Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

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

Franklin County Conservation District Holds Streamside Signage and Tree Planting Workshop

Buffer signage was installed as part of the mini-grant project. Photo provided by Franklin County Conservation District.

The Franklin County Conservation District team held an adult education event to address local water quality issues. In partnership with the Izaak Walton League, the staff discussed clean water best management practices suitable for any landowner.

Those who joined the event learned, and had the chance to practice, how to properly plant trees/shrubs with retired service forester Mike Kusko of the Izaak Walton League. They also received a tour of the property and trees planted to date, explored the new educational signs, and learned about funding programs that can assist them with their conservation efforts and collective county clean water goals.

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.

Continue Reading

Montgomery County Conservation District Holds Native Meadow Planting

PSE Educator Andrew Frankenfield shows event attendees native meadow seed mix components. Photo provided by Montgomery County Conservation District.

On November 19, 2021, Montgomery County Conservation District (MCCD), in coordination with Penn State Extension (PSE), hosted a native meadow planting demonstration at Skippack Church. The event was funded through a PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Environmental Education Grant. There were approximately 35-40 people in attendance, including DEP staff, township officials, PSE master watershed stewards, community members/homeowners, members of the church where the planting occurred, and members and staff of other local churches. It was a chilly and breezy day, but everyone who made the time to attend was very interested in the topic, asked great questions, and seemed pleased with the event.

Abby Reiter of MCCD presented on meadow site selection, site preparation, species selection, meadow lifecycles, maintenance, and seed mix components. Andrew Frankenfield, Montgomery County PSE  Educator, showcased measuring and mixing meadow seed and demonstrated calibrating the no-till drill for planting. With the assistance of a local farmer, who graciously brought and operated his tractor, the event concluded with a planting demonstration. A third-of-an-acre native meadow area was seeded at Skippack Church utilizing the district-owned no-till planter, which is available for rental to county residents free of charge.

Click here to view photos from the event. 

Continue Reading

Restoring Balance: Protecting Cacoosing Creek

By: Jennifer A. Brooks, Environmental Education and Outreach Coordinator, Berks County Conservation District

Recently Kent Himelright, Watershed Specialist with the Berks County Conservation District (BCCD), organized a massive live stake planting on the Cacoosing Creek as part of an initiative for the Coldwater Conservation Plan for the Cacoosing Creek Watershed. The project was funded by the PA Fish and Boat Commission. The BCCD, along with an outstanding showing of volunteers, planted 1,000 native live stakes along 4,000 ft. of the stream over two days to enhance the riparian area to provide shade and habitat for aquatic wildlife, filter pollutants from stormwater runoff, and reduce streambank erosion.

Click here to read the entire article. 

 

Continue Reading

Northampton County Conservation District Holds Stream Workshop for Teachers

Teachers look at macroinvertebrates they collected. Photo provided by Northampton County Conservation District.

Northampton County Conservation District held a workshop for teachers titled “FUNdamentals of Stream Ecology.” The workshop focused on methods to assess the water quality of a stream via visual and biological assessment (kick seines, d-frames, and leaf packs) and identification of nonpoint source pollution issues by comparing two stream types (urban, natural). The attending educators were introduced to the terminology associated with stream ecology and were provided information, literature, and techniques to be applied in their classrooms.

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.

Continue Reading

Snyder County Conservation District Holds Soil Health Toolbox Field Day

Lisa Blazure Soil Health Coordinator, Stroud Water Research Center, gave a presentation about, until recently, the mostly unrecognized soil biology that works cooperatively with plants to extract soil nutrients and soil matter more effectively. Photo provided by Snyder County Conservation District.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a Soil Health Toolbox Field Day event on BDS Farms in Beaver Springs on November 10, 2021. Thirty-nine farmers, consultants, and conservationists attended this field day.

Farmers learned about:

  • How their farm’s “soil herd” can work for them.
  • Improved soil health can minimize soil and nutrient losses.
  • Various cover crop mixes and establishment practices.
  • How better soil health can improve soil water infiltration and resistance to erosion.

Click here to read more. 

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.

