On February 23, PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Indiana County Conservation District for a legislative breakfast. During the event, each district staff person highlighted a project they were working on. They emphasized what the district has done with funding they received.

 

Montgomery County Conservation District recently completed their Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant titled, “Montgomery County Golf Course Environmental Education & Outreach.” As part of the project, Agricultural Conservation Specialist Jessica Moldofsky produced a rack card called “The Green: Golf Course Conservation.” In addition to creating one for her county, she also produced one for PACD which any district may reproduce and use. Email swehinger@pacd.org for the full size document or click here for the online version. 

Financial and other support for the NPS Mini-grant Program 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.

 

Columbia County Conservation District recently held a well-attended outreach event called, “Good Water = Good Coffee.” Watershed Specialist Heather Almer brought together a chemistry professor, a coffee brewmaster from a local coffee house, and their conservation district staff to participate in a discussion at the Bloomsburg Public Library. The event explored how water chemistry and quality plays a role in the flavor of coffee. Coffee samples were compared using hard water, soft water, and filtered soft water to learn how these elements affect taste.

Click here to read more. 

Northampton County Conservation District completed their “Schoolyard and Backyard Conservation” Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Project. Through the project, a workshop was held for educators on how to improve water quality and reduce nonpoint source pollution in their homes and schools. The district offered 7 Act 48 continuing education hours to the teachers in attendance.

Financial and other support for the NPS Mini-grant Program 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.

Click here to see photos from the workshop. 

 

Montgomery County Conservation District (MCCD) recently partnered with Pottsgrove High School and the nonprofit Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to retrofit a failing rain garden on the high school’s campus. MCCD provided engineering, construction oversight and other assistance to create a successful BMP and improve the look of the garden, which is near the front entrance to the school.

Click here to read more. 

 

Wayne Conservation District celebrated the opening of their new habitat room on January 13, 2017. The professionally hand-painted mural includes native plants and animals in their habitats throughout the seasons. The conservation district obtained educational grant funds in order to take on this project and purchase educational kits.

Click here to read more. 

 

Through PACD’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Program, the Juniata County Conservation District (JCCD) planted 170 trees. The “Lost Creek Landowners Buffer-in-a-Basket” project worked with landowners in the Lost Creek Watershed to plant trees in streamside locations.

 A workshop was held in October and trees were distributed to plant as buffers on the landowners 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.

 

The Perry County Conservation District (PCCD) recently wrapped up their Nonpoint Source Pollution Educational Mini-grant project. The Scientific Citizens Observing Pollution (in the) Environment or SCOPE for short, allows volunteers to test stream sites. As part of the grant, field test kits were assembled.

Each test kit includes:

• 1 bucket and lid
• 1 garbage bag
• 1 small first aid kit
• 1 low-cost water monitoring water chemistry kit complete with test tubes, directions, result charts, and chemical tablet refills
• 2 large pipettes
• 1 Fahrenheit thermometer
• 1 ‘Key to Macroinvertebrates’ identification sheet
• 3 paintbrushes
• 2 pencils
• 1 compass
• 12 (1 dram) glass vials and data tags – for preserving and labeling macro specimens
• 1 field scope with a plastic concave slide and battery powered light
• 1 small closing magnifying box
• 1 ice cube tray
• 2 tweezers
• 1 ‘Rite in the Rain’ notebook for recording data

Through the project, five field days/workshops were held to train the volunteers. PCCD plans to continue the program in the coming year.

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.

Submitted by Jim Garner, Susquehanna County Conservation District The Susquehanna County Conservation District (SCCD) recently held its annual banquet with over 120 people from the community showing up for this special event. SCCD had speakers from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on the Chesapeake Bay Reboot and from the Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies. During this event, awardees were honored for their contribution to conservation in Susquehanna County. Awards given were: Envirothon Donors, Forest Lake Township and Chief Oil and Gas; Educator of the Year, Mike Talabiska (Mountain View); Dirt and Gravel Road Cooperator, Harford Township; No-Till Cooperator, Jenny Clifford (Carlton Farms); Farmer Cooperator, Claude Bennett; Community Cooperator, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; and Bill Stewart, Choconut Township Supervisor was recognized and remembered. Guests also had the privilege of enjoying an acapella presentation by the Sisters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Montrose VFW provided everyone with a wonderful venue and delicious meal. Click here for a video montage of the event.