On April 23, 2020, Montgomery County Conservation District held an event that was funded through the 2020-21 round of the PACD Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant Program. The “Hay & Pasture Nutrition & Management” webinar was initially planned as an in-person event but was moved online because of COVID-19. The webinar was hosted jointly by Penn State Extension and Montgomery County Conservation District.

Fifty-six people participated in the online event! The webinar had an equine focus but was open to all operations. Topics included manure management, rotational grazing, and soil testing.

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.

Allegheny County Conservation District has a short, unique video showing the impact the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Program has on controlling stormwater and preventing pollution. The video is shot from the perspective of driving on the road before and after the project.

Click here to view the video. 

Columbia County Conservation District (CCCD) is hosting lunch ‘n learn webinars to continue to engage and educate the public.

So far, the topics include:

• DIY Rain Barrel Webinar on April 18, 2020, which had 55 participants
• No Mow Zone Webinar on May 1, 2020, with 35 participants
• Native Plants Webinar on May 8, 2020. Check the District’s YouTube channel for this webinar when it is posted. 

CCCD Watershed Specialist Brittney Hartzell said, “I’ve found that the public has really enjoyed them, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the turnout! I also get a lot of landowner follow-ups that want me to come to look at their property and give them suggestions for improvement.”

Congratulations to the CCCD for taking advantage of a captive audience at home and engaging them in timely topics for this time of year!

On May 4, 2020, Indiana County Conservation District Manager Douglas Beri, Jr., posted a video introducing followers to the district’s activities and Conservation District Week in their county.

Click here to view the video. 

Check out the great outreach by Cameron County Conservation District on their Facebook page. Administrative Assistant Jenn Dixon posted a video on how to build a terrarium (with help from her kids) and one where she reads a children’s book on recycling.

Other posts include make your own recycled bird feeder, a do it yourself rain gauge, and salt dough earth necklaces.

Click here to view the district’s Facebook page. 

Bradford County Conservation District (BCCD) posted a series of videos on its Facebook page. They are calling it the Adventure Trail Series. BCCD Education Coordinator Dan Rhodes hosts the videos, which offer nature-based activities that can be done in your backyard. The goal is to get people outside and having fun.

Click here to view the videos. 

The Pennsylvania General Assembly declared May 3-9, 2020, as “Conservation District Week.” Please take advantage of the resources PACD created for conservation districts to use to promote conservation districts this week. Click here to access the materials. 

Pike County Conservation District’s Communications Coordinator/Open Records Officer Devan George hosted Facebook Live education events in April. She aimed to offer a replacement for activities that were scheduled around Earth Day that had to be canceled.

Her videos focus on activities kids can do along with her for hands-on learning. Activities include making an at-home watershed model, a groundwater model, and learning about erosion. During the live sessions, Devan was able to answer questions that come up in the comments and interact with her audience.

The videos are recorded and posted on the district’s Facebook page so they can be viewed at any time. Click here to check out all the videos and consider sharing them on your social media channels or creating your own! Follow the district’s social media to be notified when new videos are posted.

To continue providing environmental education and outreach, the Potter County Conservation District is working on a YouTube channel. Click here to view the channel. 

The third and most recent video is “Trout Habitat and Parts of a Stream.” In the video, Watershed Specialist Jared Dickerson fly-fishes up Dingman Run in Coudersport, PA. Along the way, he shows parts of a stream, vital trout habitat, and proper fish handling. Click here to view the video. 

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) published an article by PACD President Mike Price in the spring 2020 issue of the Pennsylvania County News. The title of the article is “Conservation Districts Make a Difference in Our Communities.”

PACD is excited to announce that CCAP permitted us to link the article! Click here to read the entire piece. Thanks to CCAP for sharing the excellent work of conservation districts!