PACD is pleased to announce the five state-level winners of the National Association of Conservation Districts 2021 “Healthy Forests Healthy Communities” poster contest.

The winners in each age category are:

K – 1^st Grade: Cora Petrunak, Lehigh County

2^nd – 3^rd Grade: Riley Thomas, Cambria County

4^th – 6^th Grade: Brock Wharton, Cambria County

7^th – 9^th Grade: Evelyn Warner, Cambria County

10^th – 12^th Grade: Kathryn Polstra, Columbia County

To promote the importance of trees, students from kindergarten through twelfth grades entered posters conveying their thoughts and ideas through original artwork. Submissions were judged based on the entry’s conservation message, visual effectiveness, originality, and universal appeal.

PACD thanks all of the participants in the contest for their interest and dedication to conservation. Best wishes to the state-level winners in the upcoming national judging competition.

For more information about the NACD poster contest, visit http://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests.

Click here to read the press release. 

 

The Westmoreland Conservation District has been working diligently to install best management practices and green infrastructure in the community. These projects, implemented with the help of local partners including local municipalities, school districts, watershed organizations, farmers, and the Westmoreland County Community College, have made great strides in preventing water and erosion issues.

To showcase the phenomenal work completed, the district created a BMP portfolio that highlights 45 of the many projects. The portfolio organizes the projects within four categories – watershed restoration; stormwater management; agriculture; and dirt, gravel, and low volume roads.

Click here to read the entire article and here for the BMP portfolio. 

On July 16, 2021, Bradford County Conservation District (BCCD) held its 65^th anniversary celebration at Mt. Pisgah State Park. PACD Director of Communications and Education Shannon Wehinger attended the event.

Visit the BCCD Facebook page for more photos of the event. Click here to read a press release. 

Registration is open for the 2021 Building for Tomorrow Fall Leadership Webinar series, scheduled for Wednesdays, October 27, November 3, and November 10. The webinars are open to all district personnel and partners. District directors and managers are especially encouraged to attend. This year’s program features a two-part workshop on Succession Planning & Management and a presentation on Environmental Justice. Registration is separate for each of these programs. Please visit Building for Tomorrow for more information. 

District managers, assistant managers, and team leaders can still register for the 2021 Management Summit September 15-16 at the Wyndham Garden State College Conference Center. This year’s Summit focuses on staff development and retention with sessions on coaching and mentoring, employee lifecycle management, and employee policy in the post-COVID era. 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.

Conservation District managers from the South Central Region met at Raystown Lake on July 19, 2021. The managers were joined by PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh and a few retired managers as well.

The PACD staff in the Harrisburg office updated their phone system. With the new system, staff each got a direct line. The main number (717) 238-7223 will still work, but it will take callers to an automated menu to select the extension they want.

If you want to dial a staff person directly, please use these numbers:

Brenda Shambaugh – 717-794-6103

Amy Brown – 717-794-6104

Holly Miller – 717-794-6105

Nick Yeagy – 717-794-6106

Diane Young – 717-794-6109

Molly Burns – 717-794-6110

Matt Miller – 717-794-6111

Shannon Wehinger – 717-794-6112

If callers use the main number, staff can be reached at their three-digit extension, which is the last three numbers of their direct line. Brenda’s extension is x103; Matt’s is x111, etc.

Conservation district directors, associate directors, and staff; partner agency staff; and invited guests are encouraged to register for the PACD Executive Council Video Conference, which will take place from 10:00 a.m. to Noon on July 29, 2021. With PACD committee meetings concluded, this will be the final event in the 2021 Virtual PACD Annual Conference video conference series.

Registration is free and required. Registrants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting, instructions to participate, and a phone number for anyone who needs to participate via conference call. To request a registration link, contact mburns@pacd.org.

Register today for the QuickBooks Training Webinar Series! PACD has partnered with SEK CPAs and Advisors to offer free QuickBooks training statewide to conservation districts. August 12 will feature basic training, September 9 will be an advanced training, and September 23  will focus on payroll. All webinars will be held 10:00 a.m.-Noon.

Click here for descriptions of each training and the registration links. Please get in touch with Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

Mark your calendars for the 2021 Building for Tomorrow Fall Leadership Webinar series, scheduled for three Wednesdays, October 27, November 3, and November 10. The Fall Leadership webinar series is intended for directors and managers, but is open to all conservation district personnel and partners. Similar to last year’s series, webinars will begin at noon, and registration is separate for each – please stay tuned for further announcements.

This year’s program features a two-part workshop on Succession Planning & Management, presented by Dennis Gilbert, Appreciative Strategies LLC. Employee turnover, retirements, and labor force issues can cause stress and uncertainty for small organizations. Participants will learn about the importance of succession planning and the true costs of lack of preparedness.

Also presenting will be Justin Dula, Regional Coordinator, DEP Office of Environmental Justice. Building on last year’s PA Environmental Rights Amendment webinar, Justin’s presentation will examine the concept of environmental justice and the ways that disproportionate environmental impacts can affect conservation districts’ work in the communities they serve.

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.

As part of the CREP Outreach Program Office, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and CREP Program Partners offered a CREP Partner Training Webinar Series to all partner staff involved in the program. The trainings took place on May 27, June 3, and June 10, 2021.

The trainings introduced administrative components, highlighted CREP practices, and provided tips for working with landowners.

Recordings of the webinars and a CREP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document are available to view on the Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy. New and experienced staff working with the CREP program are encouraged to view the trainings.

CREP Partner Training Webinar Series: https://pacleanwateracademy.remote-learner.net/course/view.php?id=580

Financial and other support for the CREP Partner Training is provided through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.