PA Association of Conservation Districts
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In This Issue
PACD Representatives Attend Abandoned Mine Reclamation Tour in Sullivan County
Westmoreland County Courthouse Beautification
DEP Announces Chesapeake Bay Special Projects Funding
Cora L. Brooks Foundation Offers Grants to Non-profits
Conservation Districts in the News
Upcoming Events
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November 26, 2012
PACD Representatives Attend Abandoned Mine Reclamation Tour in Sullivan County
Sullivan Tour AMD
PA DEP's Mining Permit and Compliance Specialist Eric Rosengrant speaks to the Sullivan County abandoned mine reclamation tour participants. Photo by Jessica Espenshade.

On Friday, November 16, PACD board members and staff along with various state and local officials, toured abandoned mine sites in Sullivan County. The tour gave participants an opportunity to view diverse stages of abandoned mine reclamation including multiple treatment systems, a successfully reclaimed site and a limestone dosing program. 

Westmoreland County Courthouse Beautification

Westmoreland Courthouse
Tami Silvis (left), Michelle Daub (center)
and Dini Pallitto (right) are all hard at
work planting annual flowers.

For the twelfth year in a row, the Westmoreland Conservation District along with several other organizations, participated in the annual Westmoreland County courthouse beautification project. More than 30 volunteers gathered on May 21 this year, with the collective goal of planting and caring for the garden areas surrounding the Courthouse in Greensburg, PA.

 

"This is a wonderful opportunity to work with great volunteers," said Barb McMillan, Associate Director of Westmoreland's Conservation District, 4-H leader and master gardener. "I have been involved in this project since the beginning and here we are in our twelfth year. We definitely plan to continue our efforts in the future." 

 

Inmates from the county jail provided assistance with soil preparation and materials the day of the event. Continued upkeep and maintenance throughout the summer and fall is led by the Westmoreland County Master Gardeners.

Westmoreland courthouse beautification
The Master Gardeners are preparing for the events. Linda Tursky (left), Barb McMillian (center) and Paula Korber (right).

 

Other volunteer groups included the Westmoreland Botanical Society, 4-H, Master Gardeners and Westmoreland Cleanways for the beautification. More than 3,000 bedding plants, annual flowers and ornamental grasses were placed around the courthouse. 

 

Photos courtesy of the Westmoreland Conservation District. 

DEP Announces Chesapeake Bay Special Projects Funding 

PA DEP The PA Department of Environmental Protection is accepting proposals for the Chesapeake Bay Special Projects Funding Program (SPFP). Proposals are due Jan. 15, 2013. Funds for the SPFP are available to county conservation districts within the Pennsylvania portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  It is anticipated that approximately $750,000 will be available for SPFP for FY 2013. 

 

Documents:

Contact Dave Lewis [email protected], (717) 783-5205 for more information.

Cora L. Brooks Foundation Offers Grants to Non-profits

Brooks Foundation screenshot

Does your conservation district work with watershed

associations or another non-profit entity? The Cora L. Brooks Foundation provides grants to watershed associations, environmental education programs and other 501(c)(3) organizations that work on solving clean water issues in the watersheds of the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. Grant awards range from $1,000-$15,000. The deadline to
requ
est a grant application checklist is Dec. 19, 2012.

Click here for more information:  www.foundationoffices.org.