Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

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

Congratulations to Somerset Conservation District and Len Lichvar

Photo of Len Lichvar from PA Environment Digest Blog.

From PA Environment Digest Blog, September 25, 2020

On September 25, the PA Association of Environmental Professionals recognized Len Lichvar, Manager of the Somerset Conservation District, with the Walter Lyon Award. The Walter Lyon Award honors an organization, project, or program that made a unique, creative, or significant contribution toward maintenance or restoration of Pennsylvania’s environmental quality or to the field of environmental management.

Somerset County Conservation District Manager Len Lichvar is deeply involved in conservation matters in his county, region, and statewide. Over the past 30 years, the Somerset Conservation District has planned and developed large scale projects to ensure that clean water is available for residents and visitors.

Click here to read the entire article.

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Franklin County Conservation District Holds Photo Farm Tour

BMP photo provided by Franklin County Conservation District.

The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) held a Summer Conservation Farm Tour and Luncheon on August 8, 2020, with approximately 40 people in attendance. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, FCCD had to cancel the original farm tour as there was no way to maintain social distancing on busses to transport attendees from the lunch venue (an outdoor pavilion this year) to the farm. Instead, the district hired a professional photographer to take pictures of the best management practices (BMPs) so attendees could still “see” them up close and personal. The Conservation Farmer of the Year spoke about his experiences with BMPs, as shown in the photos, and how they improved his farm.

Kudos to FCCD for adapting and finding a creative solution to hold their event and educate local farmers about BMPs.

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.

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Berks County Conservation District Completes Stream Restoration and Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer

Screenshot from the Tulpehocken Creek Restoration video.

In March 2020, the Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) was awarded a PACD/PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Multi-Functional Riparian Buffer Sub-grant to complete a 1.5-acre riparian forest buffer along Tulpehocken Creek. Two hundred sixty-five native trees and shrubs were planted to create a riparian buffer 35 to 50 feet wide. The native riparian plantings included edible species, like elderberry and highbush blueberry, and seasonal decorates, like winterberry and red osier dogwood.

A video of the project can be viewed on the BCCD Website at https://youtu.be/jys71IcoyNU. Click here to read the press release. 

Click here to read more about PACD’s Buffer Sub-grant program or contact Amy Brown at abrown@pacd.org.

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.

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Perry County Conservation District Presents Rep. Keller with PACD Award

Photo provided by Perry County Conservation District.

Perry County Conservation District Manager Sally Tengeres recently presented Representative Mark Keller (PA 86th District) with the PACD Legislator Leadership Award in person. The award was announced at the PACD Executive Council Meeting in July.

Click here to read the press release.

 

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Perry County Conservation District Hosts Equipment Demo and Soil Health Meeting

Photos provided by Perry County Conservation District.

On August 7, 2020, forty attendees from the Perry County No-till Group and members of the local agricultural community gathered for coffee and doughnuts at the farm of Dennis Weller, an Elliottsburg dairyman. The Perry County Conservation District hosted the event to discuss and evaluate how different types of no-till and vertical-till equipment interact with the soil.

Click here to read the entire article. 

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.

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Local Library Creates Video of Cambria County Conservation District’s Education Center

Jackie Ritko talking about the painted turtle from the Disaster’s Edge Environmental Education Center.

The Cambria County Library Children’s Department created a video featuring staff member Jackie Ritko talking about the various animals at the district’s education center.

Click here to view the video and here to read more about the Disaster’s Edge Environmental Education Center. 

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Delaware County Conservation District Produces Spotted Lanternfly Video

Screenshot from Delaware County Conservation District’s How to Install a Sticky Trap video.

The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species that is spreading across Pennsylvania. One control method a homeowner can easily implement is the installation of sticky traps. Karen Wilwol, Watershed Specialist for the Delaware County Conservation District, is putting these traps on several trees in county-owned parks for demonstration purposes. This video shows how one of these traps was installed at Rose Tree Park.

Click here to watch the video. 

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Crawford County Conservation District Produces Wetlands Video

Wetlands can have major impacts on our lives, but what in the world is a wetland anyway?

In this video, the Crawford County Conservation District discusses specific wetland qualities and why they’re important to us and our ecosystems.

Click here to view the video. 

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Lancaster County Conservation District Creates Spotted Lanternfly Video

Screenshot from Lancaster County Conservation District video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYGPACsdeBk.

Lancaster County Conservation District’s Spotted Lanternfly Technician Amanda Goldsmith has created a how-to video. In the video Amanda shares instructions on how to set up sticky tape tree bands to control and monitor spotted lanternfly. She uses two bycatch prevention best management practices including 2-3-inch-wide strips and chicken wire around the tape. These combine to reduce wildlife, such as endangered bats and birds, getting stuck on the tape while catching just as many spotted lanternflies.

Click here to view the tree banding video. 

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Columbia County Conservation District Creates Better Backyards Certification

Columbia County Conservation District is launching a brand-new program to promote sustainable backyard practices. The “Better Backyards” Certificate program is open to all Columbia County residential, business, school, and municipal lands.

This program aims to provide habitat for the county’s native flora and fauna, improve water quality and soil health, manage stormwater and erosion, reduce pollutants, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The district is holding a webinar to launch the program on Friday, July 17, 2020, from Noon-1:00 p.m. Please register in advance for this webinar at: https://columbiaccd.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20fd2bb3ba37aee106cc475c2&id=a51ea7ec8f&e=12ce2eb304

For more info about the “Better Backyards” Certificate Program go to www.columbiaccd.org/betterbackyards.

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