On January 25, 2018, PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh attended a House of Representatives Appropriations Committee hearing at the Capitol in Harrisburg. The committee received testimony related to the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn provided testimony on how their agencies use special funds.

During the hearing, several questions were asked about conservation district funding and timely reimbursements. DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell explained the funding comes from several sources and the balance [of the conservation district fund] has a lot to do with when the fees are actually collected and deposited. Several legislators on the Committee commented about the great work accomplished by conservation districts.

Click here to read more. 

 

Thirty-three participants were trained as facilitators through the Manure Management Train the Trainer program this January. The training events were held in Clarion, Perry, and Wyoming Counties.

Participants learned how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and guide others through using the manual.

PACD facilitates the trainings for the PA Department of Environmental Protection. Instruction is provided by Jerry Martin, Senior Penn State Extension Associate and Dr. Charles White, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, at Penn State.

Financial support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant, the Clean Water Fund and the Chesapeake Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program (CBRAP).

 

From January 17-18, 2018, conservation district directors, associate directors, staff, partners, and friends braved the snowy roads to travel to Toftrees in State College for the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting.

During Executive Council the following were approved:

• Bylaws change to allow associate directors to serve as region directors.
• Bylaws change to allow every board member a vote on the PACD Executive Board.
• Policy opposing an abbreviated permit review period.
• Cliff Lane was elected as National Association of Conservation Districts Director.

Also during the meeting, a 50/50 drawing was held to benefit the PA Envirothon. Because winner Kelly Stagen donated her winnings back to the Envirothon, PACD was able to write a check for $309 to the Envirothon.

Next, PACD is turning its focus toward the NACD Northeast Regional Meeting & PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference which will take place July 15-18, 2018 in Lancaster, PA.

On January 16, 2018, PACD held a strategic planning session at Toftrees in State College prior to the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting. Board members, staff, and one district manager from each region were guided through the process by Michael Kumer.

The group identified seven priorities. They are:

1. PACD will promote and advocate for conservation districts to elected officials, partners, and the general public.
2. PACD will help districts with the recruitment, training, and development of directors, managers, and staff.
3. PACD will help districts attain sustainable, diverse funding.
4. Strengthen relationships and agreements with state and federal agencies.
5. Growing Greener
6. Ensure PACD is adequately staffed and funded.
7. Foster communication and communication between districts.

Next, PACD will work to identify specific tasks to focus on these priorities.

March 12, 2018, at the Elaine Langone Center, 2nd Floor, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA (snow date March 15).

Click here to register and for more information.

Registration is now open for the 2018 102/105 Basic/Refresher Technical Training course. The course is open to conservation district and DEP staff and will take place March 21-24, 2018 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. There is little or no cost to attend. (See registration information for details.)

Registration for the Topic-Based session, which will take place at the same location on April 10-12, 2018, will be announced in an upcoming issue of Front Page. Click here to register or for more information about the March session.

The 102nd Pennsylvania Farm Show concluded on January 13, 2018, in Harrisburg, PA. Many thanks to the conservation districts who staffed the booth and brought their own unique exhibits to the Farm Show.

They are:

• Berks
• Chester
• Cumberland
• Franklin
• Lancaster
• Lebanon
• Lehigh
• Perry
• Schuylkill
• York

Thank you so much to the many volunteers who made the booth a success!

 

Applications are now being accepted 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.

Basic Level – April 2-6, 2018

Level II – April 23-27, 2018

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

From nacdnet.org

By Jessica Buck, Montgomery County Conservation District Agricultural Conservation Specialist

Montgomery County Conservation District (MCCD) recently launched their first outreach and technical assistance program to farms and gardens in urban communities through NACD’s 2017 Urban Agriculture Conservation grant program.

This opportunity helped to establish long-lasting partnerships among community organizations and yielded meaningful outcomes to help two target locations of this project: Norristown and Pottstown.

A highlight of this project was the distribution of composting bins and rain barrels to urban gardens, including several school gardens. These two conservation measures also served as educational tools to teach the garden users about soil and water conservation and stormwater management.

Click here to read more. 

Register Now. Time is running out to register for one of the Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops coming up in January 2018. You will learn how to use the Manure Management Manual to write plans and how to train others to use the manual. Techniques for conducting plan-writing workshops to help farmers develop their manure management plans are also covered.

PACD and the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) host these workshops for conservation district, DEP, Penn State Extension, and other agency staff members 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.

Go to the PACD Events tab at www.PACD.org or click on the link below for more information or to register. 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