Each year, students from all four school districts in Perry County gather to compete in the annual Land Judging Competition. This event is in partnership with the Perry County Conservation District and a local farmer who agrees to host the group for the day.
The contest’s focus is to introduce students in grades 9 through 12 to soil evaluation and its relationship to land use and soil and water quality.
Click here to read the entire press release.
On Thursday, November 4, 2021, the Berks County Conservation District hosted a workshop for consultants submitting NPDES applications to the District entitled; “How to Get Through Completeness Without Really Trying.”
The workshop was held in the auditorium of the Berks County Agriculture Center. An overwhelming response from the public created the need to develop two sessions. Almost eighty members of the regulated public attended. The five members of the District’s Urban Team presented the history of the regulations and related laws; common mistakes when completing the District’s application form and calculating fees; NPDES completeness issues and concerns; Non-NPDES application commons problems; and Chapter 105 submissions and concerns.
The above issues prevent applications from moving efficiently through the process and to the Technical Project Review. Thus, delaying approval and the start of construction. All presentations were received well by the attendees, who appreciated the guidance to keep their project moving through the system.
The Blair County Conservation District hosted its first annual “NatureWorksPark Fallfest” on October 16, 2021. The event aimed to be an immersive educational experience for the entire family and was planned after receiving a 2021 PA Department of Agriculture – Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant. Urban agriculture was the theme for the event, which saw a dozen related vendors meet and greet guests at the district-owned park in Hollidaysburg, PA. Vendors included local businesses and farms such as Innovative Extracts (Portage), specializing in farm-to-table CBD, and Gahagan Farms (Williamsburg), which grows over 50 varieties of flowers.
In addition to vendors, the event also featured pumpkin painting, live animals, and the Blair County Dairy Princess. Retired educators Jean Sinal and Jody Wallace brought reptiles and a chicken to teach guests about native species and raising backyard chickens. The district aims to make this a regular event with an annually rotating theme.
Centre County Conservation District held a workshop on November 3, 2021, in Bellefonte, PA. The workshop focused on educating homeowners on local water quality issues. This was an excellent opportunity for the district to have open dialogue and foster relationships within the residential community. Attendees left with a better understanding of local water quality issues, stormwater management practices, and resources to manage stormwater on their property.
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.
Westmoreland Conservation District planted 5.86-acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along Stony Run and its tributaries in Westmoreland County. The project cost $12,157.28 and was paid for through PACD’s multi-functional 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.
Building for Tomorrow is now accepting submissions for the 2nd Annual Conservation District Video Awards, to be presented on Wednesday, February 16, at the 2022 Hybrid Staff Conference. Districts can submit videos produced this year to compete for the coveted CONDIVA trophy, which will be awarded to winners in three categories.
Click here for contest rules and the submission form.
The deadline for entries is December 31, 2021.
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.
Mark your calendars for the winter round of PACD committees, which will take place via video conference prior to the virtual 2022 PACD Executive Council Meeting. Registration will be both free and required. Keep an eye out for registration information in a future edition of Front Page.
PACD Conservation Committee Video Conference
January 5, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD District Employees Committee Video Conference
January 7, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD Education and Outreach Committee Video Conference
January 11, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD Legislative Committee Video Conference
January 14, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD Ways and Means Committee Video Conference
January 18, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD Operations Committee Video Conference
January 19, 2022 | 10-11 a.m.
PACD opened a “bonus” round of Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grants! Grants up to $2,500 will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to conservation districts for adult educational projects that offer strategies for reducing and preventing NPS Pollution. Notifications will be made on a rolling basis so projects can start as soon as possible. Projects will need to be completed in enough time to submit a final report by May 6, 2022.
Projects should stimulate a local awareness of water quality issues, promote the theme “We All Live Downstream,” and encourage citizen participation in activities to improve water quality in local watersheds.
The deadline for NPS mini-grant applications is December 31, 2021, or until funds are allocated. Click here for the online application and more information.
PACD still plans to open the 2022-23 Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant round in January 2022. Final reports for the January 2022 round will be due May 2023. $60,000 will be available, however, the grant amount will be up to $2,000 per project. Districts may apply for both rounds. There is no limit to the number of applications a conservation district may submit.
Questions should be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.
At its November meeting, the PACD Executive Board voted to hold PACD Winter Meeting activities virtually. The winter 2022 PACD Executive Council Meeting will take place as a video conference on January 27 at 10:00 a.m. Committees will meet virtually prior to the Executive Council session, so watch future editions of Front Page for committee dates. Need to update your district’s slate of voting delegates prior to January? Contact Molly with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.
Blair County Conservation District Educator J.T. Bandzuh visited Williamsburg Elementary School on October 25, 2021, to host an “Animals of Halloween” show-and-tell presentation. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes combined to listen to J.T. read The Leaf Thief and to discuss fall and the changes brought about during the season.
After story time, J.T. introduced students to bats, owls, and spiders – explaining to students their contributions to their local environments. The lessons were taught through hand puppets, skeletons and mounts of bats and owls, and the inspection of owl pellets.