This year’s 102/105 Topic-based Technical Training took place April 10-12, 2018, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. A record 125 participants from 47 conservation districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection received in-depth training on Post Construction Stormwater Management (PCSM), Chapter 105, and other topics that support clean, accessible, water for Pennsylvania’s citizens.

This annual training is funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

On April 6, 2018, a retirement party was held for Pike County Conservation District Manager Sally Corrigan in Lake Ariel, PA. The event was attended by both the conservation community and elected officials. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Pike County for the event. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement, Sally!

 

Thirty individuals attended Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Basic Level April 2-6, 2018, at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

The training is sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission. PACD works with these partners to coordinate the training.

 

Volunteers are still needed at the Conservation Booth at the 2018 Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference. The conference runs from Sunday April 22 to Tuesday April 24 at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA.

Help is needed for:

• Sunday, April 22 – 12-5pm
• Monday, April 23 – 12-4pm

This is a great opportunity for district volunteers to be able to talk about district programs and build relationships with township officials from across Pennsylvania. Volunteer now by contacting Jann McNamara at jmcnamara@pacd.org or call 717-238-7223. 

The Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting was held March 12, 2018 at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA.

Over 160 staff from conservation districts and partner agencies attended the meeting. Topics included program updates, innovative projects, and positive landowner interaction.

The event is facilitated by PACD with financial support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, the Clean Water Fund, and the Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP).

 

Close to 4,000 township officials and guests from all over Pennsylvania will attend the annual Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference and Trade Show. Once again there will be a conservation district booth at the show, which runs from Sunday, April 22, through Tuesday, April 24.

Trade Show dates and times are:

• Sunday 4/22 Noon­­–5:00 pm
• Monday 4/23 7:30 am–4:00 pm (this can be broken into two shifts 7:30–12:00 and 12:00–4:00)
• Tuesday 4/24 7:30 am–1:30 pm

Please consider volunteering for a morning or afternoon shift at the conservation district booth. It’s a great way for district staff to reinforce existing relationships and start building new ones with local township officials. It’s also an opportunity to promote the districts and explain the type of programs and work they do. Contact Jann McNamara at jmcnamara@pacd.org to volunteer.

Registration is now open for the 2018 102/105 Basic/Refresher Technical Training course. The course is open to conservation district and DEP staff and will take place March 21-24, 2018 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. There is little or no cost to attend. (See registration information for details.)

Registration for the Topic-Based session, which will take place at the same location on April 10-12, 2018, will be announced in an upcoming issue of Front Page. Click here to register or for more information about the March session.

The 102nd Pennsylvania Farm Show concluded on January 13, 2018, in Harrisburg, PA. Many thanks to the conservation districts who staffed the booth and brought their own unique exhibits to the Farm Show.

They are:

• Berks
• Chester
• Cumberland
• Franklin
• Lancaster
• Lebanon
• Lehigh
• Perry
• Schuylkill
• York

Thank you so much to the many volunteers who made the booth a success!

 

Applications are now being accepted for the Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic level and Level II). Conservation district staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free, week-long training opportunities which include both classroom learning and experience in the field.

Basic Level – April 2-6, 2018

Level II – April 23-27, 2018

If you do not receive confirmation from PACD, you will not be admitted. No walk-ins will be accepted. Both courses are held at the Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County). Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

These training opportunities are made possible by the following sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

Register Now. Time is running out to register for one of the Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops coming up in January 2018. You will learn how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and how to train others to use the manual. Techniques for conducting plan-writing workshops to help farmers develop their manure management plans are also covered.

PACD and the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) host these workshops for conservation district, DEP, Penn State Extension, and other agency staff members involved in helping agricultural producers write manure management plans. Both new and experienced staff are invited to attend. The workshops are free and lunch will be provided.

Go to the PACD Events tab at www.PACD.org or click on the link below for more information or to register. Dates and Locations are:

January 23, 2018 DCNR Bureau of Forestry Office, Clarion, Clarion County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

January 25, 2018 Penn State Extension Building, New Bloomfield, Perry County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

January 30, 2018 PA Department of Ag – Region 3 Office, Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, PA
Click here for more information or to register for this workshop