The 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference will take place February 16-17, 2022.

Dealing with difficult people and situations involves developing and applying skills not usually taught in traditional conservation training. The Staff Conference Day 1 workshop, presented by Rita Coleman Graham, will focus on self-awareness and situational awareness, active listening and assertive messaging skills, and techniques for de-escalating stressful interactions, with interactive exercises designed to empower conservation district staff to help improve their encounters with difficult people.

Pivoting from external encounters to internal reactions in stressful situations, the Day 1 Keynote Session will focus on resilience, stress, and humor to help staff find what presenter Jonathan Cleck describes as “calm amidst the storm.” This presentation will share lessons learned from a career spent in intensely stressful situations. In addition, it will help staff understand the complexities of their emotional and mental responses to adversity, stress, and chaos.

Day 1 wraps up with the 2nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards presentation, where finalist entries from 2021 will be screened. The coveted CONDIVA trophy will be awarded to the top-scoring submissions. All district personnel are invited to tune in via Zoom at 3:00 p.m. on February 16, 2022, when we present the awards and recognize staff with exceptional training completion in Clean Water Academy.

Two days of learning and networking, two ways to participate – Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register. The deadline for 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference registration is February 7.

Rita Coleman Graham, Owner of Coleman-Graham, brings decades of experience in the environmental field to provide facilitation and training for individuals, teams, and organizations on communication, conflict resolution, and leadership development to empower them to succeed.

Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Cleck is a career Navy SEAL officer, former Federal Air Marshal, FBI Task Force Officer, and recognized speaker on leadership, focusing on mental fortitude, team mindset, and building trust. Combining his diverse experiences in law enforcement and military special operations with his doctoral research in human performance, Jonathan’s message uses humor and hard-learned lessons to help those who work through chaotic and unpredictable circumstances to maximize their ability to perform in today’s challenging and unforgiving work environments.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

District directors, associate directors, and managers are invited to participate in this year’s Director Workshop series: Staff Retention, the Employee Life Cycle, and Post-Covid Policies, presented by Mary Kay Williams of State College-based MindShift Consulting and Matt Miller with PACD. The workshops will present an overview of the current district staffing situation, background, and concepts that underlie successful retention strategies for conservation districts. These sessions are intended to allow district leadership from across the state to share and discuss their own problems and solutions. Workshops are scheduled for February 24 at Westmoreland Conservation District, March 3 at Clinton County Conservation District, and March 9 in Harrisburg (and streaming online via Zoom). They are free of charge and include lunch for in-person attendees. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Reminder: Staff Conference Room Block Deadline is January 14

District staff planning to attend the 2022 Staff Conference in person have until this Friday, January 14, to make a reservation from the event room block. Instructions for making reservations are posted at the in-person registration portal. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

2022 Director Workshops to Focus on Staff Retention and Post-Covid Employee Policies

Registration is open for the 2022 Director Workshop Series, with in-person and online participation options. This year’s workshop program includes an overview of current district staffing challenges, a presentation on performance management and successful retention strategies, and a discussion of retention recommendations from managers. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Registration is open for the 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference, featuring in-person and virtual attendance options on February 16 & 17. The Day 1 Conference program includes keynotes on dealing with difficult people and situations and learning from and overcoming stress before shifting gears to recognize excellence in video production with the 2nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards. Day 2 includes a keynote on public perceptions of conservation work and breakouts on working with rural landowners, cybersecurity, grant management, and district outreach. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

Reminder for all district directors, associate directors, and managers – register now for the 2022 Director workshop series on Staff Retention, the Employee Life Cycle, and post-Covid policies. Workshops are scheduled in-person for February 24 at Westmoreland Conservation District, March 3 at Clinton County Conservation District, and March 9 at Harrisburg’s Best Western Premier Central. A virtual option is also available on March 9. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Registration is now open for the 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference, scheduled for February 16-17, 2022 at the Wyndham Garden State College AND streaming live via Zoom. This year’s conference features keynotes on Resilience, Stress & the Value of Humor, Dealing with Difficult People & Situations, and Public Attitudes on Conservation Work, as well as sessions on cybersecurity, grant management, outreach, working with rural landowners, and the 2^nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards.

