Only five districts have signed up so far!

PACD is again partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for the annual Conservation District Trash Champion Contest. To participate in the contest, PA’s conservation districts are invited to register and pick up trash between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

Register for your event now and report your results to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful upon completing your trash pick-up efforts. Receive free bags, gloves, and safety vests as supplies last. Free or reduced disposal is available at participating landfills in April.

The winning district will receive $500 from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. New for 2026, an additional prize will be awarded for the most volunteer hours!

Click here to view the flyer. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

 

PACD is now accepting nominations for the PACD Conservation Awards.  The award nominations have been simplified and streamlined with an online nomination form. Nominations must be received by April 30, 2026.

The awards are:

• Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award
• Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
• Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation

Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with any questions.

PACD is again partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for the annual Conservation District Trash Champion Contest. To participate in the contest, PA’s conservation districts are invited to register and pick up trash between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

Register for your event now and report your results, upon completing your trash pick-up efforts, at Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Receive free bags, gloves, and safety vests as supplies last. Free or reduced disposal is available at participating landfills during the month of April.

The winning district will receive $500 from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. New for 2026, an additional prize will be awarded for the most volunteer hours!

Click here to view the flyer. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

PACD is again partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for the annual Conservation District Trash Champion Contest. To participate in the contest, PA’s conservation districts are invited to pick up trash between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

Register for your event now and report your results upon completing your trash pick-up efforts at Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Receive free bags, gloves, and safety vests as supplies last. Free or reduced disposal is available at participating landfills during the month of April.

The winning district will receive $500 from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. New for 2026, an additional prize will be awarded for the most volunteer hours!

Click here to view the flyer. Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

PACD is now accepting nominations for the PACD Conservation Awards. The award nominations have been simplified and streamlined with an online nomination form. Nominations must be received by April 30, 2026.

The awards are:

• Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award
• Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
• Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation

Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with any questions.

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) poster contest, open to students in grades K-12, offers young people an opportunity to express their views on natural resource issues through the medium of art. The NACD theme for 2026 is “Soil: Where it All Begins.” This theme celebrates the incredible power of soil to support life in all its forms. Soil is not just the ground we walk on. It is the starting point for healthy food, clean water, thriving habitats, and resilient communities. From backyard gardens to forests and city parks, everything begins with what is beneath our feet.

The deadline to submit posters to PACD for the 2026 NACD Poster Contest state-level judging is June 30, 2026.

New for this year, no photos of posters will be accepted, only scanned, clear PDF files. Districts should provide the files correctly scanned and named to PACD. If you don’t have a large scanner, a cell phone works too. If you aren’t sure how to do this, search online for instructions for scanning to PDF using a cell phone without an app.

Click here for the contest flyer and here for more information. Questions may be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org

The Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees (NACDE) recently announced its 2025 award recipients.

Sandy Thompson, Manager of McKean County Conservation District and former Vice President of the Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees (NACDE), received the NACDE President’s Award. President Michael Kent, from Cape Atlantic Conservation District in New Jersey, selected Sandy for the award.

The NACDE President’s Award is given in recognition of outstanding service to NACDE and the Conservation Partnership in the Northeast Region.

Sandy is a long-time member of NACDE, serving as Secretary from 2011 to 2016 and as Vice-President from 2017 to 2023. She has served both her district and NACDE with professionalism, dedication, and service to the cause of conservation and of district employees in the northeast. She began her conservation career in a small, rural district with limited resources and big challenges. Over nearly two decades, she built something remarkable, not just through programs and partnerships, but through people. Her success didn’t go unnoticed. Another County, eager to recreate that same level of impact, sought her expertise. For the past 19 years, she’s been doing what she does best, building teams, mentoring talent, and creating space for others to thrive.  

Over the years, Sandy has helped launch multi-county initiatives and expanded conservation services. Her work spans watershed management, invasive species control, streambank stabilization, nutrient management, and more. But her legacy isn’t just in the programs—it’s in the people she’s trusted to carry them forward. She reminds us that leadership isn’t about being in the spotlight, it’s about making sure others have the space to shine.

 

Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees announced award recipients at the Northeast National Association of Conservation District meeting in Syracuse, NY.

Tammie Robinson, Office Administrator & Envirothon Coordinator at Indiana County Conservation District, received the 2025 Employee Award (Local). The award was presented in recognition of Tammie’s leadership in conservation.

Tammie Robinson has served the Indiana County Conservation District with unwavering dedication for over 41 years. As Office Administrator, she has been the steady hand behind the district’s finances, operations, and institutional continuity, ensuring excellence across every program and initiative. Tammie’s depth of knowledge and mentorship have supported generations of employees and board members, shaping a culture of professionalism and service.

She is perhaps best known for her leadership in conservation education. Tammie established both the Junior and Senior Envirothon competitions in Indiana County. She created the David S. Frick Envirothon Scholarship Program, which has awarded more than $46,500 to local students pursuing environmental studies. Her passion for engaging youth, strengthening partnerships, and supporting future conservationists has left an indelible mark on the district and the broader community.

Tammie’s career reflects the highest ideals of public service: humble leadership, tireless commitment, and a quiet strength that has impacted countless lives. This award honors her extraordinary contributions and the lasting legacy she continues to build.

Congratulations Tammie!

 

On July 28, 2025, the Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) held its Annual Awards and Scholarship Dinner.

In addition to several scholarship recipients, BCCD also recognized the following individuals and organizations for their efforts:

• Engineer of the Year: Samuel Reeser
• Organization of the Year: Hay Creek Watershed Association
• Individual of the Year: Nicholas Johnson
• Urban Agricultural Project: Front Street Garden to Café Esperanza
• Educator of the Year: Sherry Fuhrmann
• Student Environmental Ambassador: Garrett Hynemann
• Student Environmental Organization: Schuylkill Valley FFA
• Reading-Berks Science and Engineering Fair Winner: Samson Evans
• Low Volume Road Project of the Year: Mill Road Project in Oley Township

There were over 140 people at the dinner. Thank you to Senator Judy Schwank, Representative Johanny Cedpeda-Freytiz, Representative Jacklyn Ruscnock, Representative Eric Weaknecht, Representative David Zimmerman and Craig Lutz and Dan Bost from Senator Chris Gebhards office, Kim Fies, Executive Director of the Berks County Department of Agriculture, Nicholas Ramsey, District Conservationist, NRCS; Chas. Heberling Conservation District Field Representative, PA Department of Environmental Protection and all the other partners, friends and family who took time to come out and celebrate with the district.

Several conservationists were recognized during the awards luncheon on July 17, 2025, at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, PA.

The 2025 PACD honorees are as follows: 

President’s Award

• The Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training at Penn State Extension

Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award

• Earl Brown, Chairman/Public Director, Potter County Conservation District

Conservation District Employee Excellence Award

• David Stoner, Manager, Franklin County Conservation District

Conservation District Employee Service Recognition Awards

30 Years of Service

• James Saltsman, Agriculture Engineering Technical Specialist Level II, Lancaster

35 Years of Service

• Susan Gallagher, Chief Naturalist, Carbon
• Martie Hetherington, Agricultural Project Coordinator, Schuylkill
• Patrick McKinney, Environmental Educator, Schuylkill
• Sylvia Thompson, Assistant District Manager, Wayne

40 Years of Service

• Donna Fisher, District Manager, Blair

Click here to read the entire press release.