The Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program offered two workshop series for directors and staff this spring.

Sixty-eight attendees representing 31 districts and the PA Department of Environmental Protection participated in the 2024 Regional Director Workshop Series on Strategic Board Development. Attendees discussed strategic aspects of board culture and performance, the processes of director nomination and nominating organization approval, and the importance of intentional outreach for district boards.

Follow-up webinars for those who missed the workshops are scheduled for Wednesdays, May 29 and June 12. They will focus on the development needs of new directors and associate directors. Visit Building for Tomorrow to register.

The 2024 Staff Training Initiative included five regional workshops on Emotional Intelligence facilitated by Sarah Colantonio of Lancaster-based Work Wisdom LLC. Attendees discussed aspects of emotional intelligence in the workplace and methods to reduce stress and improve well-being. A total of 95 staff from 30 districts attended the workshops.

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 Westmoreland Conservation District (WCD) recently held its annual Engineers’ Workshop. It attracted nearly 400 attendees from 18 counties and three states! Participants heard program updates from PA Department of Environmental Protection staff. They also learned about erosion and sediment control, riparian buffers, stream crossings, and other topics from WCD staff and guest speakers.

Click here for presentations from the event. 

Check out Season 2 Episode 3 of The Conservation Podcast by Pike County Conservation District, “The Dirt on Clean Fill.” What’s the difference between dirty dirt and clean fill? Kristina Heaney, District Manager at the Monroe County Conservation District, visits the podcast to discuss this issue.

The ⁠Form FP-001 Certification of Clean Fill⁠ referenced by Kristina can be found here on the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s website.

Click here to listen. 

The 2024-25 round of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts is now open. This program will award up to $2,000 in funding to conservation districts to implement water quality and pollution prevention education programs for adult audiences.

This round offers a total of $32,000. Click here for guidance and the online application. The application period closes on April 30, 2024.

Contact PACD Director of Communications & Education Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with questions.

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.

Recently, the Lancaster County Conservation District celebrated its 71st Annual Banquet, honoring conservation efforts in Lancaster County. Recipients were recognized for their contributions to conserving natural resources. The event also included an auction that directly supports the district’s Ann Brown Scholarship for high school seniors. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh attended the event.

Award recipients included:

• Watershed Project Award Recipients: Donegal Trout Unlimited, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Unique Excavating, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Building Industry Resource Conservation Award Recipients: Kinsley Construction, RETTEW, and High Associates
• Conservation School Service Award: Frank Wasco

Click here to read a press release on the banquet. 

The keynote presentation at the 2024 Watershed Congress was “The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Local Conservation Districts, and You – Helping Achieve Pennsylvania’s Forest and Meadow Goals.” The keynote featured representatives from two Pennsylvania conservation districts discussing a PACD grant program that supports the creation of conventional riparian buffers, multi-functional riparian buffers, and lawn conversions. These programs were developed to help achieve Pennsylvania’s goal of planting 5,000 acres of upland forest and 5,000 acres of meadow by 2025.

The event was held on March 23, 2024, at the Montgomery County Community College, Pottstown, PA.

The speakers included Brian Vadino, Watershed Specialist for the Montgomery County Conservation District. Brian spoke about a project in the Perkiomen Creek Watershed that the districts completed through the PACD Riparian Buffer Sub-Grant for Conservation Districts program.

Kent Himelright, Watershed Coordinator for Berks County Conservation District, spoke about a riparian buffer project at Zartman Farm and a lawn-to-meadow conversion project at the Caernarvon Municipal Authority.

Click here to watch the presentation. 

Financial and other support for the Riparian Buffer Sub-Grant for Conservation Districts program 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.

 

On March 18, 2024, the Franklin County Conservation District presented to over 60 local contractors. The presentation was divided into two groups: one in English and one translated into Spanish.

Topics included perimeter E&S controls, temporary/permanent seed mixtures, bonded fiber matrix, soil amendments, and failed Post-Construction Stormwater Management best management practices.

Indiana County Conservation District planted seven multifunctional riparian forest buffers in Indiana County last year. The projects covered almost 13 acres and were paid for through PACD’s Multifunctional Riparian Buffer Sub-grant Program.

1.4 acres along Cheese Run = $2,555.97
0.91 acres along McCarthy Run = $1,972.48
0.74 acres along Cherry Run = $1,407.21
0.72 acres along Weirs Run = $927.30
3.5 acres along Leasure Run = $3,842.59
3.3 acres along Reeds Run = $6,109.69
2.25 acres along Reeds Run = $4,505.87

Click here to see more photos from the projects. 

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.

For the fourth year, the Elk County Conservation District is challenging fellow PA conservation districts to pick up trash throughout April and May.

The district that picks up the most trash in their county is the winner. First, track the number of bags and weight of trash (if possible). Then, share your district’s photos and results on Facebook using the hashtags #ConservationCallout and #DistrictTrashTalking.

The winning district will be recognized during the July PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference and receive the trash talker award (pictured) for the year. Washington County currently holds the trophy, which will be passed on to the 2024 winner.

Registration is now open for Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training May 20-24, 2024, at the Red Lion Harrisburg Hershey in Harrisburg, PA. Attendance is open only to conservation district and DEP employees working with Chapter 102.

The training is appropriate for individuals who are new or relatively new to their position, have never taken a similar training, would like a refresher, or would like guidance and skill enhancement for field inspections. The course curriculum assumes all participants have completed the prerequisite coursework on the Clean Water Academy.

There is no cost to register, most meals are provided, and a partial lodging reimbursement is available. The training is in-person only. Click here for additional information and to register. You will need to log into the Clean Water Academy (CWA) to access this link. Please contact Christopher Grimsley at cgrimsley@pacd.org if you need assistance accessing the CWA. All other questions may be directed to Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

This training is funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.