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Conservation Districts in the News
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Upcoming Events
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March 4-6, 2014
Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville, PA
March 10 (snow date March 13)
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
PACD South Central Region Meeting
March 12, 2014
Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA
March 24-27, 2014
Keystone Conference Center, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville PA
March 31-April 4, 2014
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
Advanced/Topic-Based Erosion & Sediment Control Technical Training
April 1-3, 2014
Farm & Home Center, Lancaster PA
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
April 28-May 2, 2014
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference
July 9-10, 2014
Blair County Convention Center, Altoona, PA
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Conservation Districts Laud State Budget; Thank Governor Corbett for His Investment
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Investing in Conservation Districts Means Investing in Pennsylvania's Infrastructure
On Feb. 4, Governor Tom Corbett unveiled his proposed FY 2014-15 state budget to members of the legislature. Part of his budget includes funding for the state's 66 conservation districts at $3.375 million from the General Fund.
"On behalf of the state's conservation districts, we sincerely thank Governor Corbett and his administration for recognizing the contribution we make in supporting local agriculture, the economy and infrastructure improvement projects for our residents," said Brandi Hunter-Davenport, PACD Director of Education. "We knew this was going to be a tough budget year and appreciate the administration's stance, seeing the expertise and value we bring to enhancing quality of life measures throughout the commonwealth."
Click here to read the entire press release. For more information about the Governor's proposed 2014-15 budget, click here.
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Registration for Basic/Refresher E&S Control Training Opens Today
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 | | PA Department of Environmental Protection's Darl Rosenquest presents a session at last year's Basic/Refresher E&S training. |
Registration is now open for Basic/Refresher E&S training for conservation district staff. This session will be March 24-27, 2014 at Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, 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.) Registration for the Advanced/Topic-Based session, which will take place at the Farm and Home Center in Lancaster, PA, April 1-3, will be announced in an upcoming issue of Front Page. Click here to register or for more information about the March session.
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Last Week to Register for Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting
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 The 2014 Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting (formerly called the All Bay Meeting) will be March 10 (snow date March 13) at the Elaine Langone Center, 2nd Floor, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA. The target audience for this meeting is staff from PA state agencies, USDA-NRCS, and conservation districts.
The deadline to register is February 18. Click here for more information and to register.
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NACD February U&C Webinar
| |  The next NACD U&C Webinar, "Soil Health in Urban and Community (U&C) Areas" is scheduled for 12-1 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, February 20.
Soil health is not just for crop land. This webinar will look at threats to soil quality, homeowner practices for enhancing soil health, and programs in Iowa and Ohio to promote soil quality in urban areas.
There is no cost to participate, but space is limited to 100 registrants and is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, email Debra Bogar at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org with your name, title, district or business name and email address. Information to access the webinar will be sent by email. |
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Westmoreland Conservation District Participates in Marcellus Shale Coalition Panel Discussion
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 | | Rawley Cogan, Keystone Elk Country Alliance; Dave Spigelmyer, Marcellus Shale Coalition; John Eichinger, Ruffed Grouse Society; Jay Jordan, National Wild Turkey Federation; John Walliser, Pennsylvania Environmental Council; Greg Phillips, Westmoreland Conservation District. |
In mid-January, Greg Phillips, CEO of the Westmoreland Conservation District, joined several others to discuss how the Marcellus Shale industry can lend support to conservation efforts as well as current community issues being faced. Moderated by Dave Spigelmyer, Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) President, the panel discussion explored:* Challenges and opportunities being faced by organizations as well as ways MSC could provide support or assistance in tackling these obstacles;
* Legislative and regulatory priorities moving forward;
* Activities being undertaken to dispel the myth that individuals have to choose between development and environmental conservation; and
* Lessons learned from previous industrial development scars and how to apply those lessons moving forward.
The event took place as a part of MSC's January membership meeting. Additional panelists were: Rawley Cogan, Keystone Elk Country Alliance; John Eichinger, Ruffed Grouse Society; Jay Jordan, National Wild Turkey Federation; and John Walliser, Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
MSC is looking to collaborate with conservation districts on programs/projects that will benefit the overall community. Visit the "conservation corner" at http://marcelluscoalition.org/get-involved/conservation-corner to provide information to the Coalition for further discussion. This open-communication portal was launched in conjunction with the panel discussion as a direct result of multiple summits which have taken place to get a better understanding of how the industry can support conservation efforts more.
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Protecting Watersheds - Its people, industries, and natural resources
| |  Conservation districts and NRCS have always been concerned about protecting and restoring watersheds. This partnership has been responsible for many successes that have benefited Pennsylvania's natural resources, its farmers, and communities throughout the state, both rural and urban. One of those successes has been the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program or as it is commonly known, the PL-566 Program.
Click here to read more. | | Dunlap Creek Park, Dunlap Creek Watershed (PA-470), Fayette County. Photo provided by USDA-NRCS. |
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Save the Date! Schuylkill River Sojourn
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The 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn will take place from June 7-13, 2014. The Sojourn is an annual 112-mile guided canoe/kayak trip on the Schuylkill River that begins in rural Schuylkill Haven and ends seven days later in Philadelphia's Boathouse Row. The Sojourn theme is Schuylkill River: Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year! Click here for more information.
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Cover Crop & Soil Health Forums Scheduled for Feb. 18
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 NRCS is hosting a free, live broadcast of the February 18 SARE-sponsored National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health. NACD leadership will be in attendance at the conference, with a booth highlighting locally-led conservation, soil health and cover crop initiatives.
You can join the conversation at one of more than 200 "Cover Crops and Soil Health Forums" hosted nationwide by NRCS and Cooperative Extension offices.
Click here to find a forum location near you.
There is no cost to participate, but please contact the site you plan to attend to register and confirm both the location and other program details. Live streaming from the national conference will begin at forum locations at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time.
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