On September 3, the PA Association of Conservation Districts Executive Board announced Amy Brown’s promotion to Executive Director. Amy was previously the Director of Operations and Acting Executive Director.

Brown has served as Acting Executive Director since March 2025, guiding the Association during a period of transition. In her new role, she will oversee statewide programs, advocate for conservation districts, and focus on partnerships that enhance conservation district initiatives.

Amy came to the Association in 2018 as the Program Manager and previously worked as an Agricultural Technician at the Luzerne Conservation District.

Including an extensive farming background, Amy’s family owns TLV Tree Farm in Glenelg, MD.

On August 26, 2025, PACD hosted a strategic planning retreat at its Harrisburg office. Twenty participants, including staff, board, and managers, created a framework of priorities, an updated mission, and a vision for the Association for the next five years. Stay tuned for more outcomes from the retreat.

Strategy Solutions facilitated the PACD’s 2025-30 Strategic Planning session.  

Registration is open for Riparian Buffer Bootcamp! PACD has partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake to offer a hands-on riparian buffer learning experience for conservation district staff at JS Farm in McClure (Snyder County), PA, on September 23, 2025.

Registration is free and required. Space is limited to 25 participants. Lunch and snacks will be provided.

Please click here to register today! 

This training 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.

PACD is offering two sessions of the Level 1 Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) training for conservation districts. Staff DO NOT need to be located in the Chesapeake Bay to take the training. The training is a baseline credential in design, installation, and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with emphasis on how to properly maintain stormwater best management practices.

The training is two days – one day of classroom and one day of field learning.

The sessions are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following dates/locations:

• October 30-31, 2025, in Berwick, PA
• December 9-10 (snow date December 11) in Indiana, PA

Registration is a two-step process:

• The first step is to fill out the online application here. 
• The second step is to select your training date here. 

Space is limited to 30 participants per session. The sessions are for conservation district staff only and are free of charge. Pre-class assignments and logistical details will come from Katie@cblpro.org as we get closer to the start date. There is a written exam that participants must pass to become certified. Continuing education credits are available from many organizations. The complete list is at cblpro.org.

Thank you to the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Indiana County Conservation District, and Native Creations for coming together to host this opportunity for district staff to become credentialed.

Questions? Contact melissa@cblpro.org.

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 Board Development Video Series provides information and review on governance, compliance, and programmatic topics. These short-format videos are intended for viewing and follow-up discussion at your district board meetings.

In the September installment, we review the Pennsylvania Public Official & Employee Ethics Act and how it applies to Conservation Districts. Click here to watch the video.

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 partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This free training is scheduled for October 28-30, 2025, at the Iron Valley Golf Club, 201 Iron Valley Dr., Lebanon, PA.

The event is for entry-level employees of all organizations in Pennsylvania delivering conservation planning technical assistance, including, but not limited to, NRCS, conservation districts, SCC, farmland preservation entities, and non-profits. This training is only for those interested in writing conservation plans and becoming NRCS Certified Conservation Planners or apprentices.

The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

The application period is now open. Click here for the application and more information.

The deadline to apply is September 12, 2025.

It’s time to RSVP for your fall region meeting! All meetings will be held in person, with the option to attend virtually. PACD will provide updates on PACD projects, strategic planning, and legislative activities.

Please note that in-person attendance for the North West Region Meeting is recommended due to high visitor volume and Wi-Fi demand.

Please click on your region meeting below for RSVP information and other details.

PACD North West Region Meeting
September 29, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Elk Country Visitor Center, Benezette, PA

PACD South West Region Meeting
September 30, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Westmoreland Conservation District, Greensburg, PA

PACD North East Region Meeting
October 9, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Pike County Conservation District, Hawley, PA

PACD North Central Region Meeting
October 14, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA

PACD South Central Region Meeting
October 16, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA

PACD South East Region Meeting
October 30, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. to Noon
Henning’s Market, Harleysville, PA

 

PACD Acting Executive Director Amy Brown attended the Franklin County Conservation District’s (FCCD) Summer Conservation Farm Tour. The tour featured the Craig Alleman LLC beef operation in Shippensburg, PA, on August 5, 2025. The district selected the Alleman Farm as the 2025 Conservation Farmer of the Year.

The tour included the beef cattle facilities and manure handling systems. Attendees saw how Craig, utilizing FCCD grant funds, was able to convert an overused open area into an improved animal heavy use area (AHUA) that includes a bedded pack structure. Both actions led to enhanced cattle health and manure management.

The tour also stopped at the farm’s tree planting to demonstrate how planting trees has improved the farm. FCCD staff demonstrated how to measure soil health and the benefits of no-till field management. Lastly, staff answered questions on Conservation Excellence Grants and Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program grants.

Check out these two new courses on the Clean Water Academy that may be of interest to conservation district staff!

Course: MS4 Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) 
Municipalities and other entities with separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit coverage are required by their MS4 permits to implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to reduce the discharge of pollutants from their MS4, protect water quality, and satisfy the water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act and Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. This course will provide an overview of the six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) that must be included in a permittee’s SWMP. Completion of this course is recommended for municipal staff and their consultants, local environmental groups, and any other interested members of the public.

Course: Legacy Sediment Removal, Floodplain Restoration, and Permitting 
This webinar provided a historical background on legacy sediments within Pennsylvania. It also included a discussion on principles of floodplain restoration as well as permitting considerations for legacy sediment removal and floodplain restoration projects.

Please email Jay Braund with questions jbraund@pa.gov.

PACD First Vice President Barb Peace and PACD Acting Executive Director Amy Brown attended the announcement for the relaunch of the Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Stewardship (PACS) program on August 12, 2025, at Ag Progress Days.

Also during Ag Progress Days, Barb and Amy attended an evening legislative reception hosted by Penn State at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Barb and Amy met legislators and spoke with PA Department of Agriculture Secretary Redding and Deputy Secretary Hostetter. PACD thanks Versant Strategies for sponsoring the event and inviting us to attend.