The Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) recently celebrated the 102nd birthday of Associate Director Sam Worley. Worley served as an FCCD board member for 27 years (1992-2019), after which he was named Associate Director. He has served in various capacities for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) over the years and continues to be a member of the PACD Ways & Means Committee. His support and concern for conserving natural resources has been, and remains, an invaluable resource to Franklin County.

Application Period is Open!

To accommodate new hires and those unable to attend this spring, an additional week of Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level will be held in person in Union County in August, with an additional three virtual training days in August and September. The four in-person days and the three virtual days must all be attended in order to complete the course. The application period is now open.

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
August 15, August 16, and September 6 (virtual) & August 28-31, 2023 (in-person) 
Union County Government Center, Lewisburg, PA (Union County)

Click here to apply for the course. The deadline to apply is July 10, 2023. Notifications of those accepted or not accepted into the course will be made by July 14, 2023.

Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

The following sponsors make these training opportunities possible: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, Penn State Extension, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

 

Bradford County Conservation District was featured in two of WNEP’s PA Outdoor Life show segments. The first segment features an eel release, and the second a drone submarine demonstration. 

• Northeast Bradford School District American Eel Release
• Drone Submarine Demonstration

 

The conference early-bird rate has been extended through June 30, so register today and save $20 on full conference registration!

In addition to PACD and SCC business, the 2023 conference will feature a special workshop on building authentic relationships. The workshop will take place during the Directors Breakfast on July 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The ability to build authentic relationships is a key component to meeting water quality goals across the state, and a process that is inclusive of all stakeholders from diverse backgrounds is essential to building long-term and trusting relationships with surrounding communities. Brenna Goggin, Director of Leadership Development for River Network, will present an interactive workshop that will compare authentic relationship building to transactional efforts, examine practices for building trust, and suggest questions to ask before you begin this work. Participants will have an opportunity to workshop potential challenges, discuss potential strategies to deploy, and build a plan toward success.

Click here for more information and to register.

 

In-person training is July 11.

As part of the Lawn Conversion Sub-grant Program for Conservation Districts, PACD is partnering with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to offer Lawn Conversion Training for Conservation Districts.

A virtual training will be offered using Zoom on June 20, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. An in-person training will be provided on July 11, 2023, from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Sunset Golf Course in Middletown, PA. Please note there is a 35-person limit for the in-person training. Applicants are encouraged to attend one of the training sessions before applying for a lawn conversion sub-grant. Please use the links below to register.

Virtual Lawn Conversion Training for Conservation Districts
June 20, 2023 | Zoom Meeting

In-Person Lawn Conversion Training for Conservation Districts
July 11, 2023 | Sunset Golf Course, Middletown, PA

Please contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with any questions.

The Lawn Conversion Program for Conservation Districts is financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

There is still time to participate! The submission deadline for the 2023 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest is June 30, 2023. The theme this year is “Watersheds – One Water.” Posters must be submitted to PACD via email to swehinger@pacd.org. Click here for more information. 

In April, Cumberland County Conservation District held a rain barrel workshop during the Gardener’s Gathering at Lower Allen Community Park in Lower Allen Township. Twenty-two people attended the workshop. Discussion during the presentation revolved around non-point source pollution and how actions in Pennsylvania affect the Chesapeake Bay downstream.

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.

PACD will hold our summer committee meetings via video conference in June and July prior to the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference. The meetings are open to conservation district directors, associate directors, and staff, as well as partner agency staff and invited guests. Registration for the virtual committee meetings is free and required. Please email the staff person listed to receive the registration link.

June 27, 2023 | 10:00-11:00 a.m.           
PACD Legislative Committee Videoconference
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.                             

June 29, 2023 | 10:00-11:00 a.m.           
PACD Conservation Committee Videoconference     
Contact mburns@pacd.org to request a registration link.                                

July 6, 2023 | 10:00-11:00 a.m.              
PACD Education and Outreach Committee Videoconference    
Contact swehinger@pacd.org to request a registration link.                          

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

July 13, 2023 | 10:00-11:00 a.m.            
PACD Ways and Means Committee Videoconference   
Contact abrown@pacd.org to request a registration link.                            

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

On June 2, 2023, Lebanon County Conservation District held a Legislative Roundtable. During the event, the district highlighted its conservation efforts and discussed the importance of farmland preservation, environmental education, and how the Countywide Action Plan (CAP) is being implemented in Lebanon County.

Representatives Russ Diamond, Tom Jones, and John Schlegel attended the event. Also present was JoEllen Litz, Lebanon County Commissioner. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh, State Conservation Commission Executive Secretary Doug Wolfgang, and PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Division Director Kristen Wolf attended as well.

Click here to read an article on the event.

Video and slides from the June 7 webinar Act 217: Conservation District law are available at Building for Tomorrow.

There is still space and time to register for the remaining sessions in the 2023 Spring Leadership Webinar series.

Managers and district staff that are interested in participating in the 2023-24 CliftonStrengths Initiative can 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.