The “Ecosystem Engineer” photo was taken by Westmoreland Conservation District’s Chelsea Walker. The photo won the annual photo contest at the Watershed Specialist Meeting in early October. PACD will enter the photo in the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) annual photo contest in the “close-up conservation” category.

The photo was taken in the Kiskiminetas River during a river clean-up event in Avonmore, PA. The close-up shot shows a mussel at work.
Winners will be announced at the NACD Annual Meeting in January 2018. Best of luck Chelsea!

Click here to read more.

Submitted by Sandy Thompson, District Manager for McKean County Conservation District and Vice President of the Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees

It is with great pleasure that the 2017 Northeast Association of Conservation District Employees (NACDE) Employee Conservation Award is presented to Robert Sweitzer, District Manager for the Centre County Conservation District in Pennsylvania.

Sandy Thompson, District Manager for McKean County Conservation District and Vice President forof the NACDE, Deb Wilson, District Manager for Jefferson County Conservation District, and members of the PACD District Employees Committee, presented the award to Bob for his active participation in state association meetings at both the regional and state level, as well as his long-time service as a member of several PACD committees, including the PACD District Employees Committee.

Click here to read the entire article.

Just in time for Back-to-School! The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has announced the 2018 Poster Contest theme: “Watersheds – Our Water, Our Home.” PACD will be accepting photos of your county’s winning posters until June 30, 2018. We can’t wait to see all of the artistic entries for this year’s theme!

Click here for a flyer on the poster contest and here for more information.

Submitted by Jennifer Bratthauar, Ag Conservation Technician, Franklin County Conservation District

The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) held its second annual Summer Conservation Farm Tour on August 1, 2017, which was made possible through a PACD Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grant. In addition to recognizing the FCCD’s Conservation Farmer of the Year, this tour also provides attendees with a first-hand look at best management practices that reduce soil and nutrient runoff leaving the farm.

Click here to read more.

 

PACD is pleased to announce the five state level winners of the National Association of Conservation Districts 2017 “Healthy Soils are Full of Life!” poster contest.

The winners in each age category are:

K – 1^st Grade: Elijah Ritter, Delaware County
2^nd – 3^rd Grade: Shreeya Ilayanambi, Delaware County
4^th – 6^th Grade: Hanna Winslow, Berks County
7^th – 9^th Grade: Hailey Keperling, Berks County
10^th – 12^th Grade: Anna Rihan, Delaware County

To promote the idea that healthy soil affects many aspects of life, students from kindergarten through twelfth grades entered posters conveying their thoughts and ideas through original artwork. Submissions were judged based on the entry’s conservation message, visual effectiveness, originality, and universal appeal.

PACD thanks all of the participants in the contest for their interest and dedication to conservation. Best wishes to the state level winners in the upcoming national judging competition. Click here for images of the winning posters.

Click here for more information about the NACD poster contest. 

 

The annual PACD/SCC awards luncheon took place July 12, 2017 at the Red Lion Hotel, Harrisburg, PA.

Among those recognized were:

• Legislator Leadership Award: Representative Martin Causer (McKean County)
• President’s Award: Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture
• Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award:  Samuel Worley (Franklin County)
• Conservation District Employee Excellence Award: Robert Sweitzer (Centre County)
• Conservation District Employee Service Recognition Program Awards
  • 40 Years of Service: Jacquelyn Rouse, Manager, Sullivan County
  • 35 Years of Service: Gerald Heistand, Business Manager, Lancaster County; Bob McDonald, Conservation Technician, Mercer County
  • 30 Years of Service: Mark Flaharty, Senior Ag Resource Conservationist, York County; Susan Moon, Assistant Manager, Somerset County; Sandy Thompson, Manager, McKean County; Deborah Wilson, Manager, Jefferson County

Click here to read a press release on the award recipients and here to see photos of the awards luncheon.

 

PACD in conjunction with the award sponsor, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), presented the operators of five farms with the Clean Water Farm Award during its annual conference on July 12, 2017 in Harrisburg, PA. The honor is awarded annually to farmers who manage their daily farm operations in an environmentally conscious manner that helps to protect Pennsylvania’s water quality.

DEP has sponsored this award for the past thirty-one years. Recipients receive a certificate signed by the DEP Secretary and a large Clean Water Farm Award sign to erect on their property.

The 2017 Clean Water Farm Award Recipients are:

• Billy Porter (Armstrong County)
• BAD Farm (Berks County)
• Mark & Beth Steck of Green Valley Farm (Franklin County)
• Claude Bennett (Susquehanna County)
• Luke & Julie Hess (Tioga County)
  

Click here to read a press release on the recipients and here to see photos of the award recipients.

On June 12, 2017, the Franklin County Conservation District recognized Sam Worley for 25 years of service on the district board. A citation was presented to Sam during the district’s monthly board meeting. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh was on hand for the event to thank Sam for his service.

 

 

In mid-May, the Lehigh County Conservation District (LCCD) was pleasantly surprised to receive more than 150 poster submissions related to this year’s Conservation District Poster theme: “Healthy Soils are Full of Life”. These many works of art, some depicting curvy worms spelling out “SOIL” and magnified microbes extolling merits of healthy soil, are evidence that conservation and creativity is alive and well-understood among art and science students in the Lehigh Valley!

Click here to read more. 

The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association honored Union County with the 2017 Government Conservation Leadership Award for demonstrated leadership in the conservation of our special landscapes and critical natural resources.

Union County has provided leadership, support, and guidance for numerous conservation and restoration projects and has served as a true partner to the conservation organizations working within the county.

The award was presented on May 6, 2017, in conjunction with the 2017 Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference in Lancaster. County commissioner John Showers and conservation district manager Bill Deitrick accepted the award on behalf of the county.

Click here to read more.