On June 14, 2024, the Berks County Conservation District held an event and tour of a new best management practice installation at a family farm in Lenhartsville, PA.

Speakers included Senator Judith Schwank; Representative Jamie Barton; Representative David Maloney; Berks County Commissioners Christian Y. Leinbach, Michael S. Rivera, and Dante Santoni, Jr.; Berks County Department of Ag Deputy Director Kim Fies; NRCS District Conservationist Nick Ramsey; State Conservation Commission Director of Financial & Technical Assistance Programs Justin Challenger; and PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh.

The day ended with a tour of a barn built through the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP).

 

In January, Westmoreland Conservation District featured CREP at their soil health conference. Over 80 people attended the event.

In March, Beaver County Conservation District offered an agricultural workshop where participants learned about many ag programs, including CREP. About 30 individuals attended the event.

PACD is accepting 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) work. 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 extended to October 31, 2024. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

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.

The Carbon County Environmental Education Center (a branch of Carbon Conservation District) held its annual “Rattlesnake Run” this June in Lehigh Gorge State Park.

The race included a one-mile fun walk, a reptile education station at the start/finish, coloring sheets for children, and organic snacks for all participants, thanks to a local farm and bakery.

Runners and walkers set out along the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Trail, paralleling the Lehigh River. The trail is home to both rattlesnakes and copperheads, with participants reminded that all can safely enjoy outdoor activities in areas home to venomous snakes by taking simple precautions.

This was the 13th year for the Rattlesnake Run, held annually on the third Saturday in June. The event was a fundraiser to keep their public programs low and to help with wildlife care.

Joint Annual Conference Early-bird Deadline Extended to June 28, 2024

PACD and the PA State Conservation Commission are proud to welcome presenter Christina Grozinger, Director of the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research and the Technology for Living Systems Center at Penn State to the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference.

On the morning of Wednesday, July 17, Dr. Grozinger will speak to how scientists at Penn State are using remote sensing, big data, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and engineering to develop tools that conservationists and homeowners can use to design strategies to improve land management and support biodiversity.

This presentation will focus on the Beescape decision support tool, which allows users to map land use, habitat quality—including seasonal floral resources—weather parameters, and economic value from pollination services across the continental United States.

Register by June 28, 2024, and save $30.00 on Full Registration! Click here for more information and to register.

All district managers, management staff, and partners are invited to the 2024 Management Summit, which will be held from Wednesday, September 18, to Thursday, September 19, at the Wyndham Garden State College.

This year’s Summit program includes a keynote on Inspired Leadership and sessions on volunteer engagement, board relations, and ethics. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. Visit Building for Tomorrow for agenda and registration.

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 Columbia County Conservation District held two separate rain barrel workshops. The 49 attendees learned about non-point source pollution, how it affects our waterways, and best management practices that can be used at home to reduce stormwater.

Thanks to partners at Rohrbach’s Farm Market and the Coca-Cola syrup factory near Allentown, who donated all the barrels for free, the district was able to host two workshops instead of the original plan to hold one. A total of 45 50-gallon rain barrels were distributed to be installed around Columbia County to reduce stormwater.

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 “Maximizing Grazing for Maximum Benefit Workshop and Pasture Walk” was offered by the Columbia, Montour, and Luzerne County Conservation Districts on April 18, 2024.

Russ Wilson and Dave Hartman shared their insights on managing pastures and the animals that rely on them. The morning session featured Russ at the Montour Preserve Environmental Education Center Auditorium. Then, Dave led a pasture walk at his farm in the afternoon. They emphasized management that provides livestock with extended grazing in the late fall and early winter while providing enough nutrition to finish with a high-quality product. The rain held off, so the 55 farmers and agency personnel in attendance could see best practices applied at the farm level.

Financial support for this event was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through a Growing Greener Grant.

Joint Annual Conference Early-bird Deadline Extended to June 28, 2024

Registrants attending the conference on Wednesday can choose to join one of two exciting field tours sponsored and hosted by Penn State.

• Chestnut Restoration Research and Frost Entomology Museum – Participants will take in two spots of interest on the campus of Penn State University Park. First, visit the research site of the American Chestnut restoration project at the Arboretum, a partnership with the American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) to breed a variety of American chestnut resistant to chestnut blight. Next, stop at the Frost Entomological Museum to explore insect biology, better understand their relationship with humans, and learn how people in the Department of Entomology are expanding our collective knowledge of insects and their place in this world.
• Rock Springs Research Farm and Ag Progress Days – Participants will take a bus tour of agricultural research plots at the Larson Research Farm at Rock Springs. The research and education on this 2,200-acre site, which is not open to the public, works toward better food and farming for the health of society and the environment. Current studies at this living laboratory focus on fruits, vegetables, grains, weeds, soil, insects, fish, water, farming techniques, forestry and more. Participants will then stop at Ag Progress Days to see conservation practices implemented at the site, including the riparian buffer on Spruce Creek.

Register by June 28, 2024, and save $30.00 on Full Registration! Click here for more information and to register.

There is still time to participate! The submission deadline for the 2024 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest is June 30, 2024. This year’s theme is “May the Forest Be with You Always.” Posters must be submitted to PACD via email to swehinger@pacd.org. Click here for more information. 

Building for Tomorrow is hosting a dedicated training program exclusively for new conservation district managers in 2024. 2024 New Manager Training begins in September, starting with Summit PreCon on Tuesday, September 17, and continuing through both days of the 2024 Management Summit on Wednesday, September 18, and Thursday, September 19. The September portion of the training will wrap up with a PostCon meeting on Thursday, September 19, after the Summit program has concluded. The training will continue in October, with a full-day meeting in State College on Wednesday, October 23, focusing on management effectiveness and developing personal leadership skills. The program will conclude with a webinar series in October through December with dates to be determined. Please stay tuned for further announcements.

There is no charge for participation in the New Manager Training events, but registration is required. 2024 New Manager Training group members are eligible for reimbursement of one room night for both the September and October training. Visit Building for Tomorrow for training agenda and registration links, or contact Leadership Development Manager Matt Miller mmiller@pacd.org for more information.

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.