The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently announced awards from the 2025 round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grants. 

Awards totaled nearly $82 million for 295 recreation and conservation projects across Pennsylvania. The DCNR website includes a complete list of awarded projects. 

Chester County Conservation District and PACD both received awards:

• Chester County Conservation District, $132,100, Installation of approximately 21 acres of meadows and/or upland trees in the Lower Delaware River Watershed, Chester County. Work to include landowner outreach and engagement, watershed forestry plantings and post-planting establishment; project sign and other related site improvements.
• Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Inc., $500,000, Installation of approximately 20 acres of riparian forest buffers and 30 acres of lawn to habitat along waterways throughout Pennsylvania. Work to include 2026 mini-grant program; landowner outreach and engagement; watershed forestry plantings and post-planting establishment; project sign and other related site improvements. Conservation districts can apply for a mini-grant here. 

Funding for this round of C2P2 comes from the Keystone Fund, Environmental Stewardship Fund, and other funding sources.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 round of funding. To get started, visit the DCNR Grants Customer Service Portal. 

 

The 2026 Staff Training Initiative explores elevating communications for all district roles. Sessions will focus on video content production and promotion, local media outreach, social media engagement, peer-based training and support networks, and the role of communications in conflict management.

Every year we celebrate the hard work of district staff who produce video content to build awareness and further conservation efforts, and we take the opportunity to learn about how this content was produced and how it serves the mission of districts. The eleven entries for 2025 are some of the best yet – join us on February 12 for the 6^th Annual Conservation District Video Awards and find out which district will bring home the coveted CONDIVA trophy!

We’ll follow up the video awards with a pair of webinars offering practical, skills-focused guidance to help staff communicate more effectively without needing to be communications professionals. On February 18, From Message to Media: Amplifying Impact through Local Outreach demystifies how to work with local print, broadcast, and digital media. Participants will learn how to identify and build relationships with reporters, develop genuinely newsworthy messaging, and create effective press releases, advisories, PSAs, and pitch emails. The session also addresses timing outreach for maximum impact, navigating challenging news moments, and integrating media engagement into a broader district outreach strategy.

On February 25, Smarter Social Media: Campaigns, Curation, and AI Content focuses on building a more consistent, credible, and efficient social media presence. This webinar provides streamlined approaches to campaign planning, content curation, and performance measurement, along with practical guidance on using AI tools for ideation, drafting, graphics, scheduling, and reporting—all while maintaining authenticity. Together, these sessions equip participants with actionable tools to strengthen outreach, boost engagement, and amplify their impact across both traditional and digital channels.

TheMarch 4 QuickBooks User Forum will break out participants by the version in use at their district. Guided discussion prompts for sharing tips, tricks, and resources will be followed by steps to encourage peer-based learning and support among district QuickBooks users.

A regional training workshop on Assertive Communications and Empowered Conflict Management is scheduled at five locations across the state in March. This interactive training will empower attendees to apply assertiveness skills to improve their encounters with difficult people, increase their confidence in difficult situations, and get their wants or needs met. Attendees are encouraged to come with a home or work scenario in mind so they can craft and practice delivering an assertive message. Participants will leave with the ability to compare and analyze their conflict response choices, assess when and how to apply the assertiveness tool in conflict management, and develop and practice assertive messaging. Workshops are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (networking with refreshments begins at 9 a.m.), and lunch is provided. Registration is free and required.

• Tuesday, March 10 – French Creek State Park, Elverson 
• Tuesday, March 17 – Fred Rogers Institute at St. Vincent College, Latrobe 
• Thursday, March 19 – Ramada Conference Center, State College 
• Wednesday, March 25 – Camp Orchard Hill, Dallas 
• Tuesday, March 31 – Wanango Country Club, Reno 

Leadership Development programming is open to all district personnel and partner staff.

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.

 

PACD has $55,000 available in the current Lawn Conversion Grant.

