Lane Named as New PACD Board Member

As the days turn colder, it's time to gear up for the 2014 PACD/SCC Winter Meeting!

This year PACD is offering two special sessions, presented by the audit firm of Sager, Swisher and Company, designed to assist conservation district directors and staff with their financial and fiduciary duties. Time will be set aside at the end of each session for discussion, and attendees are encouraged to bring along any general questions to share with the group.

Our first session, Accounting for Managers and Board Members, is geared toward managers and district directors, but will also be of interest to staff attending the QuickBooks overview session later in the morning. Covering topics from cash versus accrual to using a budget, this session is designed to help district staff provide board members with the information they need, and to help district directors understand and use that information as they fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities.

Our second session, QuickBooks Overview, is perfect for anyone who currently uses QuickBooks or may be considering a change to this easy-to-use bookkeeping software. District office staff, managers and directors are invited to attend this session to learn ways to use QuickBooks effectively.  Topics will include setting up a chart of accounts, using classes, working with budgets and reports, managing payroll, and more.

Materials for the PACD Executive Council Meeting taking place January 29 are available here and have been distributed separately to each conservation district via e-mail, so that your local board can review the information prior to the meeting.

For more information about the January meeting, including registration information, click here. We look forward to seeing you January 28 and 29 in State College! 

DEP announced the availability of these funds to conservation districts in October, indicating a preference for those projects which would increase conservation tillage acreage or best management practices (BMPs) reportable to the Chesapeake Bay model. Proposals were due by November 1. During the latest State Conservation Committee (SCC) meeting, approval was given to provide Chesapeake Bay Program Special Projects funding to 13 conservation districts.

Prior to planting the buffer, Tom Doman from the Penns Valley Conservation Association, puts the finishing touches on the 600-foot mudsill. Photo provided by Centre County Conservation District.

The Centre County Conservation District received the final Growing Greener reimbursement for the Centre County Stream Restoration Project. The District has held this grant for several years, leveraging funds from other programs in order to maximize their financial support. The goal of this project was to reduce non-point source pollution  attributed to agricultural operations and severely eroded streambanks in Centre County. The completed grant encompassed 18 different projects, assisting landowners in Halfmoon, Penns, Spring, Bald Eagle and Pine Creek Watersheds.

Click here to read the impressive list of best management practices installed.

Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NWFW) seek to promote sustainable communities through Environmental Solutions for Communities by supporting highly-visible projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. Funding priorities for this grant round include "greening" traditional infrastructure and public projects such as storm water management and flood control, urban forestry, and education and training of community leaders on sustainable practices.

Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 each. State, tribal and local governments; educational institutions; and non-profit 501(c) organizations are eligible to apply. For more information about this opportunity, click here. Applications are due Dec. 16, 2013. 

The awards are open to all Pennsylvania businesses, farms, government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and individuals that have developed innovative environmental programs or have implemented projects that balance environmental stewardship and economic development.

Projects should be submitted via email to: RA-EPgovenviroawards@pa.gov. For more information, visit the Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence webpage.  For assistance with completing the application, call 717-783-8727.