Blair County Conservation District held four multi-functional riparian buffer workshops highlighting buffers and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). A total of 54 people registered for the four events.

The district received $3,000 for the project through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

Clarion Conservation District planted 2.5 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along Pigeon Creek in Clarion County. The project cost $14,000 and was paid for through PACD’s Riparian Buffer 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 Infrastructure Investment Authority under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

Franklin County Conservation District held a Summer Conservation Tour on August 3, 2023. Eighty-three participants attended the tour. The host farm provided first-hand accounts of best management practices, including construction and maintenance. Attendees also learned about dribble bar manure application and how it may reduce odor and manure nutrient runoff.

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 US Environmental Protection Agency.

Union County Conservation District held a field day in partnership with the riparian ranger program. Participants learned about plant identification, riparian buffers, farm etiquette, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), funding opportunities, and more. The Union County Conservation District created a CREP brochure specific to their county with county resources and contacts that they distributed at this event and others.

CREP education and outreach events were funded through a $994 grant through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

The Sullivan County Conservation District offered a workshop about the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), ponds, permits, and other programs that apply to farmers and landowners. Forty-three people attended the workshop and were provided with CREP resources.

This CREP education and outreach event was funded through a $1,444.00 CREP mini-grant from PACD. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

On Friday, August 25, 2023, the Cambria County Conservation District held a legislative boat tour of Glendale Lake. The lake is located at Prince Gallitzin State Park.

PACD 1^st Vice President Emil Bove represented PACD at the event, which highlighted improvements made to the lake over the last thirteen years.

Click here to read a news article on the event. 

Dickinson College Farm received a $250,000 grant from the Cumberland County Conservation District for a dairy cattle facility as part of significant upgrades for the farm’s innovative biodigester project.

According to Matt Steiman, the farm’s livestock and energy projects manager, the biodigester system will process the manure from 150 local dairy cows plus two tons of food waste daily. The food waste will be sourced from places such as Dickinson’s dining services, Project SHARE, the Carlisle Area School District, and Molly Pitcher Brewing Company (from which the farm has already processed over 70,000 pounds of spent grain). It will generate about 200,000-300,000 kWh per year of renewable electricity. With that electricity, the farm will power its operations and the planned Farm Lab education facility and sell the remainder back to Met-Ed, a Pennsylvania-based power company. This undertaking is designed to be a roadmap for others to follow.

Click here to watch a short YouTube video on the project. 

 

 

Union County Conservation District hosted a booth at Hoover Tractor’s Farm Safety and Wildlife Day on July 22, 2023. Attendees who stopped by the district’s booth learned about the dangers associated with liquid manure storage.

Live demonstrations of real manure agitation were performed with hydrogen sulfide gas monitors placed nearby to pick up readings of the toxic gas given off during manure agitation. Two hydrogen sulfide gas monitors were raffled off to operators with liquid manure storages to keep themselves safe when they handle their manure. Other key safety points included having a fence around the storage with a locking gate and displaying the correct warning signs around the storage.

 

The Lebanon County Conservation District received a CREP mini-grant for $877.00. Using the grant funds, the district offered a field day that included a riparian buffer planting as part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) education and outreach event. Nineteen volunteers attended to learn about CREP, specifically the installation and maintenance of riparian buffers. Folks who attended received CREP resources such as fact sheets and brochures.

PACD is currently accepting CREP mini-grant applications on a rolling basis until funds are expended. Projects must be completed, and final reports submitted, by December 1, 2023. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

 

The Union County Conservation District held a Regenerative Dairy Meeting in Lewisburg on June 13, 2023. Dairy farmers and manure handlers were invited to attend.

The meeting intended to introduce operators to newer, regenerative practices that can mainly be implemented on dairy operations and provide the necessary resources to help get all conservation practices on the ground. There was a discussion targeted toward manure handlers and the considerations that must be accounted for before field applying manure. The meeting was approved for Certified Manure Hauler/Broker Continuing Education credits.

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.