Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

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

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Level II Training Application Period Opens

In order to help with logistics and because a large number of applications are expected, applications are now being accepted for the Agricultural Conservation Technical Training Level II only. The application period for Basic will open in January.

Conservation district agricultural staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free training opportunities, including classroom learning and experience in the field.

Please note that there are two sessions of the Level II training for 2022. The first week is for those taking Level II for the first time. The second, 3-day session is for those who took Level II previously and are returning to take the alternative track.

The dates are:

April 25-29, 2022
Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II (for those taking Level II the first time)
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and the USDA NRCS State Office, Harrisburg, PA (Tentative)
Note: There is an online pre-requisite for this course. Information will be sent to those that are accepted into the course.

May 2-4, 2022
Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II (for those who are returning to Level II for a second year to take the alternative track only)
Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lebanon, PA (Tentative)

The deadline to apply is December 17, 2021. If you do not receive confirmation from PACD, you will not be admitted. No walk-ins will be accepted. Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

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

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Intro to Conservation Planning Held in Grantville

NRCS State Resource Conservationist Dan Ludwig kicks off the training on October 19, 2021.

Seventeen students (including eight conservation district staff) completed the Intro to Conservation Planning Course in Grantville, PA, from October 19-21, 2021. The training is an introductory course for employees interested in writing conservation plans and becoming a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Certified Conservation Planner. The event included classroom and field experience.

Participants attended the three-day training free of charge thanks to the generous sponsorship of NRCS and the State Conservation Commission. In addition, PACD provided administrative support for the course.

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Conservation District Watershed Specialist Webinar Series Concludes

2021 Watershed Specialist Photo Contest Best in Show Winner “I Heart You” by Robert Frank, Watershed Specialist, Dauphin County Conservation District.

Over 100 conservation district watershed specialists, DEP staff, and partners attended the 21st Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting, which took place as a webinar series October 5-7, 2021. Over the three half-days of programming, watershed specialists learned about building and managing a water quality monitoring station using Stroud Water Research Center’s EnviroDIY program, shared successful projects, learned about partnership opportunities and resources from partner agencies, and much more. Many thanks to this year’s presenters for sharing their time and expertise!

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QuickBooks Training Webinar Recordings Available to Conservation Districts

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts partnered with SEK CPAs & Advisors to offer a QuickBooks training program to conservation districts. Basic, advanced, and payroll sessions were included in the training. The webinars were held on August 12, September 9, and September 23, 2021.

Support Accountant Supervisor Bonnie Aleshire, and Senior Associate Mandy Walls with SEK CPAs & Advisors taught all three workshops.

Recordings of the webinars can be found on the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy. (You must be logged in to access.)

Any conservation district staff who work with QuickBooks are encouraged to view the trainings. For more information, please contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org.

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Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training Wraps Up for 2021

The Boot Camp Level II participants begin the training at the Keystone Conference Center in Lebanon County on August 23, 2021.

Twenty-five individuals attended Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Level II, August 23-27, 2021, at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and affiliates.

The Level II annual 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 work and field work to give participants hands-on experience.

The Basic level course was held earlier this month.

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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Registration Opens for the Conservation District Watershed Specialist Webinar Series

“Elk on Cribwall” by Jon-Marc Burdick, Cameron County Conservation District, 2020 Conservation District Watershed Specialist Photo Contest Best in Show.

The 2021 Conservation District Watershed Specialist Webinar Series will take place October 5-7, 2021. Watershed specialists will learn how to use Stroud Water Research Center’s EnviroDIY program and Monitor My Watershed to build, program, install, and manage a standard Enviro DIY monitoring station; learn how a seasoned watershed specialist approaches project management; learn about prevailing wage; get tips on putting together a project bid package from a conservation district perspective, and much more. Registration is open to conservation district watershed specialists and invited guests only. For a registration link, contact Molly Burns with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.

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Registration is Open for QuickBooks Training for Conservation Districts

Register today for the QuickBooks Training Webinar Series! PACD has partnered with SEK CPAs and Advisors to offer free QuickBooks training statewide to conservation districts. August 12 will feature basic training, September 9 will be an advanced training, and September 23  will focus on payroll. All webinars will be held 10:00 a.m.-Noon.

Click here for descriptions of each training and the registration links. Please get in touch with Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

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Intro to Conservation Planning Course Scheduled for October

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 to take place October 19-21, 2021, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey area) in Grantville, PA.

If you are interested in taking this training, please begin the process to get an AgLearn account NOW!  There is a prerequisite, and it can take months to get an account.

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. The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

To receive information on this training as it becomes available, including the online prerequisite, email Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

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Join Us for Findings from CREP Focus Groups with PA Farmers Webinar

Since January, PACD has partnered with Water Words That Work, LLC to offer farmer focus groups and interviews across the state to learn how we can improve and gain more interest in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Join us for a presentation on the findings of the series of focus groups and interviews with Pennsylvania farmers about the CREP program on June 24, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Register for the meeting here.

Please contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

Financial and other support for this project is provided through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

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Save the Date: QuickBooks Training for Conservation Districts

Mark your calendars for August 12, September 9, and September 23, 2021, from 10:00 a.m.-Noon for the QuickBooks Training Webinar Series! PACD has partnered with SEK CPAs and Advisors to offer free QuickBooks training statewide to conservation districts. August 12 will feature basic training, September 9 will be an advanced training, and September 23 will focus on payroll.

More information to come! Registration will open this summer. Please contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

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