Written by bruntt on September 20, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, Mini-grant

Beaver County Conservation District Holds Stormwater Workshop

BCCD Environmental Educator Susan Boser explains how to construct a rain barrel during the June 14 stormwater workshop. Photo provided by Beaver County Conservation District.

The Beaver County Conservation District (BCCD) held a workshop titled, “Managing Stormwater: A plan for your property,” on June 14, 2016. Twenty-six attendees learned about watersheds, nonpoint source pollution, and stormwater best management practices (BMPs). They also saw a demonstration on how to assemble and use a rain barrel and took a tour of BMPs in action at the BCCD Environmental Center in Aliquippa, PA.

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.

Written by bruntt on September 14, 2016. Posted in CREP, Grants, Mini-grant

Over $17,000 Awarded to Conservation Districts to Promote CREP

Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts were awarded more than $17,000 for eight projects in eight counties for the 2016-17 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Mini-Grant Program. Conservation districts will use these grants to work with landowners to prevent pollution in our streams, lakes, and rivers. Projects will take place over the next nine months. The following projects were awarded up to $2,500 each as a part of the 2016–2017 CREP Mini-grant round:

County Conservation District	Amount Awarded
Allegheny	$2,500
Armstrong	$2,500
Beaver	$2,050
Berks	$2,500
Chester	$1,500
Columbia	$2,500
Jefferson	$1,500
Lebanon	$2,300

Click here to learn more about CREP.

The CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by PACD through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Additional support is provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Written by bruntt on August 19, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, CREP, Mini-grant

Westmoreland Conservation District Hosts CREP Tours

Tour participants learn about the native plants grown at the Friendship Farms nursery. Photo provided by Westmoreland Conservation District.

The Westmoreland Conservation District hosted the first of two tours highlighting the benefits of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Participants visited Friendship Farms to see how they have protected streams on their property using riparian buffers, fencing, and stream crossings. To read more about the tour and CREP, click here.

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.

Written by bruntt on August 17, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, Mini-grant

Jefferson County Conservation District Holds Grazing Field Day

Tim Elder, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Northwest Pennsylvania Grazing Specialist, performs a soil health demonstration during the field day. Photo provided by the Jefferson County Conservation District.

The Jefferson County Conservation District held a grazing field day on July 8 in Mayport, PA. The event was held at Annabelle Grazing Farm and educated over 40 farmers and 5 agency personnel. Topics included grazing management practices that improve soil health and preventing nutrient and soil runoff into waterways. The field day highlighted the farm’s rotational grazing system, demonstrated the environmental benefits of well-managed pastures, and explained the operator’s experimental use of biochar as a potential soil amendment.

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.

Written by bruntt on July 29, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, CREP, Mini-grant

Cambria Holds CREP Workshop on Weeds, Trees, and Pests

Images provided by Cambria County Conservation District.

On July 15, the Cambria County Conservation District hosted an Intro to Invasives: Weeds, Trees, and Pests workshop at Disasters Edge in St. Michael, PA. Genny Christ, Cambria County Conservation District, introduced those in attendance to invasive and noxious weeds in the Cambria County region. Tom Ford, Penn State Extension, talked all about herbicides and the best ones for invasive and noxious weed control. Ryan Davis, Pheasants Forever, explained to the group “What is CREP?” and how not all weeds are bad.

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.

Written by bruntt on July 23, 2016. Posted in CREP, Mini-grant

New Round of CREP Mini-grants Now Accepting Applications

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $2,500 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment and/or CREP maintenance. Due to limited funds, only 5-10 projects will be funded this round. The deadline to apply is August 19, 2016. Click here for the guidelines. The application for the new CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts is posted here. Questions should be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

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.

Written by bruntt on July 20, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, Mini-grant, Uncategorized

Conservation Districts in North East Hold Interseeder Demonstration

Chris Houser of Interseeder Technology plants covers crops into standing corn in Monroe County.

Lackawanna, Monroe, Susquehanna, and Wayne County Conservation Districts recently held an Interseeder Demonstration Day in each of their counties. Chris Houser and Greg Roth from Interseeder Technologies brought the interseeder to northeastern Pennsylvania as part of a four-county effort to educate the farming community on the benefits of starting cover crops early. Fourteen farmers located across the four counties participated in the events. At each location, four different cover crop/cover crop mixes were used, each covering roughly a quarter acre. The cover crops were Annual Rye, Crimson Clover, Rye/Crimson Clover Mix, and T.A. Seeds Indy Mix (Rye, Clover, and Tillage Radish). This project was part of a Lackawanna, Monroe, Susquehanna, and Wayne County non-point source pollution grant.

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.

Written by bruntt on June 17, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, Mini-grant

Montgomery Rain Garden

The “before” photo on the left shows the issue of standing water. The “after” photo on the right shows the Perkiomen demonstration rain garden after installation. Left photo taken by Bob Kahley, Aqua PA. Right photo taken by Virginia Vassalotti, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. Photos provided by the Montgomery County Conservation District.

Montgomery County Conservation District planted a 3,000 square foot demonstration rain garden in Perkiomen Township. The project is part of a larger effort made possible by a nonpoint source mini-grant through PACD as well as a $30,000 grant from the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund. In addition to the rain garden, the district will retrofit a stormwater basin and construct two vegetated swales leading to and from the garden to create a stormwater treatment train. In addition to installing these practices, the district held tours and will install educational signage. Click here to see photos from the project.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) 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.

Written by bruntt on June 8, 2016. Posted in Conservation District Project Spotlight, Mini-grant

Centre County Showcases Conservation Projects

In May, the Centre County Conservation District held a tour to showcase conservation projects in the county. The stops featured six conservation district projects, including one erosion and sediment control site, two stream restorations, and three farms.

Tour participants look at a conservation district project on a local farm. Photo provided by Centre County Conservation District.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) 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.

Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

We support Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts who work for clean water and healthy soil every day.