On Wednesday October 11, 2017 Somerset Conservation District (SCD) held the Barron Project Field Day. The Barron Project consists of many stream corridor improvements and agricultural best management practices.

The Barron Project is located along Mountain View Road in Jefferson Township. Keith Barron is the farm operator. The project extends approximately 2200 linear feet along Laurel Hill Creek and approximately 660 linear feet along an unnamed tributary.

During the field day, J. B. Harrold, Grazing Specialist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, gave a detailed demonstration on several ways to provide water to livestock on rotationally grazed pastures. During the tour, the group was able to view photographs of the project site prior to construction.

The field day also included a riparian buffer tour. During the tour, SCD Watershed Specialist Greg Shustrick discussed the condition of the streambed and banks prior to the project. Large sections of stream bank had exposed soil, sloughing banks, and a mudladen stream bed, all of which were created by tree removal and mismanaged grazing practices. Shustrick talked about the species of trees and shrubs that were planted and how they are suited for the riparian setting, due to being able to withstand wet conditions, and eventually will provide shade for the stream.

Click here to read more about the project.

 

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently awarded $1.1 million to regional organizations for a variety of recreational and conservation projects.

The money, from DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, is part of $44 million awarded for a total of 266 projects throughout the state.

Clearfield County Conservation District received $50,000 for construction of approximately eight acres of riparian forest buffers along waterways in the Upper West Branch Susquehanna Watershed.

Work will include landowner outreach and engagement, buffer plantings, and post-planting establishment and other related site improvements.

Click here to read the entire article. 

Governor Tom Wolf announced that 106 projects to clean up local waters statewide, benefiting hundreds of communities, have been selected to receive funding through the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Growing Greener program.

Twenty-five conservation districts and PACD were among the recipients. They are:

Outside the Chesapeake Bay

• Armstrong County Conservation District, Pine Run stream restoration, $59,889; Agricultural best management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient loads to Spra Run, $110,096

• Berks County Conservation District, County agricultural best management practices implementation, $231,486
  
  
• Bucks County Conservation District, Dimple Creek Watershed water chestnut management project, $95,385

• Carbon County Conservation District, Nesquehoning Creek stabilization phase 3, $215,000
  
  
• Crawford County Conservation District, Agricultural Best Management Practice Cost Share Program, $263,343; Little Sugar Creek streambank stabilization, $79,368

• Greene County Conservation District, Browns Creek stabilization/best management practice implementation, $207,484

• Indiana County Conservation District, McKee Run streambank stabilization, $20,494

• Jefferson County Conservation District, Pine Run agricultural best management practices implementation, $486,580

• Mercer County Conservation District, Elder Run streambank stabilization, $40,247; Sandy Creek Watershed conservation project, $209,000

• Washington County Conservation District, Covered Bridge Meadow agricultural best management practices, $36,683

• Westmoreland County Conservation District, Murrysville stormwater basin retrofits, $64,620; Vandergrift CBD stormwater management phase 2, $5,000

In the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

• Berks County Conservation District, Creekside Stables erosion best management practices, $50,033; Dennis Bross Farm best management practices, $306,551

• Cambria County Conservation District, Glendale Lake shoreline stabilization project phase 5, $167,618; Northern Cambria flood control restoration project phase 2, $29,838

• Centre County Conservation District, Reducing pollution loads from Centre County farms, $702,147

• Cumberland County Conservation District, Agricultural best management practices, $289,813

• Cambria County Conservation District, Cherry Tree flood control restoration phase 2, $70,701

• Juniata County Conservation District, Lost Creek restoration phase 2, $116,028

• Luzerne County Conservation District, 2016 Agricultural best management practice projects, $318,000; Nescopeck Creek Watershed restoration efforts, $140,000 

• Lycoming County Conservation District, Agricultural and streambank best management practices, $214,984

• Montour County Conservation District, Chillisquaque Creek/Limestone Run restoration, $746,713

• Potter County Conservation District, Potter County streambank stabilization, $20,050

• Schuylkill Conservation District, Good Spring Creek floodplain restoration phase 1, $230,000; Swatara Creek floodplain restoration phase 1, $2,991,000

• Snyder County Conservation District, Snook barnyard improvement – lower lot, $163,840

• Susquehanna County Conservation District, Countywide spring developments, $71,808; Priority watershed spring developments, $32,651; Meshoppen Watershed barnyards, $38,328; Tunkhannock Creek Watershed barnyards, $170,000; Wyalusing Watershed barnyards, $180,000

• Tioga County Conservation District, Marsh Creek Watershed improvement, $60,389
  
  
• Wyoming County Conservation District, Freeman Farm manure and wastewater handling and storage, $134,650

Multi-County

• Armstrong Conservation District, Excitation emission matrix analysis water quality testing in Armstrong and Indiana Counties, $7,839
  
  
• Columbia County Conservation District, Multicounty soil health project, $409,465
  
  
• Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, CREP Outreach Program Office, $382,355

Click here to read more. 

