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.

The Berks County Conservation District held its Legislative Breakfast on June 6, 2025, hosted by Giorgi Mushroom Company at their facility in Blandon, PA. The event highlighted the impact of collaboration among agencies and funding sources, specifically the Growing Greener Plus Grant Program. With $64,799 in grant funds and $27,023 in-kind and cash contributions from Giorgi, the project supported environmental management planning for mushroom farms, compliance visits with the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Best Management Practices implementation, and digital mapping of operations.

Following the presentation, attendees toured parts of the mushroom farm. The event welcomed representatives from Giorgi, the Berks County Conservation District, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Penn State Extension, state legislators and staff, the Berks County Commissioners, the DEP, and the State Conservation Commission. Giorgi went above and beyond in their hospitality by assisting with all aspects of the event and offering attendees local mushroom products and branded gifts. The Conservation District extends its sincere thanks to Giorgi Mushroom Company and all who participated in making the event a success.

 

Tuesday, June 24, is the last day to reserve your overnight room at the special conference rate of $169.00 plus tax with no resort fee! This is a significant savings over the hotel’s regular rates, so be sure to make your overnight reservations before the block expires.

Speaking of the conference, did you know Westmoreland Conservation District is hosting a basket raffle to benefit PACD at the event? The district is asking each conservation district to bring a basket valued at $75-$100 showcasing what you can find in your county. Be creative and show us what makes your county a standout in Pennsylvania. Bring cash to the conference to buy tickets and win the basket of your dreams! Email Tammy Marsh at wcd@wcdpa.com by July 1 with the theme and contents of your basket to include in the basket raffle program.

The PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will take place July 15-17 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, Pennsylvania. Click here to register and for more information. Questions? Contact Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

 

This Friday, June 13, is the last day to get in on early-bird rates to save up to $30 on registration for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference!

The meeting will be held from July 15 to 17, 2025, at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, PA. If you’re arriving early, have some fun in the great outdoors and take in the beauty of the Laurel Highlands with one of our preconference activities on July 15 from 1:00 PM-4:30 PM.

Golf Outing: Highlands Golf Club at Seven Springs

Join Berks County Conservation District Manager Dean Druckenmiller for a scramble-format golf outing at the beautiful Highlands Golf Club at Seven Springs, which offers fun and challenging course featuring picturesque views of the Laurel Highlands. Berks will even throw in a sleeve of three balls for each player! A charge of $44 per person will cover a golf cart and greens fees.

Biking and Hiking at Ohiopyle State Park

Not a golfer? Join Emil Bove with the Westmoreland Conservation District for a scenic bike ride. Get to know the Youghiogheny river with Riverkeeper Eric Harder before riding the scenic Youghiogheny River Trail to Confluence. If you’d rather enjoy a day of hiking, exploring Ohiopyle, or just enjoying nature on your own, the park offers plenty of options, including hiking trails from easy to challenging. These activities are free to participate!

Click here for more information and to register.