Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

We support Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts who work for clean water and healthy soil every day.

$80,000 Available for CREP Mini-grants!

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications 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 are being accepted and approved on a rolling basis. The deadline for final reports is extended until December 1, 2023.

Project examples:

-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
-Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

Eligible expenses include staff wages, promotional items, mileage, postage, office supplies, room rental for workshops, food & beverages, materials, transportation, etc.

The guidelines and application for the CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org.

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.

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Volunteers Needed: Ag Progress Days 2023

Penn State Ag Progress Days will be held August 8-10, 2023, at the Russell E. Larson Agriculture Research Center, 2710 West Pine Grove Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace.

We are looking for volunteers for the Conservation District Exhibit for this event. If you’d like to schedule a shift, send your name, contact information, and preferred shift(s) to Brenda Shambaugh at bshambaugh@pacd.org.

The remaining open shifts are:

  • Tuesday, August 8: 1:00 pm – 5:00 p.m. 
  • Wednesday, August 9: 5:00 pm – 7:00 p.m. 

When available, a final volunteer schedule, parking passes, and other show information will be sent to volunteers. For more information on Ag Progress Days, visit their website at http://agsci.psu.edu/apd.

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Register for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference Today!

Registration is open for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference July 19-20, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey Area) in Grantville, PA. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with fellow conservation district staff, board members, and agency partners in conservation.

Registration is open to conservation district directors, associate directors, district staff, partner agency staff, and invited guests. Click here to register and for more information. 

PACD committees will meet virtually in June and July prior to the conference. Committee registration is free and each committee requires separate registration. Please email the listed contact to request a registration link.

June 27, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Legislative Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

June 29, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Conservation Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 6, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Education and Outreach Committee Videoconference
Contact swehinger@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 12, 2023 | 1:30-2:30 PM
PACD District Employees Committee Videoconference
Contact hmiller@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 13, 2023 | 10-11 AM
PACD Ways and Means Committee Videoconference
Contact abrown@pacd.org to request a registration link.

July 14, 2023 | 1:30-2:30 PM
PACD Operations Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.

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Clarion Conservation District Holds AMD Treatment System Field Tours

Photo provided by Clarion Conservation District.

The Clarion Conservation District and other partners provided three educational tours of the newly overhauled acid mine drainage (AMD) passive treatment system at the Clarion County Park in Shippenville, PA.

The tours educated agency employees, local educators/teachers, and community members of all ages about acid mine drainage and the work being done in Clarion County to improve water quality and treat this form 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.

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McKean County Conservation District Holds Rain Barrel Workshop

McKean County Conservation District Watershed Specialist Adam Causer helps participants construct their Rain Barrels during the Rain Barrel Workshop. Photo provided by McKean County Conservation District.

The McKean County Conservation District partnered with the Bradford Sanitary Authority and Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Stewards to host a rain barrel workshop on April 15, 2023.

The Rain Barrel Workshop reached 29 participants. Topics included learning about rain barrels and rain gardens, watershed basics, stormwater impacts, and steps to take to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Participants of the workshop constructed a rain barrel to take home with them.

The workshop was part of the district’s “Promoting Healthy Watersheds” project, which also included a Winter Farmer’s Meeting and a No-Till Demo Day.

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.

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Elk Completes Multi-Functional Riparian Forest Buffer

Elk County Conservation District planted 0.43 acres of multifunctional riparian forest buffer along Badger Run in the Bennett Branch Sinnemahoning Creek Watershed in Elk County. The project cost $4,448.07 and was paid for through PACD’s multifunctional buffer sub-grant program: https://pacd.org/?page_id=17536                                           

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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

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Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Basic Level Training Week 2 Concludes

Participants in the Basic Level of Agricultural Conservation Technical Training pose for a group photo on the first training day.

Thirty-one individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Basic Level May 1-4, 2023, at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, PACD, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, Penn State Extension, and the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission sponsor the training. PACD works with these partners to coordinate the event.

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Elk and Potter County Conservation Districts Hold Realtor Workshop

Photo provided by Elk County Conservation District.

Elk and Potter County Conservation Districts held workshops geared toward local realtors in January and February.

Project leader Victoria Challingsworth said, “Our goal was to reach new entities that play a role in some of the environmental impacts we see commonly and hoped to prevent issues before they arise. Real Estate Agents play a unique role and have the potential to provide a great deal of information about a property to interested buyers. We hope that educating realtors about environmental regulations will help them convey correct information to new owners about allowable activities near streams or wetlands.”

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.

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Berks County Conservation District Holds Legislative Breakfast

Berks County Conservation District board of director’s county commissioner member Christian Leinbach kicks off the event.

On April 27, 2023, the Berks County Conservation District held a Legislative Breakfast with the Berks Farm Bureau. Approximately 60 folks attended the breakfast at the Berks County Agricultural Center in Leesport, PA. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh was in attendance.

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McKean County Conservation District Holds Legislative Luncheon

(Left to right): Front row – Riley Thompson, PA Maple Ambassador; Amanda Murdock, District Conservationist, USDA NRCS; Carol Duffy, McKean County Commissioner; Sandy Thompson, MCCD District Manager; Selena King, US Senator Fetterman’s Office; Tamara Bleggi, PA Senator Dush’s Office. Back row – Elizabeth Casertano, US Senator Fetterman’s Office; Jeff Larson, MCCD Chairman; Rep. Martin Causer; Cliff Lane, MCCD Commissioner Director; Adam Causer, MCCD Watershed Specialist; Ken Kane, MCCD Director; Kerry Fetter, MCCD Director; and Tom Kreiner, McKean County Commissioner. Photo provided by McKean County Conservation District.

The McKean County Conservation District (MCCD) held its annual legislative luncheon on April 27, 2023, to celebrate Conservation District Week and to provide an update on its projects in 2022, including the Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) program.

Discussion was also held on the 2023-24 State Budget, invasive species, and the 2023 Farm Bill. “Partnership” seemed to be the running theme of the meeting. Examples were shown of having good partners, proof that we are stronger when working together.

PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh participated via Zoom.

 

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