The 74th National Association of Conservation District’s Annual Meeting took place at Bally’s Las Vegas, February 8-12, 2020. NACD Director Cliff Lane and Alternate NACD Director Kelly Stagen joined by several other conservation district and partnering agency representatives.

Hosted in partnership with the Nevada Association of Conservation Districts, NACD’s 2020 Annual Meeting brought together nearly 1,000 conservation leaders from across the nation for educational sessions, workshops, and networking. This year’s meeting theme, “Conservation Innovation: Working from the Roots Up,” explored innovative techniques for delivering conservation on the ground.

During the meeting, the Board of Directors elected Michael Crowder of West Richland, Washington, to serve as the association’s president-elect.

The Lawrence County Conservation District (LCCD) created an edible rain garden for their 2019-20 Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant Project.

LCCD Watershed Specialist Mary Burris installed an edible rain garden at the Lower East Side Community Garden in conjunction with the Lower East Side Neighborhood Watch, Tri-County CleanWays, and DON Enterprises. Columbia Gas also provided volunteer labor and heavy machinery.

The community garden feeds more than 50 families, and the edible rain garden will supply blueberries, elderberries, Aronia berries, strawberries, and rhubarb. The rain garden also serves as a stormwater best management practice to catch and slow runoff and will provide a location for education programs.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Mark your calendar and join us for the PACD spring region meetings!

The region meeting dates and locations are as follows:

March 24, 2020
PACD South Central Region Meeting
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA

March 26, 2020
PACD North Central Region Meeting
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA

March 31, 2020
PACD South West Region Meeting
Westmoreland Conservation District, Greensburg, PA

April 3, 2020
PACD North East Region Meeting
DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre, PA

April 22, 2020
PACD North West Region Meeting
Venango County (location TBA)

April 30, 2020
PACD South East Region Meeting
Henning’s Market, Harleysville, PA

 

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.

The 2020 102/105 Basic Technical Training session is open to conservation district and DEP staff. The event will take place March 16-19 at the Wyndham State College in Boalsburg, PA, with little or no cost to attend. (See registration information for details.) Registration and the prerequisite coursework are completed through the DEP Clean Water Academy. Click here for registration information and here to view the training agenda.

Recently, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service wrote a Conservation Showcase titled “Streambank Restoration at Waynesboro Church,” written by Justin Atkins. The piece features a stream restoration project by Franklin County Conservation District.

From the piece:

Streambank erosion is currently one of the most common problems affecting streams in Pennsylvania. When a stream is eroded, sediment contaminates the water; sediment is currently one of the largest contributors to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. When a streambank that ran along the property of Great Commission Deliverance Ministries Church in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, began to erode, Jana Mellott connected with Tammy Piper, Watershed Specialist for the Franklin County Conservation District, in May of 2014 to see what could be done to improve the stream.

Click here to read the article. 

The PACD/SCC Winter Meeting was held in Boalsburg, PA, from January 22-23, 2020. In addition to the business meetings of PACD and the State Conservation Commission, sessions were held on educational opportunities through the PA Game Commission and effective conservation messaging from the National Wildlife Federation.

A 50/50 raffle was held during the meeting. A total of $134.50 was raised for the PA Envirothon!

Click here to view photos from the event. 

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

This training is appropriate for agricultural conservation technicians, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service field staff, nutrient management technicians, Chesapeake Bay technicians, and others in agricultural positions with less than one year of professional experience, or less than three years’ experience if the employee did not attend a previously held Level I ACT training.

There is limited space, and conservation district watershed specialists will be cut. Brand new hires will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Existing NRCS and conservation district staff with agriculture-focused positions will get priority for the 30 seats available. Others will be considered as space is available.

Basic Level
April 6-10, 2020

Level II
April 27-May 1, 2020

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: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

On October 28, 2019, the Armstrong Conservation District held a stormwater workshop. Thirty-five attendees attended the workshop. As part of the project, the district distributed thirty-two rain barrels, produced a stormwater sign, and created a rain barrel demonstration area at the conservation district office.

This project was funded by a PA Department of Environmental Protection environmental education grant and a Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant through PACD.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

On January 10, Dean & Rebecca Jackson Of Mt-Glen Farms in Columbia Cross Roads (Bradford County) were presented with the PA Leopold Conservation Award.  This third-generation dairy farm is a leader in conservation. Click here to read more about the operation. 

PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh attended the awards presentation, which was held during the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg.

Click here to read more about the award presentation.