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. 

At the Upper Allen Township’s annual stormwater workshop on May 20, 2021, residents had the opportunity to learn how to design, install, and maintain a rain garden.

The workshop included presentations on “Local Watersheds in Cumberland County” by Lori Glace with Cumberland County Conservation District, and “How to Construct Rain Gardens” by Andy Yencha with Penn State Extension. The workshop ended with a live demonstration of planting a rain garden at the Upper Allen Township municipal building.

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.

Franklin County Conservation District received a Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant to hold a Summer Conservation Farm Tour on July 27, 2021.

The tour’s highlight was seeing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on-site and asking the district’s 2021 Conservation Farmer of the Year, Leslie Bowman (Lesher’s Poultry Farm, Inc.), for his first-hand knowledge of implementing and maintaining BMPs. The 70 attendees were able to hear about numerous BMPs, including animal waste storage facilities, composting manure, planting green, utilizing cover crops, variable rate manure/nutrient application, grassed waterways, diversifying crop rotations, and experimenting with growing organic row crops.

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.

During the evenings of August 9 -13, 2021, Snyder County Conservation District had the privilege of co-hosting the first kids’ Enviro Camp at Basom Memorial Park with Juniata County Conservation District. Fifty-four children attended the camp. Each night, children learned about topics focused on aquatics, wildlife, soils, and forestry. The final night of Enviro Camp was family night, which included conservation jeopardy, a streamside tree planting, and a bluebird box installation at the park.

The Enviro Camp was funded through a DEP Educational Grant.