It is with sadness that we report the passing of Pat Sueck, former PACD President, on March 13, 2020.

Pat was first appointed to the Board of the York County Conservation District in 1990. In 1998 Pat was elected as the PACD President and served in that position for two years. For 18 years, she served as the PACD representative to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) representing

Pennsylvania at the national and regional levels. Pat kept busy promoting conservation at countless NACD annual and regional conventions, legislative “fly-ins” to D.C., and Envirothon events at the county, state, and national levels. Pat has chaired the NACD North East Education Committee and served as the NACD North East President. She was also a member of the National Conservation Foundation, which is now the home of the National Envirothon. Pat was the recipient of the District Special Service Award in 1998, the NACD President’s Award in 2010, and the PACD Distinguished Service Award in 2012.

Her dedication to conservation and agriculture was apparent to anyone who met her. Her warmth, caring, and leadership in the conservation community will be missed.

Click here to read her obituary. 

The Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives have declared May 3-9, 2020, as “Conservation District Week.” During Conservation District Week, districts across the state are encouraged to hold events for legislators. This is an opportunity to showcase the projects your conservation district works on every day that improve the lives of your county’s citizens.

The Capitol Legislative Day will be Wednesday, May 6. All districts are welcome to join PACD in Harrisburg to educate our elected officials on conservation district activities. If you come to Harrisburg, we will schedule meetings with your elected House and Senate members. We will also schedule a meeting with appropriations staff and the Governor’s office.

Conservation District Week is also an opportunity to thank members of the PA House and Senate, as well as the Governor, for supporting the districts by providing the funds necessary to preserve and protect our Commonwealth’s natural resources through the budgetary process.

Did you know there is a PACD listserve for every PACD member? They are free to join and use. Conservation district directors, associate directors, and staff can all take advantage of this service for members. Listserve members can communicate with counterparts across the state in a single email, and receive announcements and information relevant to their job duties.

PACD currently offers listserves for the following individuals:

• agricultural technicians
• erosion and sedimentation technicians
• administrative support staff
• managers
• directors and associate directors
• watershed specialists
• dirt, gravel, and low volume road specialists
• environmental educators
• mosquito-borne disease control technicians

Please note that you may subscribe to more than one listserve based on your interests and job duties. Interested? Contact Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org to subscribe.

Volunteers are needed at the conservation district booth at the 2020 Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference. The conference runs from Sunday, May 3, to Tuesday, May 5, at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA.

Help is needed for:

Sunday, May 3: Noon–5:00 p.m.
Monday, May 4: 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5: 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

This is an excellent opportunity for district volunteers 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.

This position is located in Bloomsburg, PA, with the employer of record being the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and day to day technical guidance provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Natural Resources Specialist.

The incumbent has primary responsibility for providing assistance and coordination support for the National Conservation Planning Partnership conservation planning efforts. The position is under the technical supervision of the NRCS Natural Resources Specialist located in Benton, PA.

Click here to read the job description. 

A cover letter and resume should be emailed to personnel@pacd.org by January 10, 2020.

What are the PACD staff asking Santa for this year? Click here to watch a short holiday video to find out.

On November 6, 2019, the PACD Executive Board met at the PACD office in Harrisburg. In addition to the business meeting, the board participated in a leadership development workshop,* and a review of PACD financials.

*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 hard to believe PACD has been in the new building for a year! Our mail forwarding order with USPS is expiring soon. Please make sure you have the PACD address updated in your system: 5925 Stevenson Avenue, Suite A, Harrisburg, PA 17112.

The Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) review course and exam were held on September 3 and 4, 2019. Nine people attended the course, which was held at the Lebanon County Conservation District Office.

PACD co-hosted the review course in order for conservation district employees to attend at a discounted price.