Conservation district and DEP staff participate in interactive exercises during the technical plan review session. Photo taken by Linda Mackey.
Close to 50 employees from Pennsylvania’s
conservation districts and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) attended
102/105 Basic Technical Training March 19-21, 2019, in Boalsburg, PA. During
the training, students received concentrated instruction to facilitate their
work with the Chapter 102 and 105 programs. This year’s course also incorporated
online prerequisite coursework through DEP’s new Clean Water Academy, an online
training resource for conservation district and DEP staff.
The series of Building for Tomorrow Regional
Director Trainings on Sexual Harassment and Respect in the Workplace concluded
in Ephrata, PA, on March 21. Five trainings were held across the state. Fifty-six
people attended the trainings.
Overall, attendees found the trainings useful and
had this to say:
“The content was thorough and timely. The
facilitator covered the material well without being overbearing.”
“We needed to put this topic in our policy. This
workshop was very helpful.”
“Very useful! Would recommend for all district
boards and managers.”
The Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development
program offered sessions on this topic to manager, staff, and director
audiences in 2018-19, and is planning to present this topic again in the
future. In the meantime, new managers are encouraged to attend the New Manager
Training Bootcamp June 18-20, 2019, and all managers are encouraged to attend
the Management Summit on September 4-5, 2019.
Contact Matt Miller with questions about the
Leadership Development Program at mmiller@pacd.org.
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.
Students exploring soil properties in Lebanon County. Photo provided by Stephanie Harmon.
On March 12, 2019, a chilly day with hints of
spring, ninety energetic middle and high school Envirothon students from
Lebanon County school districts, including Cornwall-Lebanon, Eastern Lebanon
County, Lebanon, Myerstown Enrichment, Northern Lebanon, and Palmyra got their
hands dirty at Soils Training at the Lebanon Expo Center.
The training was hosted by the Lebanon County
Conservation District and coordinated by Watershed Specialist and Lebanon
County Envirothon Coordinator, Stephanie Harmon. Special guest instructors included
the following USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service staff: Resource Soil
Scientist John Chibirka, Assistant State Conservationist Charlie Hanner, and
Soil Conservationist Lindsey Bream.
The training began with a presentation on the basics
of soils components, understanding maps, surveys and landforms, land use,
decision making, protection, and the importance of understanding soils. John
used his whimsical personality to charm and excite students about the varied
importances of soil characteristics and features.
After the presentation, students rotated through two stations where they (literally) got their hands dirty by practicing the “Soil Texture by Feel” method and reading a soil textural triangle to determine the classification of two different soil samples. Additionally, students reviewed differences in soil colors and practiced how to read the color scientifically, using a “Munsell color book” (a book of color chips that follow the Munsell System of Color Notation) as used by soil scientists. Finally, students were provided an introduction and history of topographical maps and practiced reading and measuring contour lines and understanding the many different features of topographical maps.
Before (left) and after pictures of installed BMPs to address resource concerns on a farm operation in the Maiden Creek Watershed. Photos submitted by Berks County Conservation District.
Berks
County Conservation District (BCCD) partnered with Stroud Water Research Center
in January 2015 to administer their Farm Stewardship Program in Berks County.
This program is designed to entice farmers to install at least a 35’ wide
Forested Riparian Buffer on all streams on their operation. In turn they receive
vouchers for $4,000 per acre of installed Forested Riparian Buffer to help
cover the cost of approved Best Management Practices (BMPs) on their operation.
Between
2015 and 2018, BCCD enrolled 24 sites in the Farm Stewardship program, of which
22 were farming operations. In three years of the Farm Stewardship Program in
Berks County, a total of 105 acres of Forested Riparian Buffers were installed.
resulting in over 57,000 feet of streambank protection covering over 33,000
feet of stream, and planting over 8,000 trees and shrubs along streams. Through
these cooperators, BCCD had 263 BMPs installed including 44 Plans (Conservation
Plans, Manure Management Plans, Nutrient Management Plans), 62 Forested-Riparian-Buffer-related
BMPs, and an additional 157 BMPs on farm operations.
One individual and 17 organizations, businesses, and
local governments in Pennsylvania have been selected by the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) to receive the prestigious 2019 Governor’s Award
for Environmental Excellence.
Congratulations to Westmoreland Conservation
District for winning with their Stormwater basin retrofitting educational videos.
The videos illustrate the function, design, assessment, retrofitting, and
maintenance of stormwater basins. During the workshop held by the district, 382
individuals watched the video and provided feedback on their understanding of
how retrofitting, inspection, and maintenance impact water quality.
Adam Tarr, Legislative Assistant for Bob Casey poses with Kelly Stagen, PACD Secretary and North East Region Director.
On Wednesday, March
13, conservation district officials from across the nation descended upon the
nation’s capital as part of NACD’s 2019 Spring Fly-In. More than 150 district
representatives from over 30 states took to Capitol Hill to educate their
federal representatives about and advocate for voluntary, locally-led
conservation.
Kelly Stagen, PACD Secretary
and North East Region Director, attended the fly-in.
Do you know a staff person or director who has gone above and
beyond the call of duty?
A legislator who champions conservation legislation? Or a
Pennsylvania resident or Pennsylvania-based organization you would like to
recognize for their contributions in support of environmental recreation? If
so, nominate them for a PACD award!
The awards are:
Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate
Director Excellence Award
Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
Legislator Leadership Award
Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental
Recreation
The deadline for nominations is April 30, 2019. Click here for more information and the nomination forms.
Ten conservation district managers from South Central PA met at the new PACD office on March 7, 2019, to discuss current issues. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh joined the discussion.
Mary Kay Williams speaks to directors in Wilkes-Barre, PA on March 5, 2019. Photo taken by Amy Brown.
The
2019 Building for Tomorrow Regional Director Trainings on Sexual Harassment and
Respect in the Workplace kicked-off in Wilkes-Barre on March 5, 2019 and State
College on March 6, 2019.
This
interactive workshop program on sexual harassment was presented by Mary Kay
Williams of MindShift Consulting.
There
are three workshops remaining:
Wednesday,
March 13 – Cross Creek Resort, Titusville
Thursday,
March 14 – West Meeting Center, West Elizabeth
Thursday,
March 21 – Woodcrest Retreat Center, Ephrata
Click here for more information or contact Matt Miller at 717-238-7223 x107.
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.
Christopher Ridenhour (left) wraps-up the keynote session, “Tuned In, Turned Up, or Tapped Out?” Ridenhour is pictured with Don Hibbard from Susquehanna County Conservation District.
The
2019 Building for Tomorrow Staff Conference was held February 27–28 at the
Genetti Hotel in Williamsport. The theme was “Culture & Communication.” The
conference aimed to provide inspiration as well as valuable information on
values, mission, and culture to Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.
Ninety-seven
people representing 32 conservation districts attended the two-day event.
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.
