PACD is accepting mini-grant applications up to $1,000 (increased from $500) to implement virtual 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.

The application deadline is April 9, 2021.

Project examples include virtual meetings or workshops, educational videos, educational publications, postcards, and fact sheets.

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.

As part of the CREP Outreach Program Office, PACD is working with Water Words That Work to offer another round of farmer focus groups throughout the PA portion of the Delaware and Ohio Watersheds. Our local farmers’ input is extremely valuable in helping us understand how to successfully deliver the CREP program so that it meets the needs of landowners. Please help us promote these focus groups to farmers in the Ohio and Delaware areas of the state.

All farmers who participate will receive $125 in return for their time.

Focus Groups will be held for the Delaware Watershed are:

• If you are aged 54 or younger, please register for the focus group on April 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-de-1
• If you are aged 55 or older, please register for the focus group on April 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-de-2

Focus Groups will be held for the Ohio Watershed are:

• If you are farming less than 50 acres, please register for the focus group on April 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-oh-1
• If you are farming 50 acres or more, please register for the focus group on April 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: http://bit.ly/pacd-oh-2

Registration is limited to 12 farmers per focus group meeting on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

PACD now has an Instagram account, “paconservation.” 

Find other conservation districts on Instagram at the following handles:

• Armstrong, armstrong.cd
• Berks, berkscoconservationdistrict 
• Bucks, bucksccd 
• Cambria, cambria_conservation_district 
• Centre, centrecountycd 
• Clearfield, clearfieldcountyconservation 
• Fulton, fultonco.conservation.district 
• Lehigh, lehighcountyconservation 
• Pike, pike_conservation 
• Potter, potter_conservation_district
• Schuylkill, schuylkillcd 
• Susquehanna, susquehanna_cty_conservation 
• Wayne, wayneconservationdistrictpa 
• York, yorkccd 

Please let us know if we missed your district’s Instagram account by emailing swehinger@pacd.org.

The 2021 New Manager Training Program will feature a hybrid format, including online and in-person instruction focused on manager leadership, district administration, and partner programs. Online sessions are scheduled for Wednesdays starting May 19 and run through August, and the program wraps up with a pair of in-person workshops scheduled in conjunction with the Management Summit in September.

This year’s program is open to all district managers who started in their position less than three years ago. Assistant managers who have been approved for this training by their district and the Leadership Development Program may also participate. For more information, please visit the Building for Tomorrow website, or contact Leadership Development Coordinator Matt Miller at mmiller@pacd.org.

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 members and partners are reminded to register for the spring PACD region meetings, which begin this Thursday, March 18. Registration for all six web meetings is free and required. To register, please email mburns@pacd.org for the registration link.

PACD North Central Region Video Conference
March 18, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

PACD South Central Region Video Conference
March 24, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

PACD South East Region Video Conference
March 25, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

PACD South West Region Video Conference
March 30, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

PACD North West Region Video Conference
April 8, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

PACD North East Region Video Conference
April 16, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon

 

Congratulations to Amy Miller, Watershed Specialist with the Allegheny County Conservation District, for winning the Government Partner Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators (PAEE)! 

The Government Partner Award recognizes a government official who serves on a local, state, or national level and has demonstrated significant support for environmental education within the Commonwealth of PA.

​Amy Miller has worked at the Allegheny County Conservation District as the Watershed Specialist for over ten years. Community engagement is a big part of her job as a watershed specialist at the district, where she conducts public outreach on various topics related to streams and watershed ecology. Also, she helps with student programming at both the Fern Hollow Nature Center and Creek Connections. These opportunities allow her to show students of all ages the awesomeness of the outside world. They have also taught her a lot about teaching by working with some wonderful educators. She hopes to continue learning and sharing her outdoor experiences with others.

Click here to read more about Amy and the other award recipients.

Do you know a staff person, director, or associate director who has gone above and beyond the call of duty? A legislator who champions conservation legislation? Or a Pennsylvania resident or Pennsylvania-based organization you would like to recognize for their contributions in support of environmental recreation? If so, nominate them for a PACD award!

The awards are:

• Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award
• Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
• Legislator Leadership Award
• Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation

The deadline for nominations is April 30, 2021. Click here for more information and the nomination forms. Nominations should be emailed to Diane Young at dyoung@pacd.org.

Reminder: PACD is accepting sub-grant applications to implement multi-functional riparian buffers. The implementation of these grants will help the commonwealth plant 95,000 acres of riparian buffers by 2025.

To date, PACD has awarded $307,769 in sub-grants to 19 conservation district projects covering 67.69 acres of multi-functional riparian buffers.

• 2 grants from Allegheny County Conservation District
• 1 from Armstrong Conservation District
• 1 from Berks County Conservation District
• 2 from Butler County Conservation District
• 1 from Chester County Conservation District
• 1 from Columbia County Conservation District
• 1 from Dauphin County Conservation District
• 1 from Huntingdon County Conservation District
• 4 from Indiana County Conservation District
• 1 from Lancaster County Conservation District
• 1 from Monroe County Conservation District
• 2 from Montgomery County Conservation District
• 1 from Westmoreland Conservation District

This grant is 100% paid. There is no match required.

The guidelines and application for the statewide sub-grant program for conservation districts are available here. Direct questions to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

Recognized by both the Pennsylvania State House and Senate, April 18-24, 2021, will be “Conservation District Week.” During this week, district offices will hold conference calls and virtual meetings with legislators.

Conservation district resources are available here.

Resources include:

• Press Release
• Fact Sheet (Word)
• Template Letter to Legislators (Word)
• Follow-up Thank You Letter (Word)
• Template Proclamation (Word)
• Social Media Images 

Please take advantage of these resources PACD created for conservation districts to use.

Pennsylvania’s conservation districts thank Governor Tom Wolf and members of the PA House and Senate for supporting the districts through the state budget.

Mark your calendars for May 19-20, 2021, for the Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting. The event is open to conservation district, DEP, and EPA staff, as well as incorporated watershed associations, counties, municipalities, councils of governments, 501(c)(3) non-profits, educational institutions, and municipal authorities. Registration will open later this spring.