On November 8, 2024, the Juniata County Conservation District held an Agriculture Best Management Tour. The event highlighted projects completed through the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Participants of the event learned about the impact of nonpoint source pollution, how it relates to agriculture, and the partnerships that made these projects possible.

Partners include the State Conservation Commission, Juniata County Conservation District, National Resource Conservation Service, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training.

Participants visited three farms within Juniata County that utilized ACAP funding to minimize the impact of nonpoint source pollution.

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.

The Cumberland County Conservation District (CCCD) held a ceremony on October 28, 2024, to celebrate the completion of Ridge Road in Mt. Holly Springs. This was a Dirt and Gravel Road project made possible due to the collaboration of CCCD, the PA Department of Natural Resources, the State Conservation Commission, The Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, State Representative Thomas Kutz, and Senator Greg Rothman.

The project for drainage improvements on the Mount Holly Springs portion (3,775 ft) of Ridge Road cost $233,244.68.

Click here to read more and view before and after photos. 

 

Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC will present a series of seminars on Employment Law for Conservation Districts in February. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of practice and policy for lawfully and effectively managing conservation district staff, as well as updates on a number of significant recent employment law developments.

Seminars are scheduled for February 18 in Cranberry Township, February 19 in State College, and February 20 in Allentown. All conservation district directors, associate directors, management staff, and partners are encouraged to attend. Networking begins at 9:30 a.m., and seminars will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Seminar registration is $35 per attendee. Lunch and refreshments are provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document summarizing the presentation and policy recommendations. Visit Building for Tomorrow 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.

The Agricultural Conservation Technician for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) provides technical assistance for the Growing Greener program and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). One Conservation Technician will be hired for each of the following locations: Bloomsburg and Lancaster/Lebanon. Also, either an Agricultural Conservation Technician or a Conservation Engineer will be hired in Clarion.

Salary Range for Technician: $40,000 to $45,000. Salary range for Engineer: Commensurate with experience. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, 14 paid holidays, and accrued PTO leave.

Click here for the full job descriptions. Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to PACD at jobs@pacd.org. The deadline to apply is November 12, 2024.

PACD Conservation Planner Grace Rhodes received a FY24 performance award from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). In only nine months in her position as the PACD partner planner, Grace has demonstrated a strong commitment to teamwork and supporting NRCS field team members however possible. She has quickly learned about NRCS business tools and the conservation planning process.

Throughout the field team’s historic FY24 contracting season, Grace sought out work to help NRCS staff in contracting a record 58 contracts totaling $5,624.940. Grace learned quickly how to produce conservation plan maps and other documents in Conservation Desktop. She regularly offered her help to other planners to assist with various map creation for both the Perkasie and Bethlehem NRCS offices. Without Grace’s assistance, the field team would not have been able to meet contract obligation deadlines.

Have you visited the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy lately? New courses are continuously added. Check out these courses today!

Training Program: Landowner Engagement – Level 1 – Training Program (must be logged in to view)

This training program provides practical strategies and techniques for promoting and selling conservation practices to landowners. Participants will explore the ecological, economic, and social benefits of conservation, focusing on effectively communicating these benefits to diverse landowners. The program emphasizes relationship-building, demographic shifts in farming, understanding landowners’ needs, and tailoring conservation solutions that align with their goals. The use of social media as a tool to promote and sell conservation is also discussed. This training program will take six to eight hours to complete.

Course: Introductory Water Quality Standards

This is an introductory water quality standards course for new staff. After this course, learners will be able to describe the three main components of DEP’s Water Quality Standards (WQS), name some categories and examples of protected water uses, find WQS in Chapter 93, and look up protected use using several references and DEP GIS tools.

Course: Guiding Principles of Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration

This introductory training will cover several important aspects of the guiding principles important to the execution of highly successful restoration projects. The training is presented in four parts: Introduction, Basic Watershed and Ecosystem Functions, Watershed Alterations and Effects, and Project Considerations. Completing this training will provide a good foundation for future trainings that will dive deeper into these topics, research, and Division of Wetlands Encroachment and Training (DWET) program development efforts.

Please contact PACD Water Resource Trainer Kelly Davidson at kdavidson@pacd.org with any questions.

The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) recently held a tour for local legislators to showcase key projects and conservation efforts. The tour included a warehouse facility, a large solar farm, a floodplain restoration site, and a farming operation with newly constructed improvements.

Franklin County was the recipient of over $3 million in grant funding for 2023 for stream restoration work and ag-related improvements for area farmers. In addition, the Franklin County Erosion & Sedimentation Control staff is kept very busy with permitting for warehouses and solar farms, along with residential and commercial construction.

Legislators were granted an in-person glimpse of the tireless efforts FCCD staff has put forth in maximizing the recent substantial increases in funding.

The Franklin County Conservation District is dedicated to promoting and educating about the wise stewardship of our natural resources.

The Virtual 2025 PACD Winter Meeting will take place as a series of videoconferences. All six committee meetings and PACD Executive Council will take place via Zoom, with the option to participate online or by phone.

Registration is free and required. To register, please click on the meeting you would like to attend. You will need to register for each activity separately.

Registration for PACD Executive Council

PACD Executive Council Videoconference
January 30, 2025 | 10 AM-Noon
Contact mburns@pacd.org for a registration link

Registration for PACD Committees

PACD Conservation Committee Videoconference
January 8, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact mburns@pacd.org for a registration link

PACD District Employees Committee Videoconference
January 10, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact hmiller@pacd.org for a registration link

PACD Education and Outreach Committee Videoconference
January 14, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact swehinger@pacd.org for a registration link

PACD Legislative Committee Videoconference
January 16, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact mburns@pacd.org for a registration link

PACD Ways and Means Committee Videoconference
January 22, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact rdohner@pacd.org for a registration link

PACD Operations Committee Videoconference
January 23, 2025 | 10-11 AM
Contact mburns@pacd.org for a registration link

Registrants will receive a confirmation email with information to participate via Zoom or phone. Meeting materials will be distributed prior to the meeting.

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the theme for the 2025 Stewardship Week: “Home is Where the Habitat is.” This theme highlights the essential role of both natural and managed habitats in our conservation efforts. The Stewardship Week theme is also the poster contest theme. Stewardship Week materials are available on the NACD Marketplace. 

The deadline to submit posters to PACD for 2025 NACD Poster Contest state-level judging is June 30, 2025. Click here for the contest flyer and here for more information. Questions may be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

PACD accepts mini-grant applications from conservation districts for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications will be accepted and approved on a rolling basis until funds are expended. The project completion and final report deadline is May 2, 2025.

Project examples include:

– Walkabouts/field days

– Farmer and landowner workshops

– Riparian buffer workshops

– Workshop series with several topics

– Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards

– Hiring interns to provide CREP outreach

Click here for the guidelines, application, and reporting documents for the CREP mini-grant program.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.