On September 9, 2026, the Columbia County Conservation District held its ninth annual Water Education Day at Briar Creek Lake Park in Berwick. About 220 eighth-grade students from three Columbia County school districts attended the event. The students rotated through six stations where they learned about various aspects of our water sources, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems. Volunteers led all six stations: Water Quality, Streams, Groundwater, Music and Discovery, Art and Poetry, and Fish Ecology.

Click here to read the entire article and see more photos.

 

 

Congratulations to Columbia County Conservation District, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and the PA Fish and Boat Commission on reclaiming 600 feet of shoreline along Briar Creek Lake in Columbia County, Pennsylvania.

Funding for this project came from a County Action Planning grant.

Click here to read more and here to watch the video.

The Bedford County Conservation District has expanded its conservation equipment fleet with the addition of an Interseeder, providing local farmers with another tool to improve soil health, protect water quality, and enhance long-term crop productivity.

With the assistance of PA NRCS and Heather Karsten, PhD, Associate Professor for the Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Plant Science, the conservation district acquired the Interseeder from the Pennsylvania State University Southeast Agricultural Research Center in Landisville, PA.

Click here to read the entire article.

PACD Project and Event Specialist Molly Burns and Director of Communications and Education Shannon Wehinger traveled to Franklin County on June 23, 2026, to attend the Franklin County Conservation District’s 70th Anniversary Celebration.

The event honored three significant milestones: the Franklin County Conservation District’s 70th Anniversary, the presentation of the Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award to Samuel Worley, and the recognition of Alan Gift as the Franklin County Conservation Farmer of the Year.

PACD congratulates the Franklin County Conservation District, Samuel Worley, and Alan Gift on these significant milestones.

Congratulations to Armstrong, Chester, Delaware, and Indiana County Conservation Districts on winning the 2026 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence!

The projects awarded include:

• Armstrong Conservation District – Glade Run Streambank Stabilization and Fish Habitat Project
• Chester County Conservation District – Chester County Agricultural BMP Implementation
• Delaware County Conservation District – Little to No Cost Riparian Buffer Plantings along Stoney Creek, A Darby Creek Watershed Improvement Effort in Dense Suburban Area
• Indiana County Conservation District – Lucerne 3A / Waterworks Passive Treatment System

Click here to read the press release.

Reprinted with permission from Pike County Conservation District’s June 1, 2026, Newsletter

Pike County Conservation District is proud to announce the completion of an Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) project at Egypt Valley Farm in Tafton, PA!

With additional support from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the farm operator, the project added conservation practices that protect water quality, improve soil health, and support long-term farm sustainability along Egypt Creek.

We’re proud to partner with local producers to make a lasting positive impact on our community’s natural resources!

The project is funded by the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program through the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission.

 

Submitted by Jen Novak, Education Programs Coordinator, Westmoreland Conservation District

Westmoreland Conservation District’s Turnback 250 event celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States. Approximately 75 people attended this event, which highlighted how our natural resources were used by Native Americans and early European settlers. 

Topics included hunting and trapping by Native Americans, learning to forage like a pioneer, gardening for food and dyes, and woodworking using our native tree species. The event also featured a visit by the WoodMobile, a traveling exhibit about Pennsylvania’s forests and the hardwood industry.

 

Submitted by Tammy L. Bartsch, Event Coordinator and Secretary to the Board of Directors, Berks County Conservation District

Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) recently partnered with the Berks County Master Gardeners during their plant sale. The event was two parts: a seedling sale and a Conservation Celebration.

The seedling sale raises funds for the BCCD scholarship program. This year, there were 82 pre-orders and a lot of walk-ins, raising just over $10,000.

The Conservation Celebration hosted mini workshops (worm composting, guacamole grow bag, and beekeeping). At the “Kidz Korner,” children could make a seed bomb, visit the Berks County SWAT Truck, a backhoe, an ambulance, and other vehicles in our version of Touch-A-Truck.

Participants included the Berks County Department of Agriculture, Berks/Schuylkill Beekeepers Association, B.A.R.N. (Berks Agricultural Resource Network), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Berks County Watershed Stewards.

The event was free, and despite the rain later in the morning, it was great!

The Beaver County Mosquito-Borne Disease Control Program and the Beaver County Conservation District held a tire collection event on May 2, 2026, at the district grounds. This year, with the help of participants who braved the cold, blustery weather, over 1,200 tires were collected! The hosts would like to thank everyone who participated and helped to reduce mosquito breeding habitats in local communities.

The tire collection is a great outreach and educational event for the mosquito-borne disease control program. The program offers information on ticks and mosquitoes and emphasizes the importance of personal protection while enjoying the outdoors.

Click here to read the entire article. 

PACD President Emil Bove led the annual Westmoreland Conservation District’s Pedaling for Conservation bike ride on the Five Star Trail in Greensburg.  Twenty-six cyclists joined this ride on an urban rail with trail and learned about a variety of conservation topics, including urban stormwater issues, abandoned mine drainage, sewage treatment, a recent trail relocation project, a community art project, and mosquito and tick monitoring in the county.