Continue Reading

Perry County Conservation District Hosts Annual Land Judging Competition

The Demo Pit – Kevin Morgan and Samantha DiLorenzo, of the Perry County NRCS field office, welcome the students by sharing some interesting details about their jobs and explaining how soil management is a key component to a successful farming operation (Photo by Larry Gildner). Photo provided by Perry County Conservation District.

Each year, students from all four school districts in Perry County gather to compete in the annual Land Judging Competition. This event is in partnership with the Perry County Conservation District and a local farmer who agrees to host the group for the day.

The contest’s focus is to introduce students in grades 9 through 12 to soil evaluation and its relationship to land use and soil and water quality.

Click here to read the entire press release. 

Continue Reading

Berks Workshop: How to Get Through Completeness Without Really Trying

Jason Rickards, Urban Resource Conservationist with the Berks County Conservation District, speaks to attendees about dam safety and waterway management during the recent workshop held at the Berks County Agricultural Building. Photo provided by Berks County Conservation District.

On Thursday, November 4, 2021, the Berks County Conservation District hosted a workshop for consultants submitting NPDES applications to the District entitled; “How to Get Through Completeness Without Really Trying.”

The workshop was held in the auditorium of the Berks County Agriculture Center. An overwhelming response from the public created the need to develop two sessions.  Almost eighty members of the regulated public attended. The five members of the District’s Urban Team presented the history of the regulations and related laws; common mistakes when completing the District’s application form and calculating fees; NPDES completeness issues and concerns; Non-NPDES application commons problems; and Chapter 105 submissions and concerns.

The above issues prevent applications from moving efficiently through the process and to the Technical Project Review. Thus, delaying approval and the start of construction. All presentations were received well by the attendees, who appreciated the guidance to keep their project moving through the system.

Continue Reading

Blair County Conservation District Hosts Fallfest at NatureWorksPark

Master Gardeners and the Penn State Extension share a tent as they greet visitors at the NatureWorksPark Fallfest. The Master Gardeners sold pumpkins and live plants at the event. Photo taken by Dan Sinal.

The Blair County Conservation District hosted its first annual “NatureWorksPark Fallfest” on October 16, 2021. The event aimed to be an immersive educational experience for the entire family and was planned after receiving a 2021 PA Department of Agriculture – Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant. Urban agriculture was the theme for the event, which saw a dozen related vendors meet and greet guests at the district-owned park in Hollidaysburg, PA. Vendors included local businesses and farms such as Innovative Extracts (Portage), specializing in farm-to-table CBD, and Gahagan Farms (Williamsburg), which grows over 50 varieties of flowers.

In addition to vendors, the event also featured pumpkin painting, live animals, and the Blair County Dairy Princess. Retired educators Jean Sinal and Jody Wallace brought reptiles and a chicken to teach guests about native species and raising backyard chickens. The district aims to make this a regular event with an annually rotating theme.

Continue Reading

Centre County Conservation District Holds Homeowner Workshop

(Left to right): Tyler Fox, Centre County Conservation District Chesapeake Bay Technician Allyson Ulsh, and Isaac Nulton. Tyler and Isaac are interns with the Agriculture and Environment Center at Penn State who helped present at the workshop for presentation experience.

Centre County Conservation District held a workshop on November 3, 2021, in Bellefonte, PA. The workshop focused on educating homeowners on local water quality issues. This was an excellent opportunity for the district to have open dialogue and foster relationships within the residential community. Attendees left with a better understanding of local water quality issues, stormwater management practices, and resources to manage stormwater on their property.

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.

Continue Reading

Blair County Conservation District Educator Visits Williamsburg Elementary School for Halloween Event

BCCD District Educator J.T. Bandzuh reads The Leaf Thief during an Animals of Halloween workshop at Williamsburg Elementary School. Photo taken by Jayme Elvey (Williamsburg Elementary School).

Blair County Conservation District Educator J.T. Bandzuh visited Williamsburg Elementary School on October 25, 2021, to host an “Animals of Halloween” show-and-tell presentation. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes combined to listen to J.T. read The Leaf Thief and to discuss fall and the changes brought about during the season.

After story time, J.T. introduced students to bats, owls, and spiders – explaining to students their contributions to their local environments. The lessons were taught through hand puppets, skeletons and mounts of bats and owls, and the inspection of owl pellets.

Continue Reading