Conservation district staff, board members, and partners are invited to attend the 2018 PACD/SCC Winter Meeting January 17th and 18th 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.
Manure Management Manual Train-the-Trainer Workshops
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. |
Perry County Holds Annual Land Judging Contest
First place winner, Garrett Beal of West Perry High School (center), is pictured with (left to right) District Chairman Oscar Campbell, Senator John DiSanto, Representative Mark Keller, and Commissioner Stephen Naylor.
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.
Watershed Specialist Photo Contest Winner Will Compete in National Competition
The “Ecosystem Engineer” photo was taken by Westmoreland Conservation District’s Chelsea Walker. The photo won the annual photo contest at the Watershed Specialist Meeting in early October. PACD will enter the photo in the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) annual photo contest in the “close-up conservation” category.
The photo was taken in the Kiskiminetas River during a river clean-up event in Avonmore, PA. The close-up shot shows a mussel at work.
Winners will be announced at the NACD Annual Meeting in January 2018. Best of luck Chelsea!
Click here to read more.
Volunteers Needed for Conservation District Booth at the 2018 PA Farm Show
PACD will again host a conservation district booth at the 2018 PA Farm Show. We took a new approach this year and lined up five conservation districts to present displays at the booth Monday through Friday of Farm Show week.
We are still looking for volunteers to staff the booth on the weekend days of Saturday, January 6; Sunday, January 7; and Saturday, January 13. Shifts run from 8 am to 12:30 pm and 12:30 pm to 5 pm. The booth is not staffed after 5 pm.
Let us know as soon as possible if you would like to fill one of these shifts. We’d like to have our schedule set by November 30. Just contact Sandy Austin at saustin@pacd.org with your contact information and the shift you’d like to fill.
PACD Spring Region Meeting Dates Set
Mark your calendar and join us for the PACD spring region meetings!
The region meeting dates and locations are as follows:
March 8, 2018
PACD South West Region Meeting
Westmoreland Conservation District, Greensburg, PA
March 20, 2018
PACD South Central Region Meeting
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA
March 22, 2018
PACD South East Region Meeting
Franconia Heritage Restaurant, Telford, PA
March 27, 2018
PACD North West Region Meeting
Forest County Conservation District, Tionesta, PA
April 12, 2018
PACD North Central Region Meeting
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA
April 13, 2018
PACD North East Region Meeting
DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Intro to Conservation Planning Training Held
Instructor Duane Miller introduces the class to the planning process on the first day of training.
Twenty-nine students completed the Intro to Conservation Planning Course in Grantville from November 7-9, 2017. The training included classroom and field experience. The course targeted entry-level conservationists, introducing them to the conservation planning process, and related tools and technology in Pennsylvania.
PACD partnered with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission to deliver the three-day training.
Save the Date for the 2018 Bay Meeting
The 2018 Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting will be held on Monday, March 12, 2018 at the Elaine Langone Center, 2nd Floor, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA. Please add this meeting to your calendar now and plan to attend. The snow date is March 15. Registration and a draft agenda will follow when available.
Coal Mining History and Environmental Stewardship Field Trip in Northumberland County
Photo provided by Northumberland County Conservation District.
On October 17th, several school classes from the Mt. Carmel and Shamokin area spent the day learning about local environmental issues and wrapped up the day by planting trees and shrubs along Quaker Run, a tributary to Shamokin Creek. The event focused on teaching local students about local land use practices and their impacts on water quality.
The Kulpmont Borough partnered with Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance and Northumberland County Conservation District to organize the day long field trip educating students about water quality issues.
Click here to read more.
Cumberland County Fixes Stream Bank Crossing
District manager Carl Goshorn presents Penn Township Supervisors with the grant check. Photo provided by Cumberland County Conservation District.
On October 3, 2017, the Cumberland County Conservation District presented a check for $138,044.09 to the Penn Township Supervisors. This funding allowed the district to complete the Beetem Hollow Low Volume Road Project in Penn Township. Work included installing a box culvert, replacing a small stream crossing pipe, and allowing drainage. The funding was made possible with a Low Volume Roads Program grant.
Click here for photos and details on the project. Click here for a press release.