The Building for Tomorrow 2020 Management Summit scheduled for September has moved to an online format for this year in light of COVID-19 restrictions. The Management Summit webinar series will be scheduled for Wednesdays in September, with sessions starting at 1:00 p.m. The agenda includes topics that address challenges during times of disruption, including managing effective remote teams, negotiation skills for dealing with difficult people, volunteer engagement in the age of social distancing, and more. Stay tuned for more information and a registration announcement in June.

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.

Beginning in April 2019, the McKean County Conservation District held a series of workshops for their 2019-20 Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant project, “Promoting Healthy Watersheds.” The district held ten workshops, reaching 206 people. The workshops included a best management practices conservation tour, erosion control in our forests, a winter farmers meeting, a backyard conservation series, and an invasive plant workshop and field day.

The district achieved its goal of educating attendees on pollution prevention. The district demonstrated erosion and sedimentation control, rain gardens and infiltration areas, using native plants in riparian areas, and rain barrels.

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 US Environmental Protection Agency.

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay created a video featuring Jim Harbach, a Clinton County Conservation District Director, and former district staff person Lisa Blazure.

Jim Harbach operates Schrack Farms Resources with his brother-in-law Kevin Schrack in Clinton County, PA. Having practiced no-till farming for 30 years, and adopting the use of cover crops in recent decades, Harbach sees the benefits of these conservation practices to his harvest yields as well as the soil.

Click here to watch the 3 ½ minute video. 

In the interest of keeping our members safe, the PACD Executive Board voted to cancel the in-person PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference scheduled for July 22-23, 2020, in Boalsburg. Instead, the Executive Council session will be held virtually on July 23, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. and committees will meet individually via conference call or video call prior to the Executive Council session. The State Conservation Commission will announce plans for their July meeting separately.

Need to update your district’s slate of voting delegates? Contact Molly with PACD at mburns@pacd.org.

More information on the web conference will be shared as it is available.

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.