The Potter County Conservation District held a “Managing Buffers for Wildlife” field day, where they discussed the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), riparian areas, pollinators, invasive species, and forestry practices. The project cost $352.

This event was funded through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

On October 7, 2023, the Indiana County Conservation District (ICCD) had its very first Apple Festival to encourage local farmers to diversify their crops, help them stay in business, and keep produce locally grown for the community. ICCD Executive Director Doug Beri envisioned having a festival focused on live apple cider making, and from that, Apple Fest was born. ICCD has never hosted a festival before, so this was a new challenge, but with teamwork and planning, they brought out around 600 people to join in the fun.

Apple Fest included food trucks like Suttons Sweet Treats and Portia’s Donuts, vendors who brought their wonderful crafts and products out to share, and volunteer organizations to do kids activities, including Plant Patrol, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and Penns Manor FFA with a wonderful little petting zoo. But the main event was the apple cider making, where guests and the public could sample and help make the fresh hot and cold apple cider. ICCD had hundreds of apples bought and donated by local farmers to make about 100 gallons of delicious apple cider.

ICCD hopes to make this an annual event to continue to educate local farmers and community members about the benefits of locally grown specialty crops.

On October 19, 2023, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service officials joined Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission representatives to launch the new Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training (the Center). Berks County Conservation District Manager Dean Druckenmiller attended the event.

Through the Center, this partnership aims to provide resources and technical expertise to Pennsylvania’s conservation professionals to implement agricultural conservation practices. The Center will also help ensure healthy land and water throughout the Commonwealth by leveraging funding and partnerships.

The Center will specialize in creating and hosting technical training, assuring conservation practices meet the highest quality standards, offering continuing education credits to conservation professionals, and furthering conservation practice implementation in the Commonwealth.

Click here to read the full press release. 

 

 

This fall, PACD worked with the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to coordinate communications workshops for conservation district and DEP staff. The two-part series kicked off with Verbal Judo October 12-13, 2023, at the Wyndham Garden State College in Boalsburg, PA. The series wrapped up with two back-to-back sessions of The Art and Science of Deception October 25 and 26, 2023, at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA.

Verbal Judo was originally designed for law enforcement officers and teaches techniques to generate voluntary compliance by managing and redirecting emotionally charged verbal attacks. The Art and Science of Deception is designed to improve an individual’s ability to detect deception and get to the truth. These workshops are useful for anyone who regularly deals with the public, particularly technicians and field staff. PACD received a total of over 80 registrations for the workshops.

All district personnel and partners are invited to participate in the 2023 Fall Leadership Webinar Series. This year’s series includes sessions on financial issues, website accessibility, and insurance gaps. Sessions are scheduled from Noon–1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, November 15, 29, and December 13. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

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.

On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, Blair County Conservation District’s Stormwater Coordinator/Watershed Specialist Chelsey Weyant provided testimony to the Senate Democratic Policy Committee on the consequences of insufficient funding to address stormwater issues. Weyant represented the Blair County Conservation District, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, and the Blair County Intergovernmental Stormwater Committee.

The Committee hearing addressed the increasing challenges stormwater issues cause our communities. Funds received from the American Rescue Plan were in high demand. However, it was determined that Pennsylvania needs nearly five times the initial funding to address water, sewer, and stormwater needs.

Click here to read the testimony and here to view a recording of the hearing. (Weyant’s testimony starts at 1:47.)

 

PACD is hiring six conservation planners or nutrient management specialists, who will work toward conservation planning certification for a two-year period to assist in conservation efforts across the Commonwealth. One planner will be hired in each of these counties: Dauphin, Erie, Bucks, Indiana, Lackawanna/Wayne, and Franklin. The salary range is $45,000 to $50,000 per year.

Click here to read the entire job description. 

Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to PACD by e-mail with the subject heading “Conservation Planner” to: jobs@pacd.org. All application materials must be received by 4:00 PM on November 3, 2023.

The conservation district watershed specialists hold a photo contest during their annual meeting. The contest has four categories and an overall top winner.

Here are the 2023 results:

• Miscellaneous Water – A Seldom Seen Passage, Cori Trice, Chester County Conservation District
• Water at Work – Elk Creek – Steelhead Run, Scott Alexander, Fulton County Conservation District
• People and Water – Meadow Grounds Lake – Autumn Morning, Scott Alexander, Fulton County Conservation District
• Water as Art – Reflecting on New Hope, Vy Trinh, Adams County Conservation District
• Best in Show – Soon to Be Shaded, Tyler Keefer, Lancaster County Conservation District

Congratulations to all the winners! Thank you to all those who participated in the contest. It’s great to see photos from across the state! Click here to view the full versions of the winning photos. 

It was a beautiful day for a ride along the Westmoreland Heritage Trail (WHT) at the Westmoreland Conservation District’s first Pedaling for Conservation Bike Ride.

Participants brought their own bikes and enjoyed an easy, 8-mile (round trip) ride on one of the area’s most popular recreation spots. The participants stopped at multiple sites along the trail to hear from speakers about stormwater management, streambank stabilization, and invasive plants and learn about local history.

The event was the idea of Emil Bove, Westmoreland Conservation District Board Member, PACD 1st Vice President, and avid cyclist. Sponsors for the event included Westmoreland Heritage Trail, Turtle Creek Watershed Association, Bove Engineering, and Flat Tire Co. Bike Shop.

Adams County Conservation District hosted Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) field days, farmer and landowner workshops, and one-on-one site visits as part of their CREP education and outreach project. Riparian buffer installation and maintenance demos were provided at the Adams County Planting Partnership tree distribution, where over 400 partners picked up tree seedlings.

The district received $2,993 for the project through the CREP Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. Click here for more information and to apply.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.