Westmoreland Conservation District planned to host a workshop/pasture walk for equine owners. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the project was reimagined as a video series. The conservation district created a three-part video series showing the connection between horse farm practices and water quality and how the use of manure management plans and good pasture management will reduce those impacts.

• The first video is an introduction to nonpoint source pollution and how horse farms may impact water quality. 
• The second video walks the viewer through writing their farm’s manure management plan. 
• The third video discusses the importance of pasture management. 

The videos contain helpful tips and suggested resources that will help horse owners achieve their goals. The videos are available on the Westmoreland Conservation District YouTube channel. 

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.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held its Farmers Spring Thaw Meeting on April 9, 2021, in the Paxtonville United Methodist Church’s roofed picnic pavilion.

Fifty-six people attended the meeting. Topics included better management of farm soils and manure, updates on Snyder County’s Action Plan, USDA program updates, and protecting water resources while mixing and loading.

Guest presenters from the conservation district, Snyder County Commissioners, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Penn State Extension presented either in person or through recordings.

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.

Greene County Conservation District staff and Greene County Farm Bureau held a Clean-up Day on April 28, 2021. They collected 43 bags of trash!

The Bucks County Conservation District (BCCD) wrapped up April with an Adopt A Highway cleanup along Ferry Road in Plumstead Township. Through this cleanup and others during April, BCCD staff removed at least 400 pounds of trash that would have otherwise washed into local waterways.

The “DCNR 2021 Riparian Forest Buffers Series” is available to the public on the Clean Water Academy website. These fifteen webinars are provided by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Note: Internet Explorer is not recommended for using the Clean Water Academy.

Participants are asked to note the new 10:00 a.m. start time for the Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to Noon on both May 19 and 20.

Section 319 Virtual Watershed Planning and Implementation Meeting
May 19 and 20, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. to Noon – New Start Time!

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 by Friday, May 14, 2021, for more information and to register.

Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held four half-day manure management plan writing workshops in October 2020 and March 2021. Thirteen farmers attended.

Barry Spangler, SCCD Agricultural Conservation Technician, gave an overview of the new Manure Management Manual and other agricultural environmental regulations. He gave a step-by-step process of writing manure management plans that meet these new regulations.

Spangler also showed a video demonstrating PAOneStop, a free Penn State-managed website where farmers can create their own maps. 

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.

After receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, the Jefferson County Conservation District helped remove material dumped in North Fork Redbank Creek. The district collected 11 bags of trash.

The district is participating in the Elk County Conservation District trash challenge. The deadline to participate in the challenge is July 1, 2021. 

There is still time to participate! The submission deadline for the 2021 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest is June 30, 2021. The theme this year is “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.” Posters must be submitted to PACD via email to dyoung@pacd.org. Click here for more information. 

As part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Outreach Program Office, PACD and CREP Program Partners will offer a CREP Partner Training Webinar Series to all partner staff involved in the program. Registration is free and required. Click on the webinars below for more information and to register.

CREP Partner Training Part 1: How the CREP Program Works 
May 27, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: Newer employees with little experience working with CREP

CREP Partner Training Part 2: CREP Practices and Technical Guidance 
June 3, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: New and experienced CREP partner staff

CREP Partner Training Part 3: Working with Landowners and Building Relationships 
June 10, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Audience: New and experienced CREP partner staff

Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

Financial and other support for the CREP Partner Training is provided through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.