PACD Executive Director Amy Brown attended the 2025 Chesapeake Agricultural Networking Forum from November 12-14 in Hershey, PA.

The event was held for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grantees, partners, and practitioners in agricultural conservation from across the region. Attendees discussed emerging trends and topics, networked, shared information and ideas, and informed what’s next for collective efforts to further advance agricultural conservation across the Bay watershed.

 

Mark your calendars for the 2026 PACD Winter Meeting, which will take place as a series of videoconferences throughout January. Registration will be both free and required. Watch for registration information in a future edition of Front Page.

PACD Conservation Committee Videoconference
January 7, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD District Employees Committee Videoconference
January 9, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD Education and Outreach Committee Videoconference
January 13, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD Legislative Committee Videoconference
January 15, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD Ways and Means Committee Videoconference
January 22, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD Operations Committee Videoconference
January 23, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

PACD Executive Council Committee Videoconference
January 29, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–Noon

Lancaster County Conservation District held a Gala on September 25, 2025, at Moonstone Manor in Elizabethtown, PA. Over 160 people attended the Gala to celebrate the district’s 75th year. PACD Executive Director Amy Brown attended the celebration.

Click here to read the event press release. 

 

Missed it? Join a webinar on October 9.

PACD partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to offer a riparian buffer boot camp in Snyder County. Nine conservation district staff attended the field day to learn how to complete new site visits, develop a planting plan, use flags to mark the site, and conduct maintenance. Participants planted and sheltered trees as part of the hands-on learning experience.

If you were unable to attend the in-person training, please join us for a virtual riparian buffer training for conservation districts by registering using the link below. 

Riparian Forest Buffer Training for Conservation Districts
October 9, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. to Noon

This training is partially financed by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

 

The 2025 Management Summit was held September 16–18 at the Wyndham Garden Conference Center in State College. Over 60 district managers, management staff, and partner staff attended. In addition to keynotes on managing uncertainty, understanding artificial intelligence, and communicating for influence, attendees participated in discussions on change management models, learned about audits and principles of accounting, and were updated on current legislative issues.

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.

It’s time to RSVP for your fall region meeting! All meetings will be held in person, with the option to attend virtually. PACD will provide updates on PACD projects, strategic planning, and legislative activities.

Please note that in-person attendance for the North West Region Meeting is recommended due to high visitor volume and Wi-Fi demand.

Please click on your region meeting below for RSVP information and other details.

PACD North West Region Meeting
September 29, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Elk Country Visitor Center, Benezette, PA

PACD South West Region Meeting
September 30, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Westmoreland Conservation District, Greensburg, PA

PACD North East Region Meeting
October 9, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Pike County Conservation District, Hawley, PA

PACD North Central Region Meeting
October 14, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA

PACD South Central Region Meeting
October 16, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA

PACD South East Region Meeting
October 30, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. to Noon
Henning’s Market, Harleysville, PA

 

PACD First Vice President Barb Peace and PACD Acting Executive Director Amy Brown attended the announcement for the relaunch of the Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Stewardship (PACS) program on August 12, 2025, at Ag Progress Days.

Also during Ag Progress Days, Barb and Amy attended an evening legislative reception hosted by Penn State at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Barb and Amy met legislators and spoke with PA Department of Agriculture Secretary Redding and Deputy Secretary Hostetter. PACD thanks Versant Strategies for sponsoring the event and inviting us to attend.

 

Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition, was held August 12-14, 2025, at Pennsylvania State University’s Research Farms in Rock Springs. During the three-day event, conservation districts from Centre, Indiana, Juniata, Mifflin, Schuylkill, and Westmoreland counties met hundreds of landowners and farmers to discuss local conservation.

Thank you so much to all who volunteered to share conservation districts’ excellent work with the public. A special thank you to Westmoreland Conservation District for setting up the booth and Mifflin County Conservation District for taking it down.

Two sessions and tours were held during the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference on July 16, 2025.

The Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) – Oven Run – A Restoration Success Story session was led by

Greg Shustrick, Watershed Specialist/Assistant Manager, Somerset Conservation District; Phil Wilson, Conservation Technician, PACD Engineering Assistance Program; Danielle Kalp, P.E., Conservation Engineer, PACD Engineering Assistance Program; and Lenny Lichvar, Bottomlands Conservancy. Attendees learned how cutting-edge treatment systems have dramatically improved water quality in the Stonycreek River watershed.

The Large-Scale Solar in Pennsylvania session was led by Daniel Brockett, Educator, Penn State Extension. Attendees learned about solar leases, environmental considerations, decommissioning, and how conservation districts can support informed landowner decisions.

Thank you to all the speakers for putting together these fun and educational tours!

Click here to read an article about the AMD Tour. 

The 2025 PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will take place this week from July 15-17 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, Pennsylvania.

The event features:

• Pre-conference activities include golfing, hiking, and biking
• Conservation district funding session
• Immersive experiences on solar production or acid mine drainage
• Awards Luncheon
• State Conservation Commission 80th Anniversary Celebration
• Networking breakfasts
• State Conservation Commission Meeting
• PACD Executive Council Meeting
• Basket raffle

Look for conference highlights, award recipients, and photos from the event in the next issue of Front Page.