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.

Jefferson County Conservation District conducted one-on-one visits with seven landowners to review Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) maintenance. CREP information was also shared at county events and published in newsletters.

The project cost $647 and was paid for through PACD’s 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.

PACD was awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission (SCC) to offer an Ag Plan Reimbursement Program for conservation districts over the course of two years.

Waitlist applications are now being accepted on an ongoing basis, with priority given to ag plans being developed for either a preserved farm or acres that are being considered for easement sale through the Farmland Preservation Program.

New application forms and other information about the program can be found here. 

Financial and other support for the Ag Plan Reimbursement Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission.

On October 11 and 12, 2024, Peaceful Terrain Farm and Thistle Creek Farm in Huntingdon County hosted a two-day grazing event with special guest speaker Dr. Allen Williams. Both farms are working to conserve soil using regenerative/resilient agriculture.

Dr. Williams is a founding partner of Understanding Ag, LLC, and the Soil Health Academy. He pioneered many of the early regenerative grazing protocols and forage finishing techniques and now teaches those practices and principles to farmers globally. Beth Futrick, PA Ombudsman in Blair County, organized the event.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $3.4 million in grants to projects to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat throughout Pennsylvania’s part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and other watersheds.

The 12 awards are funded by the Section 319 Grant program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and selected by DEP.

The following conservation districts and their partners received grants:

• Bucks County Conservation District: $224,830
• Huntingdon County Conservation District: $80,000
• Lancaster County Conservation District: $390,625
• Schuylkill Conservation District (2 projects): $273,000 and $214,000
• Snyder County Conservation District: $56,968
• York County Conservation District: $184,579 

Click here to read more about the projects. 

 

Kelly Davidson is the Water Resource Trainer at PACD, where she plays a key role in advancing water resource training efforts and expanding DEP’s comprehensive training library, Clean Water Academy. She holds a Master of Environmental Management and a Certificate in Geospatial Analysis from Duke University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in biology from North Carolina State University.

Prior to her current role, Kelly served with AmeriCorps at the Borough of State College, where she contributed to community-based environmental initiatives and gained hands-on experience with urban conservation projects. She is looking forward to continuing to support water quality improvement efforts across Pennsylvania in this role.

In her spare time, Kelly enjoys gardening, hiking, baking, and spending time with her two fur-babies, Oliver and Rusty.

Juniata County Conservation District held a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) tour. Participants learned about installing and maintaining CREP buffers along with program enrollment opportunities. The project cost $1,576 and was paid for through PACD’s 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.

Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD) is proud to announce it has received funding from both the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program administered through the United States Department of Agriculture. This funding will advance urban agriculture and ACCD’s Urban Soils Program across the region.

This funding enables ACCD to strengthen partnerships with local farmers and community groups to address urban soil contaminants and support farm and garden projects. Over the past eight years, ACCD’s Urban Soils Program has served as a regional model, raising awareness about the health risks of soil lead exposure and providing technical assistance for safe food production. In 2023 alone, ACCD screened 1,592 soil samples, valued at $47,760, free of charge.

This funding will expand soil testing for heavy metals, particularly lead, and implementation and monitoring of best management practices to improve soil health and promote healthy food production.

Click here to read more.