Registration is now open for the 2018 102/105 Basic/Refresher Technical Training course. The course is open to conservation district and DEP staff and will take place March 21-24, 2018 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. There is little or no cost to attend. (See registration information for details.)

Registration for the Topic-Based session, which will take place at the same location on April 10-12, 2018, will be announced in an upcoming issue of Front Page. Click here to register or for more information about the March session.

Applications are now being accepted for the Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic level and Level II). Conservation district staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free, week-long training opportunities which include both classroom learning and experience in the field.

Basic Level – April 2-6, 2018

Level II – April 23-27, 2018

If you do not receive confirmation from PACD, you will not be admitted. No walk-ins will be accepted. Both courses are held at the Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County). Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

These training opportunities are made possible by the following sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

Mark your calendars for the Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic level and Level II). Conservation district staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free, week-long training opportunities which include both classroom learning and experience in the field.

• Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
  April 2-6, 2018
  Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

• Agricultural Conservation Technical Training – Level II
  April 23-27, 2018
  Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

These training opportunities are made possible by the following sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

Registration is now open for the Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops PACD and DEP are hosting in January of 2018.

The workshops are designed to provide attendees with a solid understanding of how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and how to train others to use the manual. Participants will also learn techniques for conducting plan writing workshops to help farmers develop manure management plans.

The workshops are for conservation district, DEP, Penn State Extension, and other agency staff involved in helping agricultural producers write manure management plans. Both new and experienced staff are invited to attend.

The workshops are free and lunch will be provided.

Dates and Locations are:

• January 23, 2018 DCNR Bureau of Forestry Office, Clarion, Clarion County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop
• January 25, 2018 Penn State Extension Building, New Bloomfield, Perry County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop
• January 30, 2018 PA Department of Ag – Region 3 Office, Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

Financial support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant and the Clean Water Fund.

 

Twenty-nine students completed the Intro to Conservation Planning Course in Grantville from November 7-9, 2017. The training included classroom and field experience. The course targeted entry-level conservationists, introducing them to the conservation planning process, and related tools and technology in Pennsylvania.

PACD partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission to deliver the three-day training.

Submitted by York County Conservation District

The York County Conservation District received a grant to educate the residents of York County about stormwater. They collaborated with the York County Planning Commission (YCPC) and developed two stormwater tours.

Stormwater management is hot topic. When many think of stormwater management, the typical large retention pond comes to mind. But there are so many other options available!

The first tour was for the elected and appointed officials and staff of our municipalities.This was a bus tour and included seven different sites with speakers at each location. The second tour, intended for the general public, can be either a virtual tour or a self-guided tour of many different types of Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). Tour participants use an online story map created by the YCPC, which includes pictures, descriptions, and directions to various BMP sites in York County.

Click here to view the story map. Many of these projects have been completed by municipalities who are participating in a regional group effort to comply with MS4 requirements and to clean up the waters of York County. As more projects are completed, they will be added to the story map.

To learn more about the projects, or the regional effort, contact Lindsay Gerner at the YCPC. To learn more about the use of the self-guided story map, contact Jacob Trimmer, also at the YCPC.

Financial and other support for this project was 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.

 

Allegheny County Conservation District staff attended Wetland Delineation Training – How Wetlands & Streams are Delineated in the Field, conducted by Chris Nix with EcoSourcePA. The two-day course included classroom and field work. Completing this course will assist staff in field work.

 

PACD sponsored a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sedimentation Control (CPESC) Review Class on September 26, 2017, in Harrisburg, PA. Seven conservation district staff were among the twenty-one technicians and engineers in attendance.

The review class is designed to help applicants prepare for the exam component in the CPESC certification process. To receive certification, applicants must prove they meet established standards of expertise, experience, and knowledge in erosion and sedimentation (E&S) control.

Certification is through EnviroCert International, Inc. and provides public evidence of professional qualifications for individuals involved in E&S activities, such as development and review of permits; design and review of E&S control and drainage plans; installation and inspection of E&S control practices; and other related activities. Anyone interested in learning more about CPESC should visit www.envirocertintl.org.

On Wednesday, September 13th, 2017, the Columbia County Conservation District held its 3rd annual Water Education Day “Good Water = Good Life”, for 491 eighth grade students from Columbia County schools and homeschooling groups.

Students rotated through stations on groundwater, streams, water quality, fish ecology, and art to better understand our water resources, how to keep them clean and the connection between land and water. There was also an original music and drama performance by a group of local high school students that reinforces all the station topics.

The Columbia County Conservation District received the 2017 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for this annual event. Presenters and volunteers came from the PA DEP, Bloomsburg University, PA American Water, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Children’s Museum, PA Rural Water and local watershed groups.

Click here to read more and here to view photos from the event. 

Submitted by Alana Roberts, Regional Affairs Director, PPL Electric Utilities

PPL Electric Utilities’ investments in the communities it serves have always gone beyond poles and wires. Now, we’re putting down roots. The company recently unveiled Community Roots, a new program that will provide free trees to deliver environmental benefits, including cleaner air and habitat and food for birds and animals.

The goal of the program is to give trees to county and municipal parks, environmentally focused groups and schools.

Trees will be available in three types: bare-root seedlings, container seedlings and gallon container seedlings. They will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested groups or schools can order trees online at www.pplcommunityroots.com. The ordering site also can be reached through PPL Electric Utilities’ environment web page, www.pplelectric.com/environment.

Trees can be ordered now for planting in spring and fall next year. Trees for spring 2018 need to be ordered by October 25, 2017.

Click here to read the entire article.