On September 30, 2021, the Franklin County Conservation District held a showcase tour of the county’s first completed project funded through the Conservation Excellence Grant (CEG) program. The tour was held at Ben and Sharon Peckman’s Slate Ridge Dairy Farm in Saint Thomas, PA.

PA Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding participated in the tour along with Representatives Kauffman and Schemel and Commissioner Ziobrowski. As a result, participants were able to see firsthand the conservation work being accomplished in Franklin County.

Secretary Redding’s office said this about his participation in the tour:

It’s always gratifying to see a plan come together, especially when the results mean cleaner water, healthier soil, and a regenerative, sustainable, solid farm operation.

Like Franklin County Conservation District, PA Manager David Stoner said of their County Action Plan, “The stars were aligned, staff was in place to do the work, money came in, and farmers applied.”

Yesterday, I spent a perfect afternoon touring the results of the farm that fit the plans goals perfectly and had the most important ingredient – a willing farmer who is committed to conservation. On Ben and Sharon Peckman’s Slate Ridge Dairy Farm in St. Thomas, the plan came together in just six months from project conception to completion.

With Conservation Excellence Grant funding from the state to the Conservation District, and REAP tax credits from the state to meet out-of-pocket costs not covered by the grant, this investment by the state, the county and the farmer will pay off in a healthy viable farm. What we envisioned for Conservation Excellence Grants has payed [sic] off here.

Click here for the description of the Slate Ridge Dairy CEG project. 

Lehigh County Conservation District and Lower Macungie Township partnered to host a daylong training for certified pesticide applicators on September 14, 2021, at the Township’s Community Center.

Forty-two municipal representatives attended, including several townships, boroughs, and county parks. Instruction was provided on the proper choice, mixing, application, and disposal of herbicides and pesticides. Identification and control of common invasive weeds tied into the hands-on demo for correct mixing of herbicides and equipment calibration.

The training also included the latest recommendations for spotted lanternfly remediation, the biology and elimination of mosquitoes, and information on the Department of Environmental Protection’s black fly program. In addition, an update was provided on a long-term research project to determine the prevalence of various tick species and the pathogens they carry in the Greater Lehigh Valley Area.

Municipalities that attended received credit toward their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) training requirements. In addition to the MS4 credits, licensed attendees received PA pesticide applicator credits.

In August, the Elk County Conservation District held an acid mine drainage (AMD) educational workshop and site tour in Force, PA. Topics during the workshop included how AMD forms, how it is remediated, and an experiment for participants on to “Make their own AMD.”  A tour of a local site followed.

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.

Montgomery County Conservation District planted a total of 0.75 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer at the Upper Perkiomen Valley YMCA in Montgomery County. The total cost for the buffer was $10,131.39 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program: https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536

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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. 

In June, Jefferson County Conservation District received a Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant to hold their first-ever rain barrel workshop. The district educated over 13 participants about the importance of nonpoint source pollution, water conservation, and water quality.

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 Friday, August 27, 2021, the Potter and Cameron County Conservation Districts held a joint legislative project tour. The tour showcased two project sites in each county and highlighted the need for continued funding and prioritization. North West Region Director and National Association of Conservation Districts Director Cliff Lane represented PACD at the event.

Project sites visited include the Sterling Run Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Site and the Driftwood Mudsill Crib Wall and Riparian Planting Site in Cameron County. In Potter County, the areas visited included the Southwoods Road Soil Pinning Site and the Pine Run Culvert Replacement Project.

Tour participants included Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection North Central Regional Office representatives, local state representatives, commissioners, and conservation district board members from multiple counties.

The project sites provide great benefits for their respective watersheds and demonstrate the need for continued funding and prioritization of this work.

On August 25, 2021, two Fayette County Conservation District representatives spoke to the local radio station WMBS. Dave Lohr, Commissioner Director, and Pierce Willson, Agricultural Coordinator, participated in a 45-minute segment called “What’s Working in Fayette County.”

Dave and Pierce spoke about the history of conservation districts, soil conservation, and how the district helps farmers in the county.

Click here to watch the video. 

 

Westmoreland Conservation District has created “The Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Video Series.” The series is available on YouTube and through the district’s website here. This series of videos will help homeowners learn how they can control stormwater around their homes and property.

 

The Allegheny County Conservation District and partners have released a Flood Education Workshop series for home and business owners.

This educational series includes instruction from experts about why it floods, ways to prepare before and after, and how to recover from a flood event.

The five-part series covers the following topics:

• Watershed Basics and Types of Flooding
• Where Flooding Occurs and How You Can Find Out
• Preparation and Mitigation for Flooding
• Responding to Flooding
• Recovering from Flooding

Workshop recordings are now available here.

Armstrong Conservation District planted 3.2 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along two branches of Big Run, a tributary to the Allegheny River. The total cost for the buffer was $31,603.25, which was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org for more information on this sub-grant program.

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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.