PA Association of Conservation Districts
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In This Issue
Registration Now Open for Advanced/Topic-Based E&S Control Training for Conservation District Staff
PACD Offers PENNVEST Nonpoint Source Application Workshops
Thirty-Six Conservation Districts Represented at Bay Meeting
Check Out The NACD eResource
World Water Day
Wetland Courses Available
Last Day to Register - Healthy Farms Healthy Horses Workshop
River Research Teens Camp to Take Place August 2013
Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations Annual Conference
Conservation Districts in the News
Upcoming Events
Previous Issues of Front Page
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March 18, 2013

Registration Now Open for Advanced/Topic-Based E&S Control Training for Conservation District Staff

E&S Registration is now open for Advanced/Topic-Based E&S training for conservation district staff. This session will take place April 2-4 at the Farm and Home Center in Lancaster, PA, and is available at little to no cost to districts. There is no registration fee to attend, most meals are provided, and conservation districts are eligible for travel and lodging reimbursement (see registration information for details.)

 

Click here for registration Information. Please contact Molly Burns molly-burns@pacd.org with any questions.

PACD Offers PENNVEST Nonpoint Source Application Workshops

Free Seminars Taking Place April and May 2013

 

Pennvest
PACD is offering two workshops aimed at assisting individuals to better understand the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program Application process.  The NPS Program provides low-interest loans and grants for nonpoint source projects that have a significant water quality benefit to the commonwealth's streams and rivers.   

PENNVEST and Department of Environmental Protection personnel will be available to explain the application process and to review the type of supporting information and documents required for application submission. Representatives from conservation districts, the agricultural community, municipalities, watershed organizations, and anyone else who wants to learn about the PENNVEST NPS Program are encouraged to attend. 

 

There is no cost to attend either session; however pre-registration is encouraged as seating is limited. Registrations will be accepted on a first come first served basis. For more information and to register click hereQuestions can be directed to Terry Fisher at terry-fisher@pacd.org.

Thirty-Six Conservation Districts Represented at Bay Meeting
DiPasquale
Nicholas A. DiPasquale, Director of Chesapeake Bay Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presents "the State of the Bay" to the Chesapeake Bay Program Meeting.
The annual Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting took place March 11. One hundred and twenty-five conservation district staff from 36 conservation districts met at Bucknell University for the day-long meeting. Partners working to preserve and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay were also in attendance including staff from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, State Conservation Commission and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

 

Participants enjoyed an Open Forum on Outreach Session. Bradford County Conservation District Manager Mike Lovegreen presented information on how their district visited 1,496 farms in one year. One participant described this session as "interesting and helpful." Another said, "Awesome open forum, answered a lot of my farm visit questions."

 

Presentations from the 2013 Bay Meeting are available here.

 

PACD staff would like to thank PACD Secretary Dave Crowl for stepping in as emcee on short notice.

 

Funding for the annual Bay Meeting is provided through the PACD's Bay Education Office grant with the PA Department of Environmental Protection's Chesapeake Bay Program.

Check Out The NACD eResource

NACD logo Check out the cool things happening at the national level such as "Man to run across America to promote Envirothon" and "Private landowner network took for districts." Click here for the latest issue of The NACD eResource.

World Water Day

water clipart Fresh water is one of the most valuable resources on earth.  According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, preserving freshwater sources is vital because of its importance for agriculture, businesses and daily life. In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development recommended the establishment of an international day to focus on the importance of freshwater and the need for sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day has taken place every year on March 22 as a reminder of freshwater conservation. This year, the focus will be on international water cooperation.

 

For more information, click herePlease email jessica-espenshade@pacd.org with any information about world water day events in your area.

Wetland Courses Available 

Environmental Concern logo
Throughout March and April, several environmental courses will be hosted at the Wetland Learning Center, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663. The courses, which are geared toward educators, wetland professionals and the general public, are designed to introduce concepts and applications regarding wetlands. Courses vary in intensity from one to five days. 
  • March 23, 2013 - Rain Gardens as Outdoor Classrooms 
  • March 28, 2013 - Rain Gardens and Bio-retention Design 
  • April 6, 2013 - Rain Barrels 
  • April 29 - May 3, 2013 - Basic Wetland Delineation 

For more information, including full course descriptions, or to register, visit www.wetland.org. Interested individuals can also call Environmental Concern at 410-745-9620. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.

Last Day to Register - Healthy Farms Healthy Horses Workshop

horses Penn State Extension will host a Healthy Farms Healthy Horses workshop in Wayne County on March 22. The workshop will be at the PPL Wallenpaupack Environmental Center in Hawley, PA. This workshop is designed to help farm owners learn to improve the quality of their pastures, store and utilize manure nutrients, develop sacrifice areas, and protect environmentally-sensitive areas. Registrations will be accepted through March 18. Click here for more information.

River Research Teens Camp to Take Place August 2013 

camp clipart August 4-8, Trout Unlimited will host the River Research Camp, a five-day summer program geared toward teens between the ages of 14 and 17. The camp, which will take place at the Mahaffey Camp and Conference Center along the West Branch Susquehanna River near Mahaffey, Pa, will include a combination of instruction and hands-on field experience. Some topics to be covered include: stream and trout ecology, environmental impacts of coal mining and team-building exercises. Representatives from local and state agencies will also discuss different career options and volunteer opportunities with attendees throughout the course of the program. The camp will offer a unique opportunity for youth to learn about important environmental issues in a fun and interactive way.

 

For more information, visit http://www.wbsrc.org/teencamp/default.html. Questions can be directed to Rachel Kester at rkester@tu.org and Rebecca Holler at rholler@tu.org. Interested individuals can also call Trout Unlimited Eastern Abandoned Mine Program at 570-748-4901. The deadline to apply is April 1.

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations Annual Conference 

PANO logo
Registration is now open for the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations' 2013 Annual Conference, which will take place in Harrisburg on April 22 & 23. Session topics will cover fundraising, communication and governance.  Terry Axelrod, Founder and CEO of Benevon will present on "Creating Sustainable Funding for Your Nonprofit". For a full listing of presentations, click here.

 

For registration information, click here.