On March 27, 2025, the Lycoming County Conservation District held a Legislative Breakfast in Williamsport, PA. Twenty-nine people attended the event.

Legislators in attendance included:

• State Representative Joe Hamm
• State Representative Jamie Flick
• County Commissioner Mark Mussina

Legislators represented by their staff included:

• Juliet Harshbarger – Regional Director for U.S. Senator Dave McCormick
• James May – Regional Director for U.S. Congressman Dan Musser
• Ann Kaufman – Deputy District Director for U.S. Congressman Glenn (GT) Thompson
• Elizabeth Vollman – Constituent Specialist for PA Senator Gene Yaw

During the event, the district highlighted the past year’s accomplishments in various programs. Special attention was given to the ongoing Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program from Tropical Storm Debby. All in attendance offered their ongoing support for the residents of Lycoming County, and statewide, who were affected by the flooding this storm caused. Lycoming County will have 21 EWP projects due to this storm event.

PACD has $36,000 available in the current riparian buffer grant. If any conservation districts are planting buffers this year, please apply for funding to install riparian forest buffers 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, 2025, whichever comes first. 

Click here for more information or email Holly Miller hmiller@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.

Thirty individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Basic Level March 24-27, 2025, at the Union County Government Center in Lewisburg, PA. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, the PA State Conservation Commission, county planning offices, and a nonprofit organization.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, Penn State Extension, and PACD coordinate the event.

PACD Water Resource Trainer Kelly Davidson staffed a conservation district booth at the

Penn State Earth, Environment, and Sustainability Career Fair. Kelly promoted conservation district careers to the many students attending the fair. The event took place on March 21, 2025.

District managers and management staff, mark your calendars for the 2025 Management Summit and PreCon, scheduled for September 16-18 at the Wyndham State College.

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.

On March 25, 2025, the Lancaster County Conservation District (LCCD) held its annual awards banquet in Lancaster, PA.

The program showcased examples of conservation work done throughout Lancaster County, and the district board recognized individuals and organizations contributing to the county’s natural resource concerns.

During the banquet, the district also held its 18th annual fundraiser auction to benefit its scholarship program.

PACD Director of Programs and Operations Amy Brown attended the event.

In February, Montgomery County Conservation District (MCCD) presented a nonpoint source pollution prevention and watershed awareness program to Penn State Master Watershed Stewards from Bucks and Montgomery Counties. In March, the district co-led a site tour with native live stake harvesting and installation, as well as with Penn State Master Watershed Stewards. The site tour was co-led with the Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter.

The project was funded by PACD’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant Program.

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.

 

Submitted by Matthew J. Long, District Manager, Lycoming County Conservation District

Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union County Conservation Districts teamed up to host a workshop for consultants on March 20, 2025. The Susquehanna Valley Consultants Workshop was attended by 69 consultants and contractors to learn about changes to the PAG-02 General NPDES permit. The event was hosted at the Pine Barn Inn in Danville, PA, and featured 12 presenters from the districts and two from the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Northcentral Regional Office. Various topics on the changes to the PAG-02 were covered, and the presenters fielded many questions.

The event was a great success, and the consultants and contractors in the region were brought up to speed on many of the larger changes in the General NPDES permit. It’s always great to get a room full of people district staff work with consistently and answer questions in real-time. Many common issues can be explained, and the hope is to increase permit review efficiency. The districts presenting the program look forward to hosting more events like this.

Submitted by Katie Hollen, Watershed Specialist, Lebanon County Conservation District

On March 19, 2025, sixty students attended the Lebanon County Envirothon Soils Training. Middle and high school students from Annville-Cleona, Lebanon, Northern Lebanon, and Palmyra school districts, as well as homeschool and private school institutions, participated.

The Lebanon County Conservation District hosted the hands-on training at the Lebanon Expo Center. It was led by Soil Scientist John Chibirka from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS Natural Resource Specialist Alec Smith and Lebanon County Conservation District Ag Preservation Specialist Craig Zemitis assisted.

John began the morning with a presentation on soil forming factors, soil texture, soil horizons, and more. Students learned about the different soils throughout the state and why it is important to understand soil properties when making land use decisions.

After the presentation, students used the soil textural triangle to classify different soil samples. John assisted the students as they practiced making ribbons with soil and estimating the amounts of sand, silt, and clay in each sample. He also showed them how to use Munsell Soil Color Books to determine the color of each soil sample. Alec and Craig introduced students to topographic maps and soil surveys.

New for this year, PACD is 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, 2025.

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.

Questions? Contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.