WVIA Public Media Studios produced a video, “Saving Turtle Creek – A Conservation Success Story.” The video features Savannah Rhoads, Watershed & Program Specialist at the Union County Conservation District, who shares the science and strategy behind stream restoration efforts. It also features Greg Brown, owner of Turtle Creek Farms, whose commitment to sustainable farming has led to innovative practices like streambank fencing and managed cattle crossings.

Click here to watch the video. 

Governor Josh Shapiro announced recipients of $10 million in grants through the nation’s first Agricultural Innovation Grant Program. This funding will help Pennsylvania agricultural businesses adopt innovative technologies and practices to enhance conservation and implement clean energy solutions — to boost profits, protect soil and water resources, and generate more clean, renewable energy.

Indiana County Conservation District will receive $10,000 for planning initiatives to enhance local food systems and agricultural capacity. Click here to read more. 

The Potter County Conservation District recently partnered with Summit Trail Rides and the Dungster LLC to implement a composting system for sustainable manure management at their operation. The many remote trails adjacent to a state forest made the Summit Trail Rides equine boarding site desirable. It also made manure disposal challenging, as little land is available for pasturing horses and spreading manure generated onsite. The operation is also located in close proximity to the South Woods Branch, a High-Quality trout stream. The district prioritized the project due to its location in the upper reaches of the Susquehanna River Watershed.

The district used Community Action Plan (CAP) Implementation Block Grant funds administered by the PA Department of Environmental Protection to complete the work. In addition to the composting Dungster System, underground outlets were installed in conjunction with roof gutters. A stabilized animal walkway was also installed between the barn and the small pasture area. The total project investment was $50,635.00.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Submitted by Lisa Haas, Conservation Education Specialist, Blair County Conservation District.

In late November, the Tyrone High School campus hosted an educational Bioblitz event, made possible through generous funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PA DEP) Environmental Education grant. The event, which brought together students, teachers, and environmental experts, aimed to foster an appreciation for biodiversity and environmental stewardship among the participants.

Throughout the day, students used field guides and mobile apps to identify species, gaining hands-on experience in data collection and verification. The event featured interactive sessions with volunteers from the John Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Penn State Extension Master Gardeners and Master Watershed Stewards, a biologist and educator, Jessie Kester, and representatives from the Blair County Conservation District, who provided expert insights and enhanced the learning with activities.

Click here to read the entire article. 

The Indiana County Conservation District has launched a new tool for the submission of permits to their office for review.

Entities conducting earthwork in Indiana County who need to obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or need a review of an erosion and sedimentation control plan (E&S Plan) are now required to use the district’s online Permit Submittal Tool.

This launch comes after the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) discontinued the use of its Chapter 102 E-Permitting system. The district’s new permit submittal tool guides permit applicants through applying for a General or Individual NPDES permit or E&S Plan review.

According to Executive Director Douglas Beri Jr., the district’s goal with this new tool is to help enhance the permit submission process in Indiana County to improve the completeness of submitted permits and reduce cost, review times, and paper waste.

Click here to read the entire press release. 

Submitted by Abby Reiter, Ag Conservation Specialist, Montgomery County Conservation District

Montgomery County Conservation District (MCCD) partnered with Penn State Extension, the Montgomery County Planning Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts through an educational grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to film a video demonstrating the use of a no-till drill, which is available for rental through MCCD. This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up, calibrate, and use the no-till drill for planting.

This project aimed to create an educational video that serves as a resource for participants of the no-till drill rental program and provides general agricultural conservation education to promote no-till planting. The drill can be used for no-till seeding, pasture renovation, planting of pollinator plots, lawn-to-meadow conversion, and basin naturalization.

Click here to watch the video. 

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.

 

Jefferson County Conservation District and the local Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) pilot program advisory board conducted a pasture walk on a beef operation in September 2024 to spotlight problematic invasive plants on the farm and how to control them. The project cost $1,129.61 in grant funding.

The district’s other PRISM project involved signage and was highlighted in the November 25, 2024, issue of Front Page.

Financial and other support for the PRISM Pilot Program in NW Pennsylvania is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant with the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

The pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) for corn is a tool that can be used to assess the soil nitrogen (N) supply and determine a sidedress N application recommendation. Effectively applying nitrogen can help lower fertilizer application costs while maximizing crop production and minimizing environmental N loss.

Lebanon County Conservation District is now offering free testing to farmers in Lebanon County. Farmers who choose to participate will receive soil sampling, testing and a sidedress recommendation at no cost.

More information can be found at www.lccd.org/psnt.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a tour on November 15, 2024, where they visited and viewed best management practices installed on Snyder County farms to prevent nutrient and sediment pollution. The SCCD cooperated with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Middleburg Field Office on the tour.

Sixteen invitees from the Snyder County Commissioners office, state legislator offices, Snyder County Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program committee, and SCCD Board of Directors and staff met at the SCCD office to start the tour. They visited three recently completed projects receiving financial assistance for BMP installation.

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

Crawford County Conservation District and their local Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Pilot Program advisory board utilized grant funding to hire a summer intern to conduct aquatic invasive species outreach activities.

Accomplishments included conducting launch steward activities at local boat launches, inspecting boats, providing a workshop at Pymatuning State Park, removing European Frogbit with PA SeaGrant and Penn State’s Master Watershed Stewards, and distributing educational materials across the county. This project cost $2,000 in grant funding.

Financial and other support for the PRISM Pilot Program in NW Pennsylvania is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant with the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.