This grant is first-come, first-served. The grant round will stay open until funds are expended or June 30, 2028, whichever comes first. Funding is to be used on shovel-ready projects converting presently maintained lawn to actively managed upland forest or perennial native meadow.

All applications and supporting documents should be emailed to swehinger@pacd.org. There is no online application. Applications will be approved on a rolling basis.

Thanks to conservation district staff, these programs have been incredibly successful in completing smaller-scale lawn conversion buffer projects across Pennsylvania.

Click here for more information or email Shannon Wehinger swehinger@pacd.org.

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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

 

Montgomery County Conservation District planted 1.5 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer at Jacob Reiff Park in Harleysville, PA. The project cost $15,512 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. https://pacd.org/?page_id=25337

The Lawn Conversion & Riparian Buffer Mini-Grant Program for Conservation Districts is financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

PACD will randomly spotlight one social media post from a conservation district each week. Don’t forget to share or tag other districts to share good news or something others could learn about.

 

Northampton County Conservation District’s Facebook post. Follow at https://www.facebook.com/NorthamptonCD/.

PACD is again partnering with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful for the annual Conservation District Trash Champion Contest. To participate in the contest, PA’s conservation districts are invited to pick up trash between April 1 and May 31, 2026.

Register for your event now and report your results upon completing your trash pick-up efforts at Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Receive free bags, gloves, and safety vests as supplies last. Free or reduced disposal is available at participating landfills during the month of April.

The winning district will receive $500 from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. New for 2026, an additional prize will be awarded for the most volunteer hours!

Click here to view the flyer. Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

PACD has $52,000 available in the current riparian buffer grant. If any conservation districts are planting riparian forest buffers this year, please apply for funding to install them in conjunction with landowners. Multi-functional riparian forest buffers are encouraged, but conventional buffers are also accepted. This grant is first-come, first-served. The grant round will stay open until funds are expended or June 30, 2026, whichever comes first. 

Click here for more information or email Shannon Wehinger swehinger@pacd.org.

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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

 

Local media outreach and digital engagement remain critical tools for districts seeking to build visibility, trust, and stakeholder support. Two upcoming webinars will offer practical, skills-focused guidance to help staff communicate more effectively without needing to be communications professionals.

From Message to Media: Amplifying Impact through Local Outreach demystifies how to work with local print, broadcast, and digital media. Participants will learn how to identify and build relationships with reporters, develop genuinely newsworthy messaging, and create effective press releases, advisories, PSAs, and pitch emails. The session also addresses timing outreach for maximum impact, navigating challenging news moments, and integrating media engagement into a broader district outreach strategy. 

Smarter Social Media: Campaigns, Curation, and AI Content focuses on building a more consistent, credible, and efficient social media presence. This webinar provides streamlined approaches to campaign planning, content curation, and performance measurement, along with practical guidance on using AI tools for ideation, drafting, graphics, scheduling, and reporting—all while maintaining authenticity.

Together these sessions equip participants with actionable tools to strengthen outreach, boost engagement, and amplify their impact across both traditional and digital channels.

Leadership Development webinars are open to all district personnel and partners. 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.

Clean Water Academy is hosting an upcoming lunch and learn webinar on February 18, 2026, from Noon-1:00 p.m. Our speaker is Ryan Davis, Associate Forests Program Director from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Ryan will provide an overview of riparian forest buffer best management practices, along with real-world case studies that highlight successful implementation, common challenges, and lessons learned to support effective waterway protection in Pennsylvania. This webinar is a follow-up to the previous lunch and learn held in June 2025.

Please watch the existing webinar here: https://pacleanwateracademy.remote-learner.net/course/view.php?id=1527 (must be logged in to view) prior to the February 18 session.

Registration is free but required. Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NwVpQTcITLeJKKMbTjromQ

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investing $17,325,163 for 89 projects across Pennsylvania that will restore streams, improve fish and wildlife habitat, and reclaim mine lands. The grants are part of the Growing Greener program, Pennsylvania’s largest environmental grant program.

