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

The guidelines and application for the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts are posted here. The deadline to apply is November 12, 2021. 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.

As part of the CREP Outreach Program Office, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and CREP Program Partners offered a CREP Partner Training Webinar Series to all partner staff involved in the program. The trainings took place on May 27, June 3, and June 10, 2021.

The trainings introduced administrative components, highlighted CREP practices, and provided tips for working with landowners.

Recordings of the webinars and a CREP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document are available to view on the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy. New and experienced staff working with the CREP program are encouraged to view the trainings.

CREP Partner Training Webinar Series: https://pacleanwateracademy.remote-learner.net/course/view.php?id=580

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

Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partners have 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 2,500 calendar style guides available for distribution. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org to request copies and to make arrangements for pick-up.

Thank you to all our CREP partners who contributed to the Landowner Guide to Buffer Success!

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.

This year PACD offered a short round of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) mini-grants to Pennsylvania conservation districts. PACD awarded $500 to Cameron County Conservation District, and $1,000 to Indiana County Conservation District. The grants were used to implement virtual educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the CREP program. For more information about the mini-grant program, please get in touch with 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.

PACD partnered with Water Words That Work to offer farmer focus groups and interviews across Pennsylvania to discuss the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The goal was to learn how we can successfully deliver the program and gain more interest in CREP.

On June 24, 2021, a virtual presentation was offered to partners to discuss the results. To view the presentation of the results, click here. Click here for the written report.

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.

As part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Outreach Program Office, PACD and CREP Program Partners will offer a CREP Partner Training Webinar Series to all partner staff involved in the program. Registration is free and required. Click on the webinars below for more information and to register.

CREP Partner Training Part 1: How the CREP Program Works 
May 27, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: Newer employees with little experience working with CREP

CREP Partner Training Part 2: CREP Practices and Technical Guidance 
June 3, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: New and experienced CREP partner staff

CREP Partner Training Part 3: Working with Landowners and Building Relationships 
June 10, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: New and experienced CREP partner staff

Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

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

Pennsylvania’s county conservation districts were awarded $2,500 for projects in three counties for the 2021 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Mini-Grants. Conservation districts will use these grants to work with landowners to prevent pollution in our streams, lakes, and rivers. Projects will take place until June 2021 and will be virtual events or mailings.

The following conservation districts were awarded up to $1,000 as part of the 2021 CREP mini-grant round:

Cameron       $500
Indiana         $1,000
Lycoming      $1,000

Projects include postcards, brochures, fact sheets, webinars, and videos. Participants can ask questions about the CREP program and learn how to maintain land already in the program.

The CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by PACD through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Additional support is provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Click here for more information on the CREP program: https://www.creppa.org. You can also follow CREP on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/creppa.org.

PACD is accepting mini-grant applications up to $1,000 (increased from $500) to implement virtual educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment and/or CREP maintenance.

The application deadline is April 9, 2021.

Project examples include virtual meetings or workshops, educational videos, educational publications, postcards, and fact sheets.

The guidelines and application for the new 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.

As part of the CREP Outreach Program Office, PACD is working with Water Words That Work to offer another round of farmer focus groups throughout the PA portion of the Delaware and Ohio Watersheds. Our local farmers’ input is extremely valuable in helping us understand how to successfully deliver the CREP program so that it meets the needs of landowners. Please help us promote these focus groups to farmers in the Ohio and Delaware areas of the state.

All farmers who participate will receive $125 in return for their time.

Focus Groups will be held for the Delaware Watershed are:

• If you are aged 54 or younger, please register for the focus group on April 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-de-1
• If you are aged 55 or older, please register for the focus group on April 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-de-2

Focus Groups will be held for the Ohio Watershed are:

• If you are farming less than 50 acres, please register for the focus group on April 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-oh-1
• If you are farming 50 acres or more, please register for the focus group on April 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-oh-2

Registration is limited to 12 farmers per focus group meeting on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.