The winter 2021 PACD Executive Council Meeting will take place as a video conference on January 28 at 10:00 a.m. Committees will meet virtually prior to the Executive Council session, so watch future editions of Front Page for committee dates. Need to update your district’s slate of voting delegates prior to January? Contact Molly with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.
Nearly 100 attendees, including 69 watershed specialists, participated in the 20th Annual Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting, held virtually October 6-8, 2020.
Each day featured over four hours of virtual learning. Over the three half-days, participants: learned how to develop a community data collection project that delivers results; received an update on the 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report; learned about stream redesignations and water quality standards; discovered how the 10 Million Trees project could contribute to their projects; and learned how to use online tools such as Macroinvertebrates.org, Model My Watershed, and Leaf Pack Network.
Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
PACD members and partners are invited to register for the fall PACD region meetings, which will take place virtually this September and October. Registration for all six web meetings is free and required. To register, please email Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.
PACD North West Region Web Meeting
September 25, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
PACD South Central Region Web Meeting
September 29, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
PACD South East Region Web Meeting
October 1, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
PACD North East Region Web Meeting
October 2, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
PACD South West Region Web Meeting
October 5, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
PACD North Central Region Web Meeting
October 22, 2020 | 10 a.m. to Noon
With the safety of our members in mind, PACD will hold the fall PACD region meetings virtually. More information will be available closer to the date. In the meantime, mark your calendar and plan to attend your fall PACD region web meeting!
PACD North West Region Web Meeting
September 25, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South Central Region Web Meeting
September 29, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South East Region Web Meeting
October 1, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD North East Region Web Meeting
October 2, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD South West Region Web Meeting
October 5, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
PACD North Central Region Web Meeting
October 22, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
On Thursday, July 23, 2020, PACD held it’s first virtual Executive Council Meeting. There were over 92 participants. During the meeting, the following business took place:
– A new policy was adopted: PACD encourages the PA Department of Agriculture and related agencies to develop a delegated agreement with conservation districts to provide funding and authority to battle invasive species.
– A bylaws change to move Armstrong Conservation District from the PACD South West Region to the PACD North West Region received preliminary approval. The final review will take place at the next PACD Executive Council meeting.
– The following slate of officers was re-elected: President – Mike Price, Beaver County Conservation District; 1st Vice President, Kelly Stagen, Pike County Conservation District; 2nd Vice President, Dennis Beck, Cambria County Conservation District; Secretary, Charles Duritsa, Westmoreland Conservation District; Treasurer, Sonia Wasco, Lancaster County Conservation District; NACD Director, Clifford Lane, McKean County Conservation District.
– The budget for the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 was approved with no dues increase.
During the meeting, PACD award recipients and PA Poster Contest Winners were announced, and board and partner reports were given.
Registration is open for the Management Summit 2020 Webinar Series, scheduled for Wednesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. from September 2 through September 30. This year’s program features topics including Managing Remote Teams, Negotiation Skills, and Volunteer Engagement, as well as a follow-up session from the Summer Employment Law webinar series. The Summit Series program will be bookended by the Manager Forum meetings on Wednesday August 26 and October 7, giving Managers an opportunity for roundtable discussion on the topics of resilient leadership and team cohesion in times of uncertainty.
Agenda and registration for the Summit Series can be found at the Building for Tomorrow website.
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.
PACD members and partner agency staff are invited to register for the PACD Executive Council Meeting, which will be held as a Zoom web conference on July 23, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Registration is free and is required to participate. Click here for more information and to register.
In the interest of keeping our members safe, the PACD Executive Board voted to cancel the in-person PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference scheduled for July 22-23, 2020, in Boalsburg. Instead, the Executive Council session will be held virtually on July 23, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. and committees will meet individually via conference call or video call prior to the Executive Council session. The State Conservation Commission will announce plans for their July meeting separately.
Need to update your district’s slate of voting delegates? Contact Molly with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.
More information on the web conference will be shared as it is available.
The Pennsylvania State Senate and the House of Representatives declared May 3-9, 2020, as “Conservation District Week.” During this week, district offices will hold conference calls and virtual meetings with legislators.
Conservation district resources are available here. Resources include:
Please take advantage of these resources PACD created for conservation districts to use.
Pennsylvania’s conservation districts thank Governor Tom Wolf and members of the PA House and Senate for supporting the districts through the state budget.
Events conservation districts planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020, were canceled or modified due to the COVID-19 crisis. So what can we do to mark this momentous occasion? PACD suggests encouraging folks in your county to have a neighborhood trash pick-up while maintaining social distancing guidelines.
Another way to honor Earth Day with kids is to distribute the “We All Live Downstream” otter coloring page and the “Good Neighbors Activity & Coloring Book” through social media.
Please share your Earth Day messages on Facebook and tag @PAConservation.