Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

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

Training for DEP and Conservation District Staff Supports Water Quality

Nathan Crawford, P.E., reviews PCSM on April 11, 2018. Mr. Crawford is Environmental Group Manager for the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Clean Water, NPDES Permitting Division, Stormwater Construction Section.

This year’s 102/105 Topic-based Technical Training took place April 10-12, 2018, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. A record 125 participants from 47 conservation districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection received in-depth training on Post Construction Stormwater Management (PCSM), Chapter 105, and other topics that support clean, accessible, water for Pennsylvania’s citizens.

This annual 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.

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Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Basic Level Training Concludes

Participants in the Basic Level of Agricultural Conservation Technical Training pose for a group photo on the first day of training.

Thirty individuals attended Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Basic Level April 2-6, 2018, at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

The training is sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission. PACD works with these partners to coordinate the training.

 

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Staff from 20 Conservation Districts Attend Annual Technical Training

Conservation district and DEP staff participate in the plan review session. Photo taken by Jay Braund.

The 2018 Basic/Refresher 102/105 Technical Training course provided concentrated classroom instruction to over 40 employees of Pennsylvania’s conservation districts and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) who work with the Chapter 102 and 105 programs. The four-day course took place March 19-22, 2018, in State College, PA.

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Registration for Spring 102/105 Topic-Based Training Opens

Registration is now open for 102/105 Topic-based Technical Training. The course is open to conservation district and DEP staff and will take place April 10-12, 2018, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. There is little or no cost to attend. Click here to register or for more information. Questions? Contact Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

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Free Communications Webinars Offered to Conservation Districts

PACD has scheduled five free communication webinar series for conservation districts. Presented by Water Words That Work, LLC, these environmental communication trainings will begin in January 2019 and end in March 2019. Each topic has three parts, so plan to attend all three dates for the topics you choose.

How do we get more participation at our programs? How can we effectively reach our target audiences and the general public? What are the most cost-effective means to get the word out about our programs? How can I work effectively with landowners to get more practices installed? Find out answers to these questions and more during these webinars.

Each webinar series consists of three 90-minute sessions. Please mark your calendar for all three dates so you don’t miss part 1, part 2, or part 3. Each session builds on the previous one, so don’t miss out!

The Closing the Deal with Rural Landowners webinar will be repeated twice. Please only sign up for one series.

The dates are:

  • Water Words that Work – January 22, 24, 29 from 9:30–11 a.m.
  • More Than a Message – February 5, 7, 12 from 9:30–11 a.m.
  • Perfect Outreach Projects – February 19, 21, 26 from 9:30–11 a.m.
  • Closing the Deal with Rural Landowners Group 1 – March 5, 7, 12 from 9:30–11 a.m.
  • Closing the Deal with Rural Landowners Group 2 – March 19, 21, 26 from 1–2:30 p.m.

The webinars are free, but registration is required. Click on the links above to register. Space is limited to 15 participants for each topic. Please plan to attend all three parts of the topic you choose. Please register each person participating from your office separately.

Financial support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, the Clean Water Fund and the Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP).

Click here to view a flyer with more information.

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Manure Management Facilitator Training Concludes

Instructor Charlie White speaks to the attendees of the Manure Management Train the Trainer event in Perry County on January 25, 2018.

Thirty-three participants were trained as facilitators through the Manure Management Train the Trainer program this January. The training events were held in Clarion, Perry, and Wyoming Counties.

Participants learned how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and guide others through using the manual.

PACD facilitates the trainings for the PA Department of Environmental Protection. Instruction is provided by Jerry Martin, Senior Penn State Extension Associate and Dr. Charles White, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, at Penn State.

Financial support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, the Clean Water Fund and the Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP).   

 

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Spring 102/105 Technical Training – Basic/Refresher Registration Opens

Registration is now open for the 2018 102/105 Basic/Refresher Technical Training course. The course is open to conservation district and DEP staff and will take place March 21-24, 2018 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. There is little or no cost to attend. (See registration information for details.)

Registration for the Topic-Based session, which will take place at the same location on April 10-12, 2018, will be announced in an upcoming issue of Front Page. Click here to register or for more information about the March session.

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Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training Application Period Opens

Photo by Holly Hunt.

Applications are now being accepted for the 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 which include both classroom learning and experience in the field.

Basic Level – April 2-6, 2018

Level II – April 23-27, 2018

If you do not receive confirmation from PACD, you will not be admitted. No walk-ins will be accepted. Both courses are held at the Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County). Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

These training opportunities are made possible by the following sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

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Manure Management Train-The-Trainer Workshops

Register Now. Time is running out to register for one of the Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops coming up in January 2018. You will learn how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and how to train others to use the manual. Techniques for conducting plan-writing workshops to help farmers develop their manure management plans are also covered.

PACD and the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) host these workshops for conservation district, DEP, Penn State Extension, and other agency staff members involved in helping agricultural producers write manure management plans. Both new and experienced staff are invited to attend. The workshops are free and lunch will be provided.

Go to the PACD Events tab at www.PACD.org or click on the link below for more information or to register. Dates and Locations are:

January 23, 2018 DCNR Bureau of Forestry Office, Clarion, Clarion County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

January 25, 2018 Penn State Extension Building, New Bloomfield, Perry County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

January 30, 2018 PA Department of Ag – Region 3 Office, Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

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