Applying the right amount of fertilizer and keeping it on cropland areas benefits everyone from the farmer to their neighbors downstream and beyond. During “For Our Benefit – A 4R Nutrient Stewardship Approach to Nitrogen Management” attendees will learn how nutrient stewardship best management practices centered around the 4Rs of Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place and Right Source can have a positive impact on both water quality and the farmer’s profits.

Presented by Dean Collamer and Eric Rosenbaum on behalf of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Alliance, the session will take place during the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting from 4 to 5 PM on January 17, 2018, at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA. Click here for more information and to register.

 

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

• Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
  April 2-6, 2018
  Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

• Agricultural Conservation Technical Training – Level II
  April 23-27, 2018
  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: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

Submitted by Susquehanna County Conservation District

The Susquehanna County Conservation District (SCCD) held its 70th Anniversary Banquet with over 100 people from the community attending. The SCCD was created by County Commissioner proclamation on May 12, 1947. Since that day the SCCD has endeavored to conserve the soil and water of Susquehanna County.

During a delicious meal prepared by the staff of the VFW, a slide show of past pictures of district directors, district staff, cooperators, and projects reminded attendees of the the district’s past successes in conservation. In a short presentation, Dairy Princess Michayla Stahl and Alternate Princess Victoria Clark extolled the virtues of dairy products for good health. After the crowd moved to the upper level of the VFW banquet facility, District Manager Jim Garner narrated a PowerPoint timeline of the district’s 70 years. The banquet also featured two special guest speakers. Richard Fritsky, Wildlife Diversity Biologist with the PA Game Commission, spoke on owls, farming, and the PA Game Commission. Denise Coleman, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist, gave a presentation on Conserving Pennsylvania’s Private Lands. Each was well received by the audience.

After the speakers, the district honored several awardees for their contribution to conservation in Susquehanna County. Awards presented were:

• Envirothon Donors – Forest Lake Township, Bob Warriner (In Memory), Chief Oil & Gas, Repsol, and Bluestone Gathering
• Dirt and Gravel Road Cooperator – Apolacon Township
• No-Till Cooperator – Edward Chianese

At the close of the meeting, Emcee Jim Kessler disbursed the beautiful centerpieces and presented the speakers with a gift of maple syrup.

 

By Jann McNamara, PACD Administrative Assistant, jmcnamara@pacd.org

Before coming to PACD, I worked for five years with the Department of Agriculture providing administrative support to the Deputy Secretaries and the Legislative Director (which was PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh!). At the end of my career with the Department, I had the opportunity to work with the Bureau of Markets working with commodities and the Fair Fund Program.

On a personal note, except for a brief stint in San Antonio when my husband was in the Air Force, I have lived in the Harrisburg area. My husband Kevin and I have three children and we are officially “empty nesters” with our youngest starting his freshman year in college in August.

I am thrilled to be back working with Brenda and the rest of the awesome staff at PACD and look forward to helping the districts however I can with all the great work you do!

Editor’s Note: Jann joined PACD after former part-time Administrative Assistant Sandy Austin moved on to pursue full-time employment. We wish Sandy well and thank her for her six years of dedication to PACD.

Conservation district staff, board members, and partners are invited to attend the 2018 PACD/SCC Winter Meeting January 17^th and 18^th at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA. This annual meeting provides a forum for important issues, time for key PACD and State Conservation Commission business, and valuable opportunities for networking and fellowship. If you’re looking for even more reasons to attend, Penn State’s original all-female a cappella group, Savoir Faire, will perform during Wednesday’s banquet! Click here to register and for more information. 

Registration is now open for the Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops PACD and DEP are hosting in January of 2018.

The workshops are designed to provide attendees with a solid understanding of how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and how to train others to use the manual. Participants will also learn techniques for conducting plan writing workshops to help farmers develop manure management plans.

The workshops are for conservation district, DEP, Penn State Extension, and other agency staff involved in helping agricultural producers write manure management plans. Both new and experienced staff are invited to attend.

The workshops are free and lunch will be provided.

Dates and Locations are:

• January 23, 2018 DCNR Bureau of Forestry Office, Clarion, Clarion County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop
• January 25, 2018 Penn State Extension Building, New Bloomfield, Perry County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop
• January 30, 2018 PA Department of Ag – Region 3 Office, Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, PA
  Click here for more information or to register for this workshop

Financial support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant and the Clean Water Fund.

 

The Perry County Conservation District recently hosted their annual Land Judging Competition for students in grades 9-12. The event was held on November 1 at a local farm in Duncannon owned by district board member Ken Martz.

A total of 58 students were in attendance along with 20 agency staff, volunteers, teachers, and special guests who helped at the stations and participated in the award ceremony. Brie Hess of Greenwood High School took 3rd place, Jared Foster of West Perry High School took 2nd place, and Garrett Beal of West Perry High School took 1st place.