Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts

The 2021-22 round of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts opens on January 4, 2021! The funding provided through this program supports conservation districts to implement water quality and pollution prevention education programs for adult audiences. The program will award up to $2,000.

Click here for guidance and the application in Word. 

PACD will host a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, December 16, from 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. to answer questions and discuss ideas districts may have for projects. PACD will also review an example of a good application and encourage discussion among participants about what has worked and what hasn’t in regard to past projects. Click here to register for the Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdu6srzIqG9GFr9yc5H3N3CBBs2p5aoFc

Contact PACD Director of Communications & Education Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with questions.

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.

CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts

This mini-grant program funds up to $1,000 for conservation districts to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

The grant round is scheduled to open on January 1 and end on June 1, 2021. Please contact PACD Program Manager Amy Brown at abrown@pacd.org to talk through your ideas. Projects will likely need to be virtual. Educational videos and webinars are encouraged.

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.

This past summer, the Susquehanna County Conservation District held an online rain barrel workshop to educate participants on managing stormwater in their community. Ten participants virtually explored the Chesapeake Bay watershed, acquired knowledge on water quality problems associated with the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and learned how individuals could reduce their stormwater footprint. Following the workshop, each participant was able to pick up a rain barrel to install on their property.

The grant also provided funding for two additional rain barrels to be purchased for environmental education purposes. One rain barrel has been donated to the borough of Susquehanna, where it will be installed at the newly opened Ira Reynolds Riverfront Park. The second rain barrel will be on display at the Susquehanna County Conservation District. Once installed, the public is encouraged to visit both locations to learn more about stormwater and see how a rain barrel functions.

Click here to read the entire press release. 

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.

Pike County Conservation District produced a bi-fold brochure titled “A Homeowner’s Checklist for a Watershed Friendly Home.” The brochure presents information about reducing nonpoint source pollution from private property in the form of a checklist homeowners can use to evaluate their own homes. These brochures have been distributed to the Pike County municipalities and will be handed out at future district events and other locations upon post-pandemic reopening.

To distribute the information more effectively in the current climate, the checklist was also made into an interactive, illustrated webpage (which can be viewed here: https://pikeconservation.org/checklist/, allowing people to access the checklist while remaining socially distanced.

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.

The week of October 12-16, 2020, the Beaver County Conservation District (BCCD) held a virtual workshop for homeowners on stormwater management. Susan Boser from Penn State Extension presented a program focusing on watersheds, nonpoint source pollution, and stormwater best management practices. The presentation is available here. BCCD Watershed Specialist Hannah Ward demonstrated how to build a rain barrel via video. Click here to view the video. Participants received a rain barrel kit after completing the online workshop.

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.

Every year a partnership of northcentral PA conservation districts holds a cooperative workshop for forest industry professionals. The popular full-day workshop includes best management practices for timber operations; regulatory information and updates, permitting needs; other current environmental considerations; and a field portion to look at real-life BMP scenarios and challenges.

This year’s four-hour “Erosion Control in Our Forests” webinar on October 1, 2020, had 119 participants, well exceeding normal attendance for the in-person event. Cameron, Elk, McKean, and Potter County Conservation Districts coordinated the event.

Click here to read the entire article. 

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.

Juniata County Conservation District held a workshop in McAlisterville for property owners and municipal staff on September 30, 2020. The “What’s the Point” workshop defined stormwater runoff and its sources, encouraged management and reduction of stormwater, and developed an understanding of stormwater’s effects on watersheds near and far.

The workshop was held in person and had thirteen participants. Municipal officials attended and engaged in brainstorming ways to be more effective in educating residents about stormwater management. The workshop also had a hands-on planting component.

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.

On October 1, 2020, the Chester County Conservation District held a Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems training. Participants learned how the recently installed West Grove Borough rain garden was planned, funded, and implemented to help improve the water quality of the White Clay Creek. The design, engineering, and construction processes were discussed first-hand by Rutgers University, West Grove Borough Public Works Department and staff, and the White Clay Creek watershed manager.

The district held the workshop in-person with masks required. They also made the workshop available virtually by broadcasting live and recording it. The first part of the in-person workshop was held in a fire hall with the door open. The second portion was held outside at the site of the new rain garden.

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.

The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) held a Summer Conservation Farm Tour and Luncheon on August 8, 2020, with approximately 40 people in attendance. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, FCCD had to cancel the original farm tour as there was no way to maintain social distancing on busses to transport attendees from the lunch venue (an outdoor pavilion this year) to the farm. Instead, the district hired a professional photographer to take pictures of the best management practices (BMPs) so attendees could still “see” them up close and personal. The Conservation Farmer of the Year spoke about his experiences with BMPs, as shown in the photos, and how they improved his farm.

Kudos to FCCD for adapting and finding a creative solution to hold their event and educate local farmers about BMPs.

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.

On August 7, 2020, forty attendees from the Perry County No-till Group and members of the local agricultural community gathered for coffee and doughnuts at the farm of Dennis Weller, an Elliottsburg dairyman. The Perry County Conservation District hosted the event to discuss and evaluate how different types of no-till and vertical-till equipment interact with the soil.

Click here to read the entire article. 

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.

The Lebanon County Conservation District (LCCD) scheduled a rain barrel workshop that was postponed due to the coronavirus and finally had to be held virtually. LCCD Watershed Specialist Stephanie Harmon educated participants on non-point source pollution via a PowerPoint presentation. They were introduced to the concepts of water quality, quantity, and how homeowners can help minimize non-point source (NPS) pollution in and around their own homes. Specifically, they were introduced to local sources of NPS pollution and how a rain barrel can be used as one measure to minimize NPS pollution and conserve water.

Through this grant, twenty-four rain barrels were purchased and distributed to workshop participants. Those receiving rain barrels scheduled time on June 4 or 5, 2020, to pick up their rain barrel at the Lebanon Valley Agricultural Center. Pick-ups were scheduled at 15-minute intervals to implement social distancing.

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.