The Board Development Video Series provides information and review on governance, compliance, and programmatic topics. These short-format videos are intended for viewing and follow-up discussion at your district board meetings. For the May installment, we continue our series of training module videos with Act 217, The Conservation District Law. 

Training module videos are integrated into the newly updated online Director Handbook and are being produced as modules for self-guided learning at Clean Water Academy. 

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.

Submitted by Brian Vadino, Watershed Specialist / Envirothon Coordinator, Montgomery County Conservation District

In celebration of Earth Week, the Montgomery County Conservation District worked in partnership with Montgomery County Parks, Trails and Historic Sites, Friends of Green Lane Park, and other volunteers to plant one hundred native trees and shrubs along Deep Creek Lake and Knight Lake on Saturday, April 21, 2026.

Species planted included red maple, silver maple, arrowwood viburnum, American basswood, pin oak, and red oak. Funding for this project was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 

The goal of the project was to enhance and widen existing riparian (lakeside) buffer areas to slow and filter stormwater runoff, prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat. The project supports recommendations of the Green Lane Park Master Plan, and several studies focused on the Perkiomen Creek Watershed.

Many thanks to all of those involved with the planning and implementation of this project!  

 

Forty-five individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training session – Level II, April 27 to May 1, 2026. The training was held at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office in Harrisburg, PA.

Attendees included staff from conservation districts, the USDA NRCS and its affiliates, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PACD, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, the State Conservation Commission, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, a farmland preservation office, and a local conservancy.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission sponsor the training, which PACD coordinates with these partners.

Lancaster County Conservation District Manager Chris Thompson and PACD Executive Director Amy Brown recently joined MeeCee Baker and Derek Snyder of Versant Strategies at the Capitol in Harrisburg. The group met with Senator Judy Schwank and Senator Scott Martin to thank them for their continued support. They also spoke about the increase in the line items in the state budget for conservation districts.

 

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.