Agricultural professionals and conservation leaders from across Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg from April 1-3, 2025, for the second annual Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) Ag Conservation Con, a statewide conference designed to strengthen knowledge, skills, and partnerships supporting on-farm conservation.

The banquet and awards ceremony celebrated exceptional conservation efforts across the commonwealth.

The following are the 2025 ACAP award recipients:

— Karl Brown Award for Conservation Leadership: Sens. Yaw and Martin.

— ACAP Team Collaboration Award: Rob Cronauer, Chelsea Gross, and Allie Shreffler from the Westmoreland Conservation District.

— ACAP Partnership Award: Hammer Creek Wetland, Floodplain, and Stream Restoration Partnership from the Lebanon County Conservation District.

— Innovative ACAP Project: Jay Zullinger Project from the Cumberland County Conservation District.

— ACAP Rookie of the Year: Emily Stambaugh of the Cumberland County Conservation District.

— ACAP MVP: Devyn McPheeters of the Centre County Conservation District.

— Best ACAP Project Photo: Colter Johnson of the Warren County Conservation District.

Click here to view all the photos of the award winners. 

The Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training at Penn State Extension was formed in 2023 along with partners at the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission (SCC) and the Pennsylvania State Office of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Funding for the center is provided through the state Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).

 

Nominations are being accepted for the PACD Conservation Awards. The nomination process has been simplified and streamlined with an online nomination form. Nominations must be received by April 30, 2025.

To date, two nominations have been received for the Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award. No nominations have been received for the other awards.

The awards are:

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

Click here for more information.  Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with any questions.

New for this year, PACD is 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, 2025.

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.

Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

District staff nominated two people from the Pike County Conservation District for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). Program Manager Ellen Enslin and Board of Directors Vice Chairperson Kelly Stagen were both awarded Honorable Mention certificates from NACD to recognize their positive impacts.

NACD states on its website that this Distinguished Service Award “recognizes an individual within the association, a conservation district, or a state association that has made significant contributions to conserving and properly managing our nation’s natural resources.”

Among the reasons for her nomination were Enslin’s long-term role as a leader in the district and in the community, first as a Senior Resource Conservationist and now as the Program Manager.

Stagen is also a leader who has represented the district and the region as President of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) and as an Alternate Board Member for NACD. Enslin has been on the district staff for 22 years, and Stagen has been on the Board of Directors for 11 years.

The district is incredibly grateful to have both Enslin and Stagen working with them and is proud to see their contributions highlighted with this well-deserved national recognition.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award®.

The award honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land.

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards to private landowners in 28 states. In Pennsylvania, the $10,000 award is presented with The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

Award nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The nomination form can be found at www.sandcountyfoundation.org/ApplyLCA.

The nomination deadline date is August 1, 2025. Nominations must be emailed to PennsylvaniaLCA@sandcountyfoundation.org.

The Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the generous support from American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Sand County Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, and The Nature Conservancy.

For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

The 5th Annual Conservation District Video Awards presentation was held on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Clips from nine 2024 district video entries were screened, and awards were presented to the top-scoring videos, including:

• Special Recognition Award: Watermarks, submitted by Indiana County Conservation District
• 1st Place: Streambank Stabilization Resources for Homeowners – Part 1, submitted by Westmoreland Conservation District
• 1st Runner-up: No-Till Drill Instructional Video, submitted by Montgomery County Conservation District
• 2nd Runner-up: Flushing Friday, submitted by Schuylkill Conservation District

Links to all 2024 Video Awards entries and the awards presentation are posted at Building for Tomorrow: https://www.paleadership.org/cdva2024.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

NEW for 2025: Bragging rights, a trophy, AND money!

Click here for a sneak preview. 

More information and official details to come.

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) theme for the 2025 Stewardship Week is “Home is Where the Habitat is.” This theme highlights the essential role of natural and managed habitats in our conservation efforts. The Stewardship Week theme is also the poster contest theme. Stewardship Week materials are available on the NACD Marketplace. 

The deadline to submit posters to PACD for the 2025 NACD Poster Contest state-level judging is June 30, 2025. Click here for the contest flyer and here for more information.  Questions may be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

 

Nominations are being accepted 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, 2025.

The awards are:

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

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

PACD Conservation Planner Grace Rhodes received a FY24 performance award from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). In only nine months in her position as the PACD partner planner, Grace has demonstrated a strong commitment to teamwork and supporting NRCS field team members however possible. She has quickly learned about NRCS business tools and the conservation planning process.

Throughout the field team’s historic FY24 contracting season, Grace sought out work to help NRCS staff in contracting a record 58 contracts totaling $5,624.940. Grace learned quickly how to produce conservation plan maps and other documents in Conservation Desktop. She regularly offered her help to other planners to assist with various map creation for both the Perkasie and Bethlehem NRCS offices. Without Grace’s assistance, the field team would not have been able to meet contract obligation deadlines.