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Conservation Districts in the News
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| Upcoming Events |
PACD/SCC Winter Meeting
January 28-29, 2014
Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA
Intro to Conservation Planning
March 4-6, 2014
Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville, PA
Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting
March 10 (snow date March 13)
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
PACD South Central Region Meeting
March 12, 2014
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA
Agricultural Conservation Technical Training - Basic Level
March 31-April 4, 2014
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
PACD North Central Region Meeting
April 2, 2014
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA
PACD South East Region Meeting
April 3, 2014
Location: TBA
PACD North East Region Meeting
April 4, 2014
DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre, PA
PACD North West Region Meeting
April 10, 2014
Forest County Conservation District, Tionesta, PA
PACD South West Region Meeting
April 11, 2014
Westmoreland Conservation District, Greensburg, PA
Agricultural Conservation Technical Training - Level II
April 28-May 2, 2014
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
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Registration is Open for Free Intro to Conservation Planning Course
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PACD partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This free training will take place at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey in Grantville, PA from March 4-6, 2014.
The event is for entry-level employees of all organizations in Pennsylvania delivering conservation planning technical assistance, including but not limited to, NRCS, conservation districts, SCC, farmland preservation entities, non-profits, and private consultants. Lunch will be provided. Click the links for the draft agenda, hotel information, and registration. Please share this information with your private consultant contacts. The deadline to register is Feb. 5.
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Farm Show Volunteers Still Needed
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 With less than a month until Farm Show, the PACD booth is still in need of volunteers for a few shifts during the week-long extravaganza!
The first shift runs from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Second shift will run from 12:30 until 5 p.m. The following days and times are still in need of volunteers:
Saturday, Jan. 4
- First Shift-One additional volunteer
Sunday, Jan. 5
- First Shift-One additional volunteer
- Second Shift-One additional volunteer
Monday, Jan. 6
- Second Shift-One additional volunteer
Wednesday, Jan. 8
- First Shift-One additional volunteer
Thursday, Jan. 9
- First Shift-One additional volunteer
Friday, Jan. 10
- Second Shift-One additional volunteer
Please consider volunteering to cover a shift. All volunteers will receive a parking pass to cover their parking the date of their attendance. Anyone interested in volunteering can send an email to brandi-davenport@pacd.org. For more information about the 2014 Farm Show, click here.
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Dr. Shadle Retiring from Schuylkill Board after 58 Years
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 | | Dr. James S. Shadle. |
Dr. James S. Shadle has served as Schuylkill Conservation District chairman, vice chairman and board member for more nearly 60 years and is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. In 2010, he had the prestigious distinction of being selected from nominees across America to receive the National Association of Conservation Districts "Distinguished Service Award."
On November 21, the Schuylkill County Conservation District hosted a retirement celebration in Hegins, PA in Dr. Shadle's honor. PACD Executive Director Robert Maiden, who attended the event, said this of Dr. Shadle's work: "Dr. Shadle led the way and broke ground with the conservation movement. Because of his hard work and dedication, the next generation of conservationists now has a foundation to move forward on, furthering Dr. Shadle's legacy."
Upon his retirement, and in honor of his many contributions during his years of service, Dr. Shadle will be named Director Emeritus of the Schuylkill Conservation District. Click here to read Dr. Shadle's biography.
 | | A group photo was taken at the retirement celebration for Dr. James S. Shadle. |
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Potential Training Opportunities from NRCS
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 USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) is requesting interested individuals contact the lead instructor if they are interested in attending one or both of these courses. If sufficient requests are received, the course location and date will be set to accommodate those requesting the course.
Cultural Resources Training- This training is to establish and increase participant awareness and knowledge of NRCS' cultural resources stewardship responsibilities. It is designed for field office personnel, partners and others who work with the NRCS. This two day event includes both classroom and field exercise. Prerequisites include several modules taken inAglearn. This is offered every few years and is required for Conservation Planning Certification. Contact John Metrick for additional details or interest in attending the course.
ACA (Animal Concentration Area) Training- This is a one day program focused on ACA's with respect to PA NMP Act 38 /PA DEP Ch. 102 regulations and NRCS Practice standards. The course includes classroom time in the morning and field visits in the afternoon. This will not be a substitute for the PA NMP Act 38 Certification which is offered twice a year as a two day course. Contact Pete Vanderstappen, PE, for additional details or to express interest in attending this course.
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USDA Deputy Secretary Visits Lebanon County, Praises Partnership Efforts
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 | | USDA Deputy Secretary views stream bank restoration along the Conewago Creek. |
State Conservationist Denise Coleman and several partners hosted USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden in Lebanon County on November 22nd for a tour of some of the many conservation projects within the Conewago Creek watershed.
The tour highlighted conservation practices such as stream bank restorations, forest riparian buffers, and stream bank fencing, among others, that are benefiting the creek's water quality. The projects are compilations of collaborative efforts among many partners and watershed residents through the Conewago Creek Initiative and USDA Showcase Watershed efforts, which began in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
After the tour, Harden hosted a round-table lunch discussion at the Lebanon USDA Service Center with workers from several USDA agencies and the Lebanon County Conservation District, where she praised the cooperation of federal, state and county farm agencies in Lebanon County. As members of USDA, "I know we're supposed to work together, and we do," but federal workers' collaboration with the conservation district is helping achieve the groups' common goals, she said.
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Save the Date: Dive Deeper II
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Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program
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 The Five STAR and Urban Waters fund was created in FY2013 by joining EPA's long standing and very popular Five Star Program with Urban Waters Program funding into one RFP that represents a public-private partnership leveraging federal funding, 2:1. The Five Star/Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local, natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland, forest, riparian and coastal habitat restoration, stormwater management, outreach and stewardship with a particular focus on water quality, watersheds and the habitats they support especially those found in urban areas.
Funding priorities include:
- On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream and/or coastal habitat restoration.
- Meaningful education and training activities, either through community outreach, participation and/or integration with K-12 environmental curriculum.
- Measurable ecological, educational and community benefits.
- Partnerships: Five Star projects should engage a diverse group of community partners to achieve ecological and educational outcomes.
For more information about this grant program, visit http://www.nfwf.org/fivestar/Pages/home.aspx. All applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014.
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The Forest Service's Community Forest and Open Space Program - $4 million
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 The Community Forest Program is a grant program that authorizes the Forest Service to provide financial assistance to establish community forests that provide continuing and accessible community benefits. Community forests provide many benefits such as protection of habitat, water quality, and other environmental benefits, and they can provide economic benefits through timber resources. Community forests have also long been sites for environmental and cultural education. Grants are available to local governments, federally recognized tribes and Alaskan Native Corporations, and non-profits which are eligible to hold title to land for conservation purposes. For more information about this opportunity, click here. Applications are due by Jan. 15, 2014.
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