Blair County Conservation District held four multi-functional riparian buffer workshops highlighting buffers and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). A total of 54 people registered for the four events.

The district received $3,000 for the project through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

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 March 22, 2023, the Clarion County Conservation District held a Conservation Workshop for farmers and landowners to learn about funding and assistance programs in the county, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).

Partner presenters included Clarion Conservation District, Clarion County Tax Office, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Keystone 10 Million Trees Program.

The district received a $2,600 mini-grant for outreach and education through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

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.

Union County Conservation District held a field day in partnership with the riparian ranger program. Participants learned about plant identification, riparian buffers, farm etiquette, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), funding opportunities, and more. The Union County Conservation District created a CREP brochure specific to their county with county resources and contacts that they distributed at this event and others.

CREP education and outreach events were funded through a $994 grant through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

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.

PACD is accepting mini-grant applications from conservation districts for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) work. Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications will be accepted and approved on a rolling basis until funds are expended.

Project Completion & Final Report Deadline: August 31, 2024

Project examples:

– Walkabouts/field days
– Farmer and landowner workshops
– Riparian buffer workshops
– Workshop series with several topics
– Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
– Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

We encourage working with CREP partners to complete education and outreach activities. Partners include USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Pheasants Forever, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Stroud Water Research Center, PA Game Commission, and other conservation districts!

The guidelines, application, and reporting documents for the CREP mini-grant program can be found here.

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.

The Sullivan County Conservation District offered a workshop about the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), ponds, permits, and other programs that apply to farmers and landowners. Forty-three people attended the workshop and were provided with CREP resources.

This CREP education and outreach event was funded through a $1,444.00 CREP mini-grant from PACD. Click here for more information and to apply.

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.

The Jefferson County Conservation District held a Farmer Winter Meeting on February 16, 2023, at the conservation district office to share programs, funding, and assistance available to farmers and landowners. Included on the agenda was the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The conservation district also shared CREP resources and materials at the Western PA Grazing Conference and the Jefferson County Fair.

This CREP education and outreach event was funded through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

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.

 

The Lebanon County Conservation District received a CREP mini-grant for $877.00. Using the grant funds, the district offered a field day that included a riparian buffer planting as part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) education and outreach event. Nineteen volunteers attended to learn about CREP, specifically the installation and maintenance of riparian buffers. Folks who attended received CREP resources such as fact sheets and brochures.

PACD is currently accepting CREP mini-grant applications on a rolling basis until funds are expended. Projects must be completed, and final reports submitted, by December 1, 2023. Click here for more information and to apply.

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.

 

Submitted by Butler County Conservation District

The Butler County Conservation District hosted a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program/Best Management Practices (CREP/BMP) Field Day on July 28, 2023, at the BGN Farm owned by Jeff Grazier. Farmers interested in participating in CREP registered with the USDA Farm Service Agency for the event. This was an opportunity to learn about Jeff’s operation and the different programs and funding sources available to assist farms in Butler County. The field day was funded through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply. 

Click here to read more. 

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.

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) work. Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications are being accepted and approved on a rolling basis. The deadline for final reports is extended until December 1, 2023.

Project examples:

-Walkabouts/field days
-Farmer and landowner workshops
-Riparian buffer workshops
-Workshop series with several topics
-Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
-Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

Eligible expenses include staff wages, promotional items, mileage, postage, office supplies, room rental for workshops, food & beverages, materials, transportation, etc.

The guidelines and application for the CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org.

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.

In 2021, Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partners updated the “Landowner Guide to Buffer Success” that was last published in 2007. Like the previous guide, this one is set up calendar-style with pages for notes. In addition, the guide features key tasks by season, tips to improve outcomes, example photos, summaries of how riparian forest buffers help streams, and links to resources.

PACD has a few hundred calendar-style guides still available for distribution. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org to request copies and to make arrangements to get them to your district.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office 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.