Nearly 4,000 township officials and guests from across Pennsylvania gathered for the annual Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference and Trade Show, held April 19-21, 2026. As in previous years, conservation districts were represented with an informational booth at the event.

A special thank you goes out to the dedicated volunteers who helped staff the booth:

• Dean Druckenmiller, Berks County Conservation District
• Jason Fillhart, Washington County Conservation District
• Barb Peace, Indiana County Conservation District and PACD 1^st Vice President

Your time and support make participation in events like this possible—thank you for representing conservation districts!

On April 22, 2026, PACD Executive Director Amy Brown attended the Goodwill Keystone’s Earth Day Celebration in Middletown, PA. Local students (grades 8-10) attended the event along with community partners and elected officials. The event included hands-on activities, interactive learning opportunities, and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours that showcase the environmental impact of Goodwill Keystone.

At the conservation district booth, students played an interactive stormwater Plinko game and learned about conservation districts.

 

Clean Water Academy is hosting an upcoming lunch and learn webinar on May 14, 2026, from Noon-1:00 p.m. Our speaker is Lamonte Garber, Watershed Restoration Coordinator with the Stroud Water Research Center. Lamonte will be covering the topic of Landowner Outreach: Communicating the Value of Riparian Buffer Installation.

The upcoming webinar will provide an overview of effective strategies for engaging landowners in conversations about riparian buffer installation. Drawing from recent field experience, it highlights practical approaches for communicating the value of buffers, addressing common concerns, and building trust with landowners.

Registration is free but required. Please use this link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7xZpEo89SMS7vFHoH-j5FQ

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.

This week’s feature is the Susquehanna County Conservation District’s Facebook post on turtles. Follow the district at https://www.facebook.com/SusqConDistrict/

The 2026 series of regional “Back to Basics” Director Orientation trainings wrapped up last week with a workshop hosted by Berks County Conservation District on April 23. Training content was developed from the newly revised 2026 Director Handbook and featured an overview that included district history, law, governance, and board development. A total of 59 district staff, directors, associate directors, county commissioners, and partner staff participated in the training sessions.

Thank you again to Clinton, Westmoreland, Monroe, Forest, and Berks Conservation Districts for hosting, and to everyone who attended. The regional training series was part of the 2026 Board Development Initiative, which also includes a monthly short-video series and the release of the updated 2026 Director Handbook, which is currently being distributed to district offices.

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.

Twenty-four individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level April 13-16, 2026, at the Union County Government Center in Lewisburg, PA. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and its affiliates, Penn State Extension, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, county farmland preservation offices, and nonprofit organizations.

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

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.

This week’s feature is the Perry County Conservation District’s Facebook post on silvopasture. Follow the district at https://www.facebook.com/p/Perry-County-Conservation-District-100064543698332/.

PACD is hiring a 100% remote full-time person based in Western Pennsylvania (with travel required throughout Western Pennsylvania). The position will pay $50,000 to $55,000/year, depending on experience.

The Engineering Technician provides technical and field support for the design, layout, inspection, and implementation of agricultural conservation practices funded through the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).

The deadline to apply is April 24, 2026. Click here for more information. 

Mark your calendars! The PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, PA August 5-6, 2026, with preconference activities planned for August 4. Keep an eye out for details in an upcoming issue of Front Page!

The 2026 Staff Training Initiative wrapped up on March 31 with a workshop at the Wanango Country Club. A total of 113 district and partner staff attended the Assertive Communications & Empowered Conflict Management training series, presented by Rita Coleman, and over 60 attended the February webinar series sessions on Working with Local Media and Smart Social Media, presented by Piper Strategies.

Stay tuned for a survey and announcements on 2026-27 Leadership Development programming for 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.