Conservation District Projects Funded include:

• Allegheny County Conservation District – $176,417 for Technical Assistance for Improved Resilience and Healthier Streams in Allegheny County Communities
• Armstrong Conservation District – $171,670 for Buffalo Creek Scenic Drive Streambank Stabilization and Fish Habitat
• Armstrong Conservation District – $34,518 for the Kiski and Cowanshannock Stormwater BMP Demonstration and Implementation Project
• Beaver County Conservation District – $42,238 for Brush Creek Streambank Stabilization
• Beaver County Conservation District – $138,700 for Raccoon Creek Watershed Streambank Stabilization #1 (Energy Transfer Settlement)
• Beaver County Conservation District – $67,924 for Raccoon Creek Watershed Streambank Stabilization #2 (Energy Transfer Settlement)
• Berks County Conservation District – $416,031 for Multi-Project Stream and Floodplain Enhancement Along Cacoosing Creek
• Blair Conservation District – $307,049 for Lewis-Clark Manure Storage for Better Management
• Blair Conservation District – $317,846 for Stock Farm Manure Storage for Better Management
• Cambria County Conservation District – $264,765 for the Cambria County Chesapeake Bay Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Projects – Phase IV
• Cambria County Conservation District – $141,620 for Cambria County Ohio River Watershed Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Projects – Phase III
• Centre County Conservation District – $50,050 for the Centre County Agricultural Plan Development
• Clearfield County Conservation District – $138,900 for the Clearfield County Agricultural Technical Assistance Project
• Clinton County Conservation District – $394,966 for Clinton – Fishing Creek Watershed Improvements
• Erie County Conservation District – $150,000 for the PA VinES Program (Pennsylvania Vested in Environmental Sustainability
• Indiana County Conservation District – $25,393 for Indiana County Riparian Buffers
• Indiana County Conservation District – $302,313 for Stewart Heavy Use Area Implementation
• Indiana County Conservation District – $247,901 for the Pine Run Streambank Stabilization Project
• Indiana County Conservation District – $334,056 for Heeter Farm Manure Storage Implementation
• Indiana County Conservation District – $499,055 for the McNutt Heavy Use Area and Manure Storage Implementation Project
• Lawrence County Conservation District – $94,886 for Slippery Rock Creek Streambank Restoration and Fish Habitat Improvement
• Lehigh County Conservation District – $396,800 for Little Lehigh Creek Stabilization and Enhancement
• Lehigh County Conservation District – $169,140 for Restoration of an Unnamed Tributary to Laurel Run
• Luzerne Conservation District – $85,000 for the Toby Creek Watershed Assessment
• McKean County Conservation District – $487,707 for the Bucks Hollow Agricultural BMP Initiative
• Mifflin County Conservation District – $146,863 for the Falb Stream Restoration
• Northampton County Conservation District – $21,882.00 for the Little Bushkill Creek Stream Bank Restoration and Enhancement Project
• Schuylkill Conservation District – $73,745 for Little Mahantango Creek – Ry-Nan Farm Agricultural BMPs Design and Permit
• Snyder County Conservation District – $328,943 for Snyder County Agricultural BPMs and Stream Restoration Projects
• Snyder County Conservation District – $500,000 for the Rockhill Dairy Roofed HUA and Mortality Composting Project
• Sullivan County Conservation District – $127,809 for Sullivan County Agricultural BMPs from Stormwater and Resource Protection
• Union County Conservation District – $370,561 for Winfield Creek Stream Improvements Phase 2
• Warren County Conservation District – $171,831 for Middle Allegheny River Basin Streambank Stabilization Best Management Practices – Phase 1
• Washington County Conservation District – $205,550 for the 2025 Pike Run Stream Restoration Project
• Westmoreland County Conservation District – $132,606 for Oklahoma Borough Park Streambank Stabilization
• Westmoreland Conservation District – $104,510 for the Manor Park Streambank Stabilization Project
• Westmoreland County Conservation District – $50,000 for Westmoreland County Act 167 Plan Update (Act 167 Grant)

Click here to read the full press release.