Twenty-four individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level April 13-16, 2026, at the Union County Government Center in Lewisburg, PA. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and its affiliates, Penn State Extension, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, county farmland preservation offices, and nonprofit organizations.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, Penn State Extension, and PACD coordinate the event.

PACD will randomly spotlight one social media post from a conservation district each week. Don’t forget to share or tag other districts to share good news or something others could learn about.

This week’s feature is the Perry County Conservation District’s Facebook post on silvopasture. Follow the district at https://www.facebook.com/p/Perry-County-Conservation-District-100064543698332/.

PACD is hiring a 100% remote full-time person based in Western Pennsylvania (with travel required throughout Western Pennsylvania). The position will pay $50,000 to $55,000/year, depending on experience.

The Engineering Technician provides technical and field support for the design, layout, inspection, and implementation of agricultural conservation practices funded through the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).

The deadline to apply is April 24, 2026. Click here for more information. 

Mark your calendars! The PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, PA August 5-6, 2026, with preconference activities planned for August 4. Keep an eye out for details in an upcoming issue of Front Page!

The 2026 Staff Training Initiative wrapped up on March 31 with a workshop at the Wanango Country Club. A total of 113 district and partner staff attended the Assertive Communications & Empowered Conflict Management training series, presented by Rita Coleman, and over 60 attended the February webinar series sessions on Working with Local Media and Smart Social Media, presented by Piper Strategies.

Stay tuned for a survey and announcements on 2026-27 Leadership Development programming for staff.

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.

Only five districts have signed up so far!

PACD is again partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for the annual Conservation District Trash Champion Contest. To participate in the contest, PA’s conservation districts are invited to register and pick up trash between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

Register for your event now and report your results to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful upon completing your trash pick-up efforts. Receive free bags, gloves, and safety vests as supplies last. Free or reduced disposal is available at participating landfills in April.

The winning district will receive $500 from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. New for 2026, an additional prize will be awarded for the most volunteer hours!

Click here to view the flyer. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

 

PACD will randomly spotlight one social media post from a conservation district each week. Don’t forget to share or tag other districts to share good news or something others could learn about.

This week’s feature is the Elk County Conservation District’s Facebook post on water. Follow the district at https://www.facebook.com/ElkCountyConservationDistrict/.

 

Highlighting PA conservation district employees who go above and beyond. Conservation district directors, associate directors, and staff may highlight outstanding district employees in our weekly e-newsletter by using this form. 

PACD will randomly spotlight one social media post from a conservation district each week. Don’t forget to share or tag other districts to share good news or something others could learn about.

This week’s feature is the Bradford County Conservation District’s Facebook post on “leaving the leaves” for spring. Follow the district at https://www.facebook.com/BradfordCountyConservationDistrict/.

 

Registration is now open for Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training, which will take place June 1-5, 2026, at the Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center in Camp Hill, PA. Attendance is open to conservation district and DEP employees working with Chapter 102.

The training is appropriate for individuals who are new or relatively new to their position, have never attended a similar training, would like a refresher, or would like guidance and skill enhancement for field inspections. The course curriculum assumes all participants have completed the prerequisite coursework on Clean Water Academy.

There is no cost to register, most meals are provided, and lodging reimbursement is available. (See registration page for additional details.) There is no virtual attendance option.

Click here for additional information and to register. You must log into the Clean Water Academy (CWA) to register. Please contact Molly Bengs at mbengs@pacd.org if you need help accessing the CWA. All other questions may be directed to Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

This 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.