Nearly 100 attendees, including 69 watershed specialists, participated in the 20^th Annual Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting, held virtually October 6-8, 2020.

Each day featured over four hours of virtual learning. Over the three half-days, participants: learned how to develop a community data collection project that delivers results; received an update on the 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report; learned about stream redesignations and water quality standards; discovered how the 10 Million Trees project could contribute to their projects; and learned how to use online tools such as Macroinvertebrates.org, Model My Watershed, and Leaf Pack Network.

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.

Twenty individuals attended Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Level II August 31-September 4, 2020. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, PACD, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and their affiliates. Following recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the group was divided into two locations to allow for social distancing. The training was rescheduled from April due to COVID-19.

Twenty-four staff attended the Basic level training from September 9-11, 2020. The training was held at a pavilion at Coleman Park in Lebanon, PA. Attendees participated in a series of webinars in April. These three days were the field portion required to complete the training. Participants included staff from PACD, conservation districts, NRCS, and affiliates.

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.

PACD has rescheduled the Fluvial Geomorphology Training due to COVID-19 restrictions. The training will be held as a four-part webinar series on Monday, November 9, Tuesday, November 10, Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

PACD has opened registration to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, PA Department of Environmental Protection, and any conservation districts that would like to attend and didn’t register before.

Instructor David Williams from the International Erosion Control Association (ICEA) will cover Fluvial Geomorphology and Natural Channel Design Indices on days one and two and stream restoration/rehabilitation and streambank protection on days three and four. The four-part course offers 14 Professional Development Hours, and a certificate will be distributed at the end of the four-day session.

Click here to register. 

Conservation district and DEP staff are invited to take part in two Chapter 105 webinars taking place this week. Details and contact information for the sessions are below.

102/105 – Basic Chapter 105 Overview
September 1, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
This session will provide a basic overview of Chapter 105 for all districts, regardless of delegation-level, and is appropriate for newer technicians.

102/105 – Administrative Program Manual for Processing Chapter 105 General Permits
September 3, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
This session will cover the Administrative Program Manual for Processing Chapter 105 General Permits and is most appropriate for technicians from delegated districts.

Please e-mail PACD’s Nick Yeagy at nyeagy@pacd.org for the link to participate and DEP’s Jay Braund at jbraund@pa.gov with any questions.

PACD has rescheduled the Fluvial Geomorphology Training due to COVID-19 restrictions. The training will be held as a four-part webinar series on Monday, November 9, Tuesday, November 10, Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

PACD has opened registration to USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, PA Department of Environmental Protection, and any conservation districts that would like to attend and didn’t register before.

David Williams, from the International Erosion Control Association (ICEA), will be the instructor. Day one and two will cover Fluvial Geomorphology and Natural Channel Design Indices, and day three and four will cover stream restoration/rehabilitation and streambank protection. This four-part course offers 14 Professional Development Hours, and a certificate will be distributed at the end of the four-day session.

Click here to register. 

Prerequisite and Application Information Available

PACD partners 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 4-6, 2020, at the Pennsylvania NRCS State Office, USDA Conference Center, Harrisburg, 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, non-profits, and private consultants. The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

An online prerequisite is required. Click here for instructions on the prerequisite. Email completed prerequisite certificates to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org. Click here to apply for the course. The application deadline is September 18, 2020.

With the safety of attendees in mind, the Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting will be moving to a virtual format for 2020. Sessions will take place October 6-8, 2020, as planned, but as a combination of webinars and online meetings.

With the safety of our attendees in mind, the 102/105 Technical Training Planning Workgroup will design a virtual 102/105 Technical Training. Stay tuned for dates in a future edition of Front Page!

Mark your calendars 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, including classroom learning and experience in the field.

• Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
  April 12-16, 2021
  Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
• Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II
  April 26-30, 2021
  Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

Please note these dates are tentative pending funding.

The application period will open on January 22, 2021. 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.

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 tentatively scheduled to take place on November 4-6, 2020, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey area) in Grantville, 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, non-profits, and private consultants. 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.