Submitted by Butler County Conservation District

The Butler County Conservation District hosted a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program/Best Management Practices (CREP/BMP) Field Day on July 28, 2023, at the BGN Farm owned by Jeff Grazier. Farmers interested in participating in CREP registered with the USDA Farm Service Agency for the event. This was an opportunity to learn about Jeff’s operation and the different programs and funding sources available to assist farms in Butler County. The field day was funded through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply. 

Click here to read more. 

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.

In April, Cumberland County Conservation District held a rain barrel workshop during the Gardener’s Gathering at Lower Allen Community Park in Lower Allen Township. Twenty-two people attended the workshop. Discussion during the presentation revolved around non-point source pollution and how actions in Pennsylvania affect the Chesapeake Bay downstream.

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.

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) work. Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications are being accepted and approved on a rolling basis. The deadline for final reports is extended until December 1, 2023.

Project examples:

-Walkabouts/field days
-Farmer and landowner workshops
-Riparian buffer workshops
-Workshop series with several topics
-Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
-Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

Eligible expenses include staff wages, promotional items, mileage, postage, office supplies, room rental for workshops, food & beverages, materials, transportation, etc.

The guidelines and application for the CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@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.

The Clarion Conservation District and other partners provided three educational tours of the newly overhauled acid mine drainage (AMD) passive treatment system at the Clarion County Park in Shippenville, PA.

The tours educated agency employees, local educators/teachers, and community members of all ages about acid mine drainage and the work being done in Clarion County to improve water quality and treat this form of nonpoint source pollution.

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 McKean County Conservation District partnered with the Bradford Sanitary Authority and Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Stewards to host a rain barrel workshop on April 15, 2023.

The Rain Barrel Workshop reached 29 participants. Topics included learning about rain barrels and rain gardens, watershed basics, stormwater impacts, and steps to take to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Participants of the workshop constructed a rain barrel to take home with them.

The workshop was part of the district’s “Promoting Healthy Watersheds” project, which also included a Winter Farmer’s Meeting and a No-Till Demo Day.

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.

Elk and Potter County Conservation Districts held workshops geared toward local realtors in January and February.

Project leader Victoria Challingsworth said, “Our goal was to reach new entities that play a role in some of the environmental impacts we see commonly and hoped to prevent issues before they arise. Real Estate Agents play a unique role and have the potential to provide a great deal of information about a property to interested buyers. We hope that educating realtors about environmental regulations will help them convey correct information to new owners about allowable activities near streams or wetlands.”

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 joined the Chesapeake Conservancy, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Milford Township Supervisors, and community volunteers to install 680 live stakes on East Licking Creek. The field day provided instruction in identifying, cutting, storing, and installing live stakes on streambanks for water quality protection. 

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 March 21, 2023, Fulton County Conservation District held an Ag Winter Meeting in Big Cove Tannery, PA. This was an educational event for local farmers to discuss how to properly use pesticides, manure nutrients, and apply nitrogen fertilizer to reduce the chance of field run-off during a high rainfall event. A presentation was also included on using cover crops to deter pests as an alternative to pesticide applications.

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.

Clarion and Jefferson Conservation Districts held the 25th Annual Western PA Grazing Conference on March 16, 2023, in Clarion, PA. There was also an evening session on March 15. This conference promotes sustainable grazing practices for Pennsylvania farmers. Troy Bishopp, “The Grass Whisperer,” was the keynote speaker. There were 149 registrants, including producers, grass farmers, agency personnel, vendors, and consultants.

The Clarion and Jefferson Conservation Districts help coordinate this annual conference as Western PA Grazing Conference Committee members. Committee members also include USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State Extension, Northwest and Southwest Project Grass, and local farmers.

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 Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) conducted a meeting on February 17, 2023, in Selinsgrove. The meeting was for farmers dedicated to conservation-related issues. Speakers discussed proper soil and manure management, agricultural best management practices, available conservation programs, and newly developed corn nitrogen assessment tools. Farmers came away with methods, techniques, and guidance to manage their farms while improving water quality and farm resources.

Click here to read more about the meeting. 

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.