippenville, PA.

The tours educated agency employees, local educators/teachers, and community members of all ages about acid mine drainage and the work being done in Clarion County to improve water quality and treat this form of nonpoint source pollution.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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McKean County Conservation District Holds Rain Barrel Workshop

McKean County Conservation District Watershed Specialist Adam Causer helps participants construct their Rain Barrels during the Rain Barrel Workshop. Photo provided by McKean County Conservation District.

The McKean County Conservation District partnered with the Bradford Sanitary Authority and Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Stewards to host a rain barrel workshop on April 15, 2023.

The Rain Barrel Workshop reached 29 participants. Topics included learning about rain barrels and rain gardens, watershed basics, stormwater impacts, and steps to take to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Participants of the workshop constructed a rain barrel to take home with them.

The workshop was part of the district’s “Promoting Healthy Watersheds” project, which also included a Winter Farmer’s Meeting and a No-Till Demo Day.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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