Missed it? Join a webinar on October 9.

PACD partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to offer a riparian buffer boot camp in Snyder County. Nine conservation district staff attended the field day to learn how to complete new site visits, develop a planting plan, use flags to mark the site, and conduct maintenance. Participants planted and sheltered trees as part of the hands-on learning experience.

If you were unable to attend the in-person training, please join us for a virtual riparian buffer training for conservation districts by registering using the link below. 

Riparian Forest Buffer Training for Conservation Districts
October 9, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. to Noon

This training is partially financed by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

 

Molly Bengs is the Water Resource Trainer at PACD, where she plays a key role in advancing water resource training efforts and expanding the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s comprehensive training library, Clean Water Academy.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University.

Prior to her current role, Molly worked with the National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP), where she contributed to the development and implementation of communication strategies supporting locally led conservation initiatives through partner activities. She also has a background in higher education, having worked on curriculum development, and gained valuable experience through an internship with her local conservation district. Molly is looking forward to continuing her work in conservation by supporting water quality efforts across Pennsylvania in this role.

Outside of work, Molly enjoys hiking, photography, crafting, as well as spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Vader.

Two new lessons can be found under the “Hydric Soils” section of the “Introduction to Wetland Determination – 2025” course.  The lessons feature numerous videos from the field.

The lessons include:

PA Hydric Soil Indicators, Part 2  (must be logged in to view)
This lesson continues the discussion of common hydric soil indicators in Pennsylvania. By the end, you will be able to accurately describe and identify several key indicators using industry best practices. The lesson also introduces a step-by-step procedure for determining organic matter content and classifying types of organic matter.

Hydric Soil Indicators Exercise (must be logged in to view)
This final lesson serves as a practical wrap-up for the basic hydric soils module. Through interactive exercises, you will apply your knowledge to four site scenarios, practicing the identification of hydric soil indicators and reinforcing key concepts learned throughout the course.

Contact Molly Bengs for additional information or to create a Clean Water Academy account. mbengs@pacd.org.

The Allegheny County Conservation District was named one of the top 15 best mid-size workplaces in Western PA by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The district was ranked 13th in the medium category (25-49 employees).

The staff celebrated this recognition at a Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park. (The Pirates lost to the Cubs 8-4.)

Click here to read more. 

 

Susquehanna County Conservation District (SCCD) recently welcomed new “Eels in the Classroom” to their district tank! This is SCCD’s second year raising eels, and these juveniles are already much bigger than last year’s.

Eels in the Classroom (EIC), offered by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, gives educators juvenile American eels to raise and release back into the Susquehanna River. The program partners with natural resource agencies, schools, and Conowingo Dam operators to help restore eels to their native waters.

Public educators interested in joining the EIC program can fill out the form here. 

The 2025 Management Summit was held September 16–18 at the Wyndham Garden Conference Center in State College. Over 60 district managers, management staff, and partner staff attended. In addition to keynotes on managing uncertainty, understanding artificial intelligence, and communicating for influence, attendees participated in discussions on change management models, learned about audits and principles of accounting, and were updated on current legislative issues.

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.

The most common strategic planning questions at districts revolve around budgeting. This webinar will present a toolkit with simple options for districts to evaluate when considering how to best invest their time and money to address priority challenges. “Right-Sizing” Your Strategic Planning Process will be presented by Ryan Szuch, Founder & President of York-based Grow Conservation LLC, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from Noon to 12:45 p.m. 

Click here to register.

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.

Cumberland County Conservation District funded a stream restoration project along the Mountain Creek of Mount Holly Springs. This project successfully restored 640 feet of stream bank with the use of saw-tooth modified mudsill, log-framed cross vanes with rock throats, saw-tooth stone deflectors, and log-framed stone deflectors.

By installing these practices, the district and partners:

• Improved water flow & oxygen
• Reduced erosion
• Created a better habitat for trout & aquatic life

Project partners included the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Habitat Management Division, Western PA Conservancy, the Mountain Creek Trout Club and Conservation Society, and Gleim Excavating.

The project was funded with $50,337 from the Unconventional Gas Well Fund (Marcellus Shale).

 

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Lehigh County Conservation District partnered with the Lehigh Valley Zoo to raise awareness about the damage invasive plants can do to our landscape and ecosystem.

Participants in this unique new event met on The Trexler Game Preserve with a two-fold mission. First, learn all about invasive Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), then collect berries and foliage. After discussing identification, look-alikes, and native berry producers, the group paraded back to the Zoo grounds with harvest in tow to make a tasty jam and provide enrichment to resident megafauna!

Although E. umbellata is not preferred browse for PA native whitetail and elk, its thorny branches are similar enough to the Masai giraffe’s beloved Acacia foliage to be thoroughly enjoyed! With each jar of jam, participants brought home the knowledge to prevent thousands of new autumn olive seedlings from taking root in our public lands each year.

 

On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, the Columbia County Conservation District held its 8th annual Water Education Day at Briar Creek Lake Park in Berwick. About 190 eighth-grade students from two different school districts in Columbia County attended the event. The students rotated through six stations where they learned about various aspects of our water sources, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems. The six stations—Water Quality, Streams, Groundwater, Music and Discovery, Art and Poetry, and Fish Ecology—are all led by volunteers.

Click here to read the entire article and to see more photos.