Over forty volunteers gathered at Moore’s Lake Park (The Hollow) in Prospect Park on November 23, 2024, for a massive planting of 170 shrubs and trees as part of a restoration effort to enhance the degraded Stoney Creek riparian zone. This was a collaboration by the Borough of Prospect Park, Delaware County Conservation District, and Darby Creek Valley Association.

The diverse variety of shrub and tree saplings were donated by the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, which is backed by the Chesapeake Foundation.

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The Jefferson County Conservation District, in coordination with their Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) pilot program advisory board and Redbank Valley Trails Association, completed a project to educate folks in the county about the importance of invasive species control. The project included installation of two signs placed along the Redbank Valley Trail, along with a guided trail hike to introduce the signs and discuss invasive species ID, reporting through iMapInvasives, invasive species control measures, and more. The signs are placed in an environmental justice area along a frequently traveled hiking trail. Seven people attended the guided hike, and the signs are expected to reach hundreds more. The project cost $2,195.45 in grant funds.

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.

On November 8, 2024, the Juniata County Conservation District held an Agriculture Best Management Tour. The event highlighted projects completed through the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Participants of the event learned about the impact of nonpoint source pollution, how it relates to agriculture, and the partnerships that made these projects possible.

Partners include the State Conservation Commission, Juniata County Conservation District, National Resource Conservation Service, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training.

Participants visited three farms within Juniata County that utilized ACAP funding to minimize the impact of nonpoint source pollution.

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 Cumberland County Conservation District (CCCD) held a ceremony on October 28, 2024, to celebrate the completion of Ridge Road in Mt. Holly Springs. This was a Dirt and Gravel Road project made possible due to the collaboration of CCCD, the PA Department of Natural Resources, the State Conservation Commission, The Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, State Representative Thomas Kutz, and Senator Greg Rothman.

The project for drainage improvements on the Mount Holly Springs portion (3,775 ft) of Ridge Road cost $233,244.68.

Click here to read more and view before and after photos. 

 

The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) recently held a tour for local legislators to showcase key projects and conservation efforts. The tour included a warehouse facility, a large solar farm, a floodplain restoration site, and a farming operation with newly constructed improvements.

Franklin County was the recipient of over $3 million in grant funding for 2023 for stream restoration work and ag-related improvements for area farmers. In addition, the Franklin County Erosion & Sedimentation Control staff is kept very busy with permitting for warehouses and solar farms, along with residential and commercial construction.

Legislators were granted an in-person glimpse of the tireless efforts FCCD staff has put forth in maximizing the recent substantial increases in funding.

The Franklin County Conservation District is dedicated to promoting and educating about the wise stewardship of our natural resources.

Jefferson County Conservation District conducted one-on-one visits with seven landowners to review Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) maintenance. CREP information was also shared at county events and published in newsletters.

The project cost $647 and was paid for through PACD’s CREP Mini-grant Program.

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 October 11 and 12, 2024, Peaceful Terrain Farm and Thistle Creek Farm in Huntingdon County hosted a two-day grazing event with special guest speaker Dr. Allen Williams. Both farms are working to conserve soil using regenerative/resilient agriculture.

Dr. Williams is a founding partner of Understanding Ag, LLC, and the Soil Health Academy. He pioneered many of the early regenerative grazing protocols and forage finishing techniques and now teaches those practices and principles to farmers globally. Beth Futrick, PA Ombudsman in Blair County, organized the event.

Juniata County Conservation District held a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) tour. Participants learned about installing and maintaining CREP buffers along with program enrollment opportunities. The project cost $1,576 and was paid for through PACD’s CREP Mini-grant Program.

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.

Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD) is proud to announce it has received funding from both the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program administered through the United States Department of Agriculture. This funding will advance urban agriculture and ACCD’s Urban Soils Program across the region.

This funding enables ACCD to strengthen partnerships with local farmers and community groups to address urban soil contaminants and support farm and garden projects. Over the past eight years, ACCD’s Urban Soils Program has served as a regional model, raising awareness about the health risks of soil lead exposure and providing technical assistance for safe food production. In 2023 alone, ACCD screened 1,592 soil samples, valued at $47,760, free of charge.

This funding will expand soil testing for heavy metals, particularly lead, and implementation and monitoring of best management practices to improve soil health and promote healthy food production.

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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) selected Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD) and partners to provide outreach, education, and technical assistance to urban agricultural producers.

This $9 million USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) grant is administered through To Improve Mississippi Economics (TIME) and funds urban farm outreach initiatives in 10 U.S. cities. This grant is part of a broader $40 million investment enabled by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

The funding will support a collaboration among technical service providers to assist urban farmers in learning about and accessing resources. Partners include PASA Sustainable Agriculture, Chatham University, Grow Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, and Hilltop Urban Farm.

ACCD and partners were awarded $894,000, with 38 percent of funding going directly to urban farmers in the form of microgrants to develop critical farm infrastructure. Another percentage supports programs of the partner organizations.

Click here to read more.