Mark your calendars for Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic Level and Level II). Conservation district staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free, week-long training opportunities, including classroom learning and experience in the field.

Basic will be held once, and Level II will be held twice (if needed). Applicants may apply for one and only one of the three training sessions. Do not apply for both levels this spring.

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
March 11, March 18, and April 4, 2025 (virtual)
March 24-27, 2025 (in-person)
Both in-person and all virtual training sessions are required to complete the course.
Union County Government Center, Lewisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II
March 21 and March 28, 2025 (virtual)
April 7-11, 2025 (in-person)
Both in-person and all virtual training sessions are required to complete the course.
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and the USDA NRCS State Office, Harrisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II (IF NEEDED)
March 21 and March 28, 2025 (virtual)
April 28-May 2, 2025 (in-person) (if needed)
Both in-person and all virtual training sessions are required to complete the course.
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and the USDA NRCS State Office, Harrisburg, PA

The application period will open in early January 2025. Email Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org to receive a notification when the application period opens.

The following sponsors make these training opportunities possible: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

 

Conservation district and DEP staff are invited to register for a Verbal Judo Workshop October 16-17, 2024, at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA. Participants will learn techniques to redirect emotionally charged verbal attacks to generate voluntary compliance, enhance their professionalism and gain improved verbal communication skills.

Registration is free and required and space is limited to 50 registrants. In the unlikely event that demand exceeds space available, preference will go to staff who conduct inspections or respond to complaints. Most meals are provided and up to two nights of lodging are covered. Click here for more information and to register.

This training is coordinated by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

PACD is partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This free training is scheduled for November 19-21, 2024, at the Iron Valley Golf Club, 201 Iron Valley Dr., Lebanon, PA.

The event is for entry-level employees of all organizations in Pennsylvania delivering conservation planning technical assistance, including, but not limited to, NRCS, conservation districts, SCC, farmland preservation entities, and non-profits. This training is only for those interested in writing conservation plans and becoming NRCS Certified Conservation Planners or apprentices.

The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

The application period is now open. Click here for the application and more information. Click here for information on the pre-requisite.

The deadline to apply is September 27, 2024.

Presented by Kathleen Deal, JD, this course is designed to provide fundamental negotiation skills to environmental regulatory personnel. Participants will learn proven approaches and strategies to establish rapport, gain information, and influence others. The course incorporates lessons on ethics and negotiation and reading body language—both our own and that of others—to enhance communications It teaches that great negotiation is about great collaboration and equips participants to work with individuals and organizations to create agreement, solve problems, and achieve results.

The workshop will take place at the Wyndham Garden State College on August 6, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registration is currently open solely to DEP enforcement personnel and Chapter 102 staff from conservation districts with Level III delegation. There is no fee to attend. The grant will cover one overnight for participants arriving the night before the training, and lunch is provided on the day of the training. Click here for more information and to register. 

This training is funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

PACD is co-hosting a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) Review Course. The course will be held at the Clinton County Conservation District in Mill Hall, PA, on September 10, 2024. The cost is $380 for non-district participants and $180 for conservation district staff (contact hmiller@pacd.org for the discount code). Click here to register online. 

The review course is open to anyone, including conservation district, agency, or private company staff, actively pursuing a CPESC certification through EnviroCert International, Inc. Please pass this information along to anyone who may be interested.

The deadline to register is August 30, 2024. Click here for more information. 

Fifty learners from 28 conservation districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection convened for Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training at the Red Lion Harrisburg-Hershey in Harrisburg, PA, May 20-24, 2024.

Participants engaged in a combination of hands-on classroom learning, field work, and presentations on topics ranging from technical plan review to Verbal Judo. The field day featured strategically placed learning stations at two sites in different stages of construction. Special thanks to the Cumberland County Conservation District for hosting the field day. It was a huge success!

This training was funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

 

Twenty-one individuals attended the second Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training session – Level II, May 13-17, 2024. The training was held at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office in Harrisburg, PA. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA NRCS and affiliates, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission sponsor the training, which PACD coordinates with these partners.

Twenty-eight students attended the Intro to Conservation Planning training in Grantville, PA, from May 7 to 9, 2024. The three-day training provided a mix of classroom learning and field experience.

The training was made possible by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission. PACD provided administrative support.

The Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting will take place from 9:00 a.m. to Noon daily May 28 and 29, 2024. The event is open to entities involved in Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management projects, including conservation district staff, DEP and EPA staff, incorporated watershed associations, counties, municipalities, councils of governments, 501(c)(3) non-profits, educational institutions, and municipal authorities.

Agenda highlights include updates from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Stream Restoration Puzzle: Why Investment Projects Often Fail to Meet Water Quality Standards presented by the Stroud Water Research Center, and Watershed Planning in the Pequea: Meeting Federal Standards through Local Approaches presented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Click here for more information and to register.

Thirty-two individuals attended the first Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training session – Level II, April 29-May 3, 2024, at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, PACD, and the State Conservation Commission.

The Level II training consists of two learning tracks: agronomy and engineering. The two tracks allow participants to focus more deeply on their area of study. The event features a balance of classroom and field work to give participants hands-on experience.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission sponsor the training, which PACD coordinates with these partners.