By Chris Grimsley, PACD Instructional Designer

I am a former teacher transitioning from a career in secondary and higher education into instructional design. I have served in many roles as an educator, including working as a classroom teacher, student support specialist, course designer, and researcher. I hold a B.S. in sociology, an M.A. in teaching, and a Ph.D. in philosophy. I completed my doctoral dissertation on the history and philosophy of science, focusing primarily on the social implications of new technologies like artificial intelligence.

In my capacity as an academic, I focused on communicating issues of philosophical significance within the sciences to both technical and non-technical audiences. I want to leverage my experience in education and science communication as I pivot to instructional design with a focus on conservation at PACD. My main responsibility is the Clean Water Academy. 

I enjoy camping and hiking, photography, motorcycling, computer programming, and playing guitar in my spare time.

I can be reached at cgrimsley@pacd.org.

Reminder to all district staff who are participating in the 2023 CliftonStrengths initiative – please complete your assessments by February 3 and register for a workshop by February 17. Visit Building for Tomorrow 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.

Space is limited and filling up quickly for the February Employment Law Seminars. Every conservation district should plan on sending at least one representative, and managers, directors, and associate directors interested in attending this training are encouraged to register as soon as possible to ensure your place. 

Presented by Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, the seminar will provide an overview of practice and policy for lawfully and effectively managing conservation district staff. Topics will include hiring considerations and employment policies such as harassment training and policy, employee absences and leave, wage and employee classification, and best management practices for staff communication, confidentiality, conduct, and performance concerns. Each session begins with networking at 9:00 a.m., and the training will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch is provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document to supplement the presentation. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required.

Register for Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Cranberry on Tuesday, February 21  

Register for Ramada State College on Wednesday, February 22 

Register for Country Inn & Suites Lehighton-Jim Thorpe on Thursday, February 23 

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.

 

Thanks to the conservation districts for submitting their 2022 highlights pages. The pages will be sent to all PA General Assembly members in early January.  

Click here to see what other districts have accomplished this year! 

Huntingdon County Conservation District planted 16 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along a tributary to Crooked Creek at a farm in Huntingdon County. The project cost $59,630 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. Funding is still available. Click here to learn more about the program. 

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.

Submit Your Entries for the 3^rd Annual Conservation District Video Awards

Reminder to all districts who produced and shared video content this year – the deadline to submit your entries to the 2022 CDVAs is next Friday, December 31. Who will win the coveted CONDIVA trophy for 2022? Tune in to the 3^rd Annual Conservation District Video Awards on Thursday, February 16, to find out. In the meantime, please submit your videos for consideration. Click here for the submission form. 

2023 CliftonStrengths Initiative and Team-Building Workshops for Staff

Following the success of the 2022 CliftonStrengths for Managers initiative, Building for Tomorrow will be presenting a program in 2023 geared toward district staff. The two-part initiative begins this week with the CliftonStrengths assessment, an online exercise that identifies an individual’s unique talent themes and the greatest potential for building strengths. Participants will receive a report detailing their five signature themes, which serve as a starting point in discovering talents that can be productively applied to achieve success in their personal and professional lives. The assessment’s purpose is to facilitate development and growth, and it can be used as a springboard for discussion with managers, colleagues, and friends, and as a tool for self-awareness. Feedback about talents and strengths development can form the basis for further exploration to help individuals capitalize on their greatest talents and apply them to new challenges. Managers who previously indicated their district would participate will receive information for their staff this week. Individual staff at other districts can contact Leadership Development Coordinator Matt Miller at mmiller@pacd.org directly to participate.

After taking the assessment, the staff is encouraged to attend one of the CliftonStrengths Team-Building Workshops. Participants will visit State Parks to participate in a half-day program that explores the role of talents and strengths and the development, integration, and applications of talents and strengths for success. 2023 CliftonStrengths Team-Building Workshops are open to all district staff; there is no fee to attend, but space is limited and registration is required. Workshops are scheduled for February 28 at Hickory Run State Park, March 2 at French Creek State Park, March 7 at Bald Eagle State Park, March 8 at Moraine State Park, March 9 at Keystone State Park, and March 14 at Lackawanna State Park. Staff participating in the CliftonStrengths assessment can visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and 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.

 

Strategic Planning Grants Reminder

The deadline for submitting a Letter of Intent for the Strategic Planning Grants program is Friday, December 23. The program will reimburse up to $1500 in costs associated with strategic planning activities and may assist in facilitating the planning process. Visit Building for Tomorrow for program information and requirements, or contact Leadership Development Coordinator Matt Miller at mmiller@pacd.org.

Building Blocks of Trust

In case you missed it, video and program materials for the 2022 Fall Leadership presentation Building Blocks of Trust, presented by River Network’s April Ingle, are posted at Building for Tomorrow. 

Register Now for 2023 Employment Law Seminars

Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC will present a seminar on Employment Law for Conservation Districts on February 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Cranberry, February 22 at the Ramada State College, and February 23 at Country Inn & Suites Lehighton-Jim Thorpe. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of practice and policy for lawfully and effectively managing conservation district staff. Topics will include hiring considerations and employment policies such as harassment training and policy, employee absences and leave, wage and employee classification, and best management practices for staff communication, confidentiality, conduct, and performance concerns. All conservation district managers, directors, and associate directors are encouraged to attend. Networking begins at 9:00 a.m. and seminars will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch is provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document to supplement the presentation. There is no fee to attend, but space is limited, and registration is required. Click here 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.

 

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

Applications are due February 24, 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
• Hiring interns to provide CREP outreach

The guidelines and application for the new 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.

Mark your calendars for the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference July 19-20, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey Area) in Grantville, PA. Conservation district directors, associate directors, staff, and agency partners are invited to attend. Catch up with old friends and make some new ones in Harrisburg this July! Registration will open in May.