Staff can register individually to attend in-person, and managers can register their districts for virtual access.  For more information, conference agenda, and registration, visit Building for Tomorrow.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Building for Tomorrow is now accepting submissions for the 2^nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, February 16, at the 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference. Districts can submit videos produced this year to compete for the coveted CONDIVA trophy, which will be awarded to winners in three categories.

Click here for contest rules and the submission form. 

The deadline for entries is December 31, 2021.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Directors and managers can still register for the Fall Leadership Webinar Series. Part 1 of Succession Planning Management is scheduled for this Wednesday, November 3, at Noon, with Part 2 on November 17. Environmental Justice & Conservation Leadership will be presented on November 10. Click here for more information and to register 

Reminder for districts interested in strategic planning: Letters of Intent for the Strategic Planning Grants program must be received by November 19. For more information, visit Building for Tomorrow or contact Matt Miller, Leadership Development Coordinator, at mmiller@pacd.org

The 2^nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards will be presented on Wednesday, February 16, at the 2022 Staff Conference. Stay tuned for an announcement and contest submission rules later this month.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Mark your calendars for the 2022 Conservation District Staff Conference, scheduled for February 16-17 at the Wyndham Garden State College in Boalsburg. The conference will be a hybrid in-person/virtual meeting featuring interactive sessions on conflict management, resilience, and burnout prevention, and the 2nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

The Fall Leadership Webinar series begins on November 3, 2021, with Succession Planning Management Part 1, presented by Dennis Gilbert. The series continues on November 10 with Environmental Justice & Conservation Leadership, presented by Justin Dula, Regional Coordinator for the DEP Office of Environmental Justice. The series wraps up with succession Planning Management Part 2 on November 17. All district directors, associate directors, and managers are encouraged to participate. Click here for more information and to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Does your district have a succession plan? Vacancies in key positions can disrupt operations and cause significant extra workload and worries, but succession planning management can help alleviate the stress and uncertainty of dealing with vacancies, both planned and unplanned. This comprehensive two-part webinar will examine current workforce challenges, the true costs of a lack of preparedness, and actions you can take now to ensure smoother future transitions.

Note for those registered or planning to register for the Fall Leadership Webinar series: Succession Planning Management Part 1 (originally scheduled for October 27) will now be on Wednesday November 3 and Part 2 will be on Wednesday November 17.

District board members, associate directors, managers, and partners can still register for the Fall Leadership Webinar Series. For more information and to register, please visit Building for Tomorrow. 

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Fall Leadership Webinar Series

Directors, managers, and interested district personnel and partners are encouraged to register for the Fall Leadership webinar series in October and November. This year’s Fall Leadership series includes presentations on succession planning and environmental justice. Click here for more information and to register.

Strategic Planning Grants

Reminder to districts considering strategic planning for the coming year – deadline to submit a Letter of Intent for the 2021-22 Strategic Planning Grants program is November 19. Click here for program requirements.

Management Summit Wrap-Up

The 2021 Management Summit was held last week in State College. This year’s event included a pre-conference meeting to wrap up the 2021 new manager hybrid training program. Fifteen new managers, assistant managers, and partners attended the pre-conference, with an additional four participating virtually.

Congratulations to the 2021 New Manager Training class, which included Nathan Brophy (Northumberland), Dion Campbell (Northampton), James Coslo (Centre), Ellen Enslin (Pike), Kevin Frederick (Lehigh), Kristina Heaney (Monroe), Holly Laird (Armstrong), Matthew Long (Lycoming), Jeff Hill (York), Jeff Pflug (Beaver), Carrie Richmond (Sullivan), and Trevor Weaver (Mifflin).

The Summit was attended by 48 managers, assistant managers, and partner staff, with an additional seven participating virtually. This year’s program focused on staff development and retention, with keynotes on coaching, mentoring, performance management, and employee life cycle.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.