Formerly limited to the Chesapeake Bay, this year’s virtual event will be open to agricultural staff from conservation districts and PA agencies statewide March 16-17, 2021. Mark your calendars and look for registration and agenda information in an upcoming issue of Front Page!
PACD Announces Staff Changes
Best wishes to PACD’s longtime Director of Operations, Lisa Jo Suhr! Lisa is retiring after nineteen years with the association. A retirement Zoom will be held for Lisa on her last day, Friday, February 12, 2021, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Email Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org for the link if you wish to drop in. If you cannot attend, well wishes can be emailed directly to Lisa at lsuhr@pacd.org before 3:00 p.m. on February 12.
PACD Program Manager Amy Brown will take over the Director of Operations position starting on February 15, 2021.
Holly Miller is PACD’s new program manager. Holly’s first day is February 8, 2021. She can be reached at hmiller@pacd.org.
By Holly Miller
Before joining the Harrisburg team, I worked with PACD as the Executive Assistant for the National Conservation Planning Partnership. Before that, I was the district manager for the Sullivan County Conservation District, working with district programs and operations.
I grew up on a farm in Luzerne County, where I became interested in agriculture and conservation and graduated from Bloomsburg University with a BS in Environmental Biology.
I enjoy hunting, fishing, art, and spending time with my husband, our beautiful daughter, and our dog.
I am very excited to work with conservation districts again, and I look forward to this new adventure!
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, PACD held a virtual Executive Council Meeting. There were over 80 participants. During the meeting, the PACD Executive Council gave final approval for a bylaw change to move Armstrong Conservation District from the PACD South West Region to the PACD North West Region.
Also during the meeting, PACD Director of Operations Lisa Jo Suhr was recognized for her 19 years of service to the association, and board and partner reports were given.
PACD seeks input from farmers and agricultural landowners from the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware River Watershed about the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Focus groups will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on February 23 and 25, 2021. Farmers can participate in these discussions whether or not they have enrolled land in the program.
Please share this information with your farmer contacts in the Delaware Watershed.
All farmers who participate in the virtual focus group will receive $125 in return for their time. Registration is limited to 15 qualified farmers on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are aged 55 or older, please register for the focus group on February 23 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: https://bit.ly/pacd-de-1
If you are aged 54 or younger, please register for the focus group on February 25 from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.: https://bit.ly/pacd-de-2
Questions? Contact PACD Director of Communications & Education Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.
Photo courtesy of USDA-NRCS.
Conservation District Directors and Associate Directors – do you have some good news to share about a successful project in 2020? Then plan to join us for the Sharing Success Stories Director Forums on Monday, February 15, 2021, where you’ll get the chance to learn (and brag) about successful conservation district projects from around the state.
For directors at districts that have recently completed, or are considering, strategic planning plan to join us for the Strategic Planning Director Forums on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, where you’ll get the chance to network with other districts to share advice and insights on the planning process. Both Forums are scheduled as pairs, so you can choose to attend a Noon or 7 p.m. meeting according to your convenience. The 2021 Board Leadership series also features two presentations on ethical principles and conflict of interest, as well as an interactive planning workshop – click here for more information and to register.
Conservation District Staff – there’s still time to register for the 2021 Virtual Staff Conference, scheduled for February 8–12, 2021. This year’s conference features a keynote on stress management; a two-part workshop on effective conflict management for conservation workers; a session on working with local media; technology forums focusing on productivity apps, video, and drones; and the first annual Conservation District Video Awards. Don’t wait. Register now.
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.
Let’s learn from each other to increase the success of environmental education (EE) grant funding in Pennsylvania! Join successful grant writers and funding agency program officers for this FREE virtual workshop on EE grant-writing tips and tricks. Presenters from Stroud Water Research Center, the PA Department of Education, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, Millersville University, and NOAA will introduce the world of funding, describe how to read a request for proposal (RFP), give tips for success, explore where to find EE grants, and facilitate Q&A.
When: Thursday, February 18, 2021, from 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Where: Online via Zoom video conferencing. The connection link will be emailed prior to the event.
Audience: Pennsylvania classroom teachers, non-formal environmental educators, school administrators. 1.5 Act 48 hours are available for Pennsylvania certified teachers. A certificate of participation will be provided for other attendees if needed.
Cost: Free
Registration: Required. Limited to the first 100 participants registered.
The 2021 Erosion Control Workshop, presented by Allegheny, Butler, and Washington County Conservation Districts, includes eight webinars, with one held at 1 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday in February. The Erosion Control Workshop is an annual event for municipalities, contractors, consultants, developers, engineers, and other land development professionals. The cost is $15 per webinar.
Click here for more information.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic Level and Level II) will be held in the same manner as 2020. The application period is now open.
Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
April 12-15, 2021 (online portion, mornings only)
August 2-4, 2021 (in-person field days) at the Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
Both portions are required to complete the course.
Deadline to apply: February 12, 2021
Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II
August 23-27, 2021
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and Holiday Inn Harrisburg (tentative depending on the COVID situation)
Deadline to apply: February 19, 2021
Questions? Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.
These training opportunities are made possible by the following sponsors: Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.
PACD seeks input from farmers and agricultural landowners from the Pennsylvania portion of the Ohio River Watershed about the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on February 9 and 11, 2021. Farmers can participate in these discussions whether or not they have enrolled land in the program.
Please share this information with your farmer contacts in the Ohio Watershed.
All farmers who participate in the virtual focus group will receive $125 in return for their time. Registration is limited to 15 qualified farmers on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are farming 50 acres of more, please register for the focus group on February 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: https://bit.ly/pacd-oh-1
If you are farming less than 50 acres, please register for the focus group on February 11 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: https://bit.ly/pacd-oh-2
Note: Conservation district staff, directors, and associate directors are not eligible to participate.
Questions? Contact PACD Director of Communications & Education Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.