Thank you to the nearly 200 district staff who participated in the 2023 CliftonStrengths Initiative, adding to the 40+ district managers who participated in 2022. Over 100 staff attended CliftonStrengths workshops held at PA State Parks in February and March, and plans are in the works for a second round of workshops for district teams beginning later in the Spring.

Employment Law for Conservation Districts reference material and video from the March 15 follow-up webinar is available at Building for Tomorrow and is highly recommended for all districts to review.

Save the Dates for 2023 Spring Leadership Webinar Series – Wednesdays 12:00 pm -1 pm from May 31 through June 28; Look for the agenda and registration opening soon.

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 technicians are encouraged to attend this year’s Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training as a refresher course. The event will take place May 23-26, 2023, at the Red Lion Harrisburg Hershey in Harrisburg, PA.

There is no cot to register, most meals are provided, and a lodging reimbursement is available. (See registration page for additional details.) There is no virtual attendance option.

Attendance is open to conservation district technicians and DEP employees working with Chapter 102 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.

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 was 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.

With sadness, we report the passing of former PACD President MaryAnn Warren on March 15, 2023.

MaryAnn served on the PACD Executive board for five years, serving as 2nd Vice President in 2007, then 1st Vice President in 2009, before leading the Association as President from 2010 to 2012.

MaryAnn was the Commissioner Director on the Susquehanna County Conservation District board starting in 2004. She served as an officer of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts from 2007 to 2012 and as a member of the State Conservation Commission from 2008 to 2014.

She also served as director/treasurer for the Lackawanna/Susquehanna Behavioral Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Early Intervention program to address the issue of suicide, director/secretary for NEPA Community Health Care, a director/vice-chair for Endless Mountains Resource Conservation and Development, and a director for the Pratt Memorial Library.

MaryAnn was a dedicated public servant and leader. She will be missed.

Click here to read her obituary. 

The Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting will take place from 9:00 a.m. to Noon on May 22 and 23, 2023. The event is open to entities involved in Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management projects, including conservation district staff, DEP and EPA staff, incorporated watershed associations, counties, municipalities, councils of governments; 501(c)(3) non-profits, educational institutions, and municipal authorities.

Click here for more information and to register. 

From the Elk County Conservation District Bugle Newsletter, Volume 10, Issue 2, Summer 2022

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) was awarded a $210,000 Landscape Scale Restoration Grant from the USDA Forest Service for a pilot PRISM program in Northwest PA. PRISM stands for Pennsylvania Regional Invasive Species Management.

The presence of invasive species is becoming more and more prevalent across PA. These invasive species are not native to the area and by having no natural predators, are able to outcompete native species and take over. The presence of invasive species poses a threat to Pennsylvania’s economy, natural resources, and quality of life.

The PRISM program allocates funding for the removal and treatment of invasive species, as well as educational programming to teach the public and businesses about this threat. PRISMs such as this have been implemented in other states for years with great success. We hope that the implementation of this program in Pennsylvania will help us reclaim the wild areas of our state and keep invasive species at bay!

Click here to read more about the invasive species survey in PA. 

 

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) conducted a meeting on February 17, 2023, in Selinsgrove. The meeting was for farmers dedicated to conservation-related issues. Speakers discussed proper soil and manure management, agricultural best management practices, available conservation programs, and newly developed corn nitrogen assessment tools. Farmers came away with methods, techniques, and guidance to manage their farms while improving water quality and farm resources.

Click here to read more about the meeting. 

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.

In 2021, Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partners updated the “Landowner Guide to Buffer Success” that was last published in 2007. Like the previous guide, this one is set up calendar-style with pages for notes. In addition, the guide features key tasks by season, tips to improve outcomes, example photos, summaries of how riparian forest buffers help streams, and links to resources.

PACD has a few hundred calendar-style guides still available for distribution. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org to request copies and to make arrangements to get them to your district.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office 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.

Thanks again to the over 80 district directors, staff, and partners who participated in the 2023 Employment Law for Conservation Districts seminars. A follow-up webinar to address specific questions from the seminars was presented on March 15 by Adam Long. This session’s video and slides, along with reference material from the February seminar series, are now posted at Building for Tomorrow. 

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.

Five county conservation districts were awarded $12,645 for projects for the 2023 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Mini-Grants. Conservation districts will use these grants to work with landowners to prevent pollution in our streams, lakes, and rivers. Projects will take place over the next six months.

The mini-grants were awarded to:

• Blair, $3,000
• Butler, $2,300
• Lebanon, $1,345
• Luzerne, $3,000
• Sullivan, $3,000

Projects include field days, workshops, and one-on-one visits. Whether participants are new to CREP or are already enrolled, they will learn more about the CREP program and how to make it work for them.

Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org for more information about available funding for the CREP mini-grant program.

On March 1, 2023, Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) hosted a Winter Ag Meeting with guest speakers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Meeting attendees enjoyed an interactive question-and-answer session with EPA representatives led by Adam Ortiz, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator. Topics ranged from legacy sediment to today’s agricultural regulations. Franklin County’s water quality trends and successful BMP Verification Program were highlighted during discussions about the Chesapeake Bay’s nutrient reduction progress.

In addition to the meeting, FCCD facilitated a focus group with local farmers, a stream tour to spotlight a recent success story, and a focus group with municipal leaders.