Discount available for conservation district staff

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) is co-hosting a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) Review Course on September 3, 2019. The exam will be September 4, 2019. Both the review course and exam will take place at the Lebanon County Conservation District Office, 2120 Cornwall Rd., Lebanon, PA.

The CPESC certification is a professional designation for erosion and sedimentation technicians, engineers, and other specialists involved in design, construction, inspection or other aspects of erosion and sedimentation control. If you have not yet started the CPESC certification process, we recommend you go to the Envirocert International, Inc. website and review the requirements and process now.

The review course is designed to ensure CPESC applicants understand what concepts will be covered by the exam and acts as a review for most of those concepts. Note that there is special pricing for PA conservation district staff for the review course. The cost is $175 for conservation district employees and $365 for everyone else. The exam fee is $150. Before registering, contact Amy Brown at abrown@pacd.org or 717-238-7223 x104 for a district staff discount code or with any questions.

Click here for the registration link and here with instructions on how to register.

The review course is open to anyone including conservation districts, agency staff, or private companies, who is actively pursuing a CPESC certification through EnviroCert International, Inc. Please pass this information along to anyone who may be interested.

Please consider volunteering at the Conservation District Exhibit at the Penn State’s 2019 Ag Progress Days.

Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College, PA, and features the latest technology and research exhibits, educational programs, and guided tours.

About 60% of the 45,000 expected to attend are actively engaged in agriculture or related activities. With so many farming families from across Pennsylvania at this event, it’s a great opportunity to call attention to the work and programs districts do.

This year’s event will be held August 13-15, 2019. Volunteers are needed for the shifts listed below. Send your name and contact information to jmcnamara@pacd.org or call 717-238-7223 with questions or to schedule your shift.

Tuesday, Aug. 13:     9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (1 volunteer needed)

Tuesday, Aug. 13:     1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (2 volunteers needed)

Wednesday, Aug. 14: 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (2 volunteers needed)

Wednesday, Aug. 14: 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (2 volunteers needed)

Wednesday, Aug. 14: 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (2 volunteers needed)

Thursday, Aug. 15:   9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (2 volunteers needed)

Thursday, Aug. 15:   1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m (1 volunteer needed)

A final volunteer schedule, parking passes, and other show information will be sent to volunteers when available. For more information on Ag Progress Days go to the event website at http://agsci.psu.edu/apd.

If you haven’t visited the conference website lately, stop by and check out the newest information. Updates include changes to the afternoon sessions on Wednesday, July 17, and a list of nearby after-dinner options within walking distance of the hotel. Haven’t registered yet? Make sure to register before the July 4 holiday. The preregistration deadline is Monday, July 8. Walk-in registrations are welcome and will be taken on a space-available basis at the conference. Click here for updated information and register today!

The early-bird discount for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference expires this Friday, June 21. That’s only five more days to take advantage of the early-bird discount! The conference will take place July 17-18, 2019, at the Genetti Hotel in Williamsport, PA. Click here to register and find out more.

Registration is now open for the 72^nd PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference, to take place July 17-18, 2019, at the historic Genetti Hotel in Williamsport, PA. This year’s attendees will learn about changes to conservation programs under the 2018 Farm Bill, including a special session on updates to the USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

Click here to register and for more information. We look forward to seeing you in July!

On May 8, 2019, six conservation districts (Allegheny, Cambria, Fulton, Indiana, Luzerne, and McKean) visited their legislators in Harrisburg. The conservation district representatives spoke to legislators about the 2019-20 state budget, shared the success of the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Program, and expressed opposition to HB 509 (third party reviewer) legislation.

While visiting the Capitol, conservation district staff and directors joined PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh to meet with the House Appropriations Committee staff and the Governor’s Deputy Secretary of Policy.

On May 7, 2019, nine members of the PACD Executive Board traveled to PACD’s new office in Harrisburg for an in-person meeting. In addition to seeing the new office, board members conducted their monthly business meeting, viewed a presentation on PACD programs from the PACD staff, and discussed the status of the PACD strategic plan.

District volunteers helped at the conservation district table at this year’s PA State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference from Sunday, April 14, through Tuesday, April 17. About 4,000 township officials from across the Commonwealth attended the three-day event.

The primary focus of the district exhibit was to share information about conservation district programs and initiatives that affect local townships. The district volunteers helped build new relationships and reinforce existing relationships with township officials.

In addition, Cliff Lane, PACD North West Region Director; Chris Strohmaier, Chester County Conservation District Manager; Dave Rupert, Armstrong Conservation District Manager; and Lori Glace Cumberland County Conservation District Watershed Specialist/Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads; conducted a workshop entitled, “The Dirt on Conservation Districts.”

Many thanks to Lance Bowes, Sharon Pletchan, Evan Corondi, and Kelsey Schwenk for their help at the conference!