Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

We support Pennsylvania’s Conservation Districts who work for clean water and healthy soil every day.

Directors: Last Chance to Register for October 27 Adaptive Strategies & Contingency Planning Workshop

The first session in a three-part workshop series on Adaptive Strategies & Contingency Planning is scheduled this week for district managers. However, there’s still time for board members to register for Session 2: Adaptive Strategies & Contingency Planning for Directors, scheduled for Tuesday, October 27 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. This workshop series is designed for both managers and boards to work separately on identifying issues and concerns and then to come together to determine priorities and strategies for implementing them. At least one board member from every district should plan on participating in the October 27 directors-only session, as well as a combined follow-up session on Tuesday, November 17, that will integrate information and insights from the previous two sessions. This series is facilitated by Deb Thompson of Strategy Solutions, who also presented a section of our New Director Orientation regional training workshops earlier this year.

Click here to register directly for the 10/27 Directors workshop.

Click here for more information on the Fall Leadership webinar series.

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.

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2020 Strategic Planning Grants Awarded, 2021 Program Open

Congratulations to Cambria, Cumberland, Lancaster, and Pike County Conservation Districts on the completion and approval of their new strategic plans in 2020. Strategic Planning Grants totaling over $4800 were awarded to reimburse 2019-2020 planning costs for these districts. For 2020-2021, the State Conservation Commission has allocated funding for grants to reimburse up to a maximum of $1,500 in expenses (per district) related to developing a strategic plan. In order to be eligible for these funds, conservation districts must meet program requirements, and priority will be given to conservation districts that did not receive a strategic planning grant in the past five years.

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent for this year’s program is Friday, November 20. For information and resources, please visit the Strategic Planning Grants page at the Building for Tomorrow website or contact Matt Miller, Leadership Development Coordinator.

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.

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Save the Date: 2021 Virtual Staff Conference

Mark your calendars for Building for Tomorrow’s first Virtual Conservation District Staff Conference, scheduled for February 8–12, 2021. The week-long program will include interactive webinar workshops and round-table forum discussions on a variety of topics and tools relevant to current challenges faced by conservation district staff. Stay tuned for more information and a draft agenda coming 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.

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Save the Date: PACD Executive Council Video Conference

The winter 2021 PACD Executive Council Meeting will take place as a video conference on January 28 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.

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PACD Hiring Agricultural Conservation Technician in Lebanon Office

The Conservation Technician for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) in the South Central Region provides technical assistance to the Growing Greener program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

This position will: provide technical assistance to area partnership Growing Greener personnel and NRCS in the planning, design, and construction of engineering practices; prepare designs of agricultural conservation practices and water quality best management practices (BMPs), which are site-specific and require coordination among various groups and individuals; and provide engineering assistance in conducting preliminary investigations.

Click here for the full job description. Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to PACD at jobs@pacd.org. All application materials must be received by 4:30 p.m. on October 22, 2020.

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Watershed Specialists Attend Virtual Statewide Annual Meeting

Stroud Water Research Center Executive Director David Arscott demonstrates Model My Watershed during the Watershed Specialist Meeting on October 7, 2020.

Nearly 100 attendees, including 69 watershed specialists, participated in the 20th Annual Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting, held virtually October 6-8, 2020.

Each day featured over four hours of virtual learning. Over the three half-days, participants: learned how to develop a community data collection project that delivers results; received an update on the 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report; learned about stream redesignations and water quality standards; discovered how the 10 Million Trees project could contribute to their projects; and learned how to use online tools such as Macroinvertebrates.org, Model My Watershed, and Leaf Pack Network.

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.

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2021 Poster Contest is Open!

The 2021 Poster Contest theme is “Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities.” Conservation districts that wish to participate can collect nominations via email, judge them, and forward the winners in each grade category to PACD. PACD will then select the statewide winners to move on to the national contest.

PACD will accept photos of your county’s winners until June 30, 2021. Entries can be emailed to pacd@pacd.org. Click here for more information on the contest. 

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Chester County Conservation District Holds Municipal Workshop

A municipal workshop was held at a fire hall on October 1, 2020. Photo provided by Chester County Conservation District.

On October 1, 2020, the Chester County Conservation District held a Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems training. Participants learned how the recently installed West Grove Borough rain garden was planned, funded, and implemented to help improve the water quality of the White Clay Creek. The design, engineering, and construction processes were discussed first-hand by Rutgers University, West Grove Borough Public Works Department and staff, and the White Clay Creek watershed manager.

The district held the workshop in-person with masks required. They also made the workshop available virtually by broadcasting live and recording it. The first part of the in-person workshop was held in a fire hall with the door open. The second portion was held outside at the site of the new rain garden.

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.

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Schuylkill Conservation District Holds Birthday Bash

Photo provided by the Schuylkill Conservation District.

The Schuylkill Conservation District celebrated its 65th anniversary with festivities at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park on September 27, 2020.

Since its founding in 1955 by Dr. James S. Shadle, the district has evolved from an emphasis on soil conservation to one of all natural resource conservation efforts. District Manager Jenna St. Clair said the district began as an all-volunteer organization but currently has 14 staff members and a host of volunteers.

In celebration of the district’s growth and success, St. Clair said the birthday bash was planned with something for everyone, from young children to adults.

Click here read the entire article and here to view photos from the event. 

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Congratulations to Somerset Conservation District and Len Lichvar

Photo of Len Lichvar from PA Environment Digest Blog.

From PA Environment Digest Blog, September 25, 2020

On September 25, the PA Association of Environmental Professionals recognized Len Lichvar, Manager of the Somerset Conservation District, with the Walter Lyon Award. The Walter Lyon Award honors an organization, project, or program that made a unique, creative, or significant contribution toward maintenance or restoration of Pennsylvania’s environmental quality or to the field of environmental management.

Somerset County Conservation District Manager Len Lichvar is deeply involved in conservation matters in his county, region, and statewide. Over the past 30 years, the Somerset Conservation District has planned and developed large scale projects to ensure that clean water is available for residents and visitors.

Click here to read the entire article.

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