PA Association of Conservation Districts
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In This Issue
Did You Know?
PACD Participates in National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Summer 2014 Conference
Somerset Upgrades Water Treatment System
Franklin County Workshop and Field Day
Susquehanna Greenway Mini-grant Program Deadline Extended
Get Outdoors PA Seeking Partners
August Observed as Water Quality Month
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Conservation Districts in the News
Upcoming Events

Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) Course and Exam

August 27-28, 2014

Holiday Inn, Williamsport, PA

 

PACD South East Region Meeting

October 2, 2014

Franconia Heritage, Telford, PA

 

Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting
October 9-10, 2014

Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA

 

PACD North East Region Meeting
October 17, 2014

DEP Northeast Regional Office, Wilkes-Barre, PA

 

PACD North Central Region Meeting
October 21, 2014

Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA

 

PACD North West Region Meeting
October 22, 2014

Location: TBA (Erie County)

 

PACD South West Region Meeting
October 23, 2014

Beaver County Conservation District, Aliquippa, PA

 

PACD South Central Region Meeting
October 27, 2014

Cumberland County Conservation District, Carlisle, PA

 

Annual 102-105 Meeting

October 28-30, 2014

Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA

 

PACD/SCC Winter Meeting

February 10-11, 2015

Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA

 

Chesapeake Bay Program Conservation District and PA Agency Staff Meeting

March 10, 2015 (snow date March 12)

Elaine Langone Center, 2nd Floor, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical Training - Basic Level
March 30-April 3, 2015
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

Agricultural Conservation Technical Training - Level II
April 20-24, 2015ww
Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)

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August 4, 2014

Did You Know?

Instead of meeting in January, the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting will be after the Pennsylvania budget is released. Mark your calendar: February 10-11, 2015, Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA

PACD Participates in National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Summer 2014 Conference

Photo of Soil Health Forum provided by NACD.

Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) Executive Director Robert Maiden and NACD Director Pat Sueck traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana to attend the recent Soil Health Forum and Conservation Tour conference hosted by the NACD. With board meetings taking place July 18 through 20, the tour and forum convened July 21 through 23. 

 

The multi-day event was packed with presentations and panel discussions and provided an opportunity to conservation associations from around the country to connect and interface with one another. Tour highlights included multiple farm site visits, with an emphasis on viewing on-the-ground conservation practices supported by the USDA's Farm Bill and EPA's 319 programs. For more information about the conference and to view photos of the event, visit www.nacdnet.org.  

Somerset Upgrades Water Treatment System

Somerset Conservation District and PACD have reconfigured an existing treatment system that will remove iron from local waterways. The project is partly funded by a $215,000 grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.  Read more about the project in these news articles:

Soil from the Route 219 construction project, part of an in-kind contribution, is deposited to create the wetland AMD treatment component of the project. Photo by Len Lichvar.

Franklin County Workshop and Field Day

Jennifer Bratthauar, Franklin County Conservation District's Ag Conservation Technician (center) points out a grassed waterway to participants at the July 29 field day. Photo taken by Shannon Wehinger.

Franklin County Conservation District (FCCD) hosted a summer workshop and field tour on July 29 in Waynesboro. Attendees learned about simple and inexpensive solutions to manage nutrients and manure more efficiently and to minimize soil erosion.

 

Following the workshop, attendees took a bus tour to three local farms showcasing best management practices from a newly planted buffer to a buffer and stream crossing that were established nine years ago.

 

"It's always a treat to attend a conservation district's educational program supported by the Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant Program," said Shannon Wehinger, PACD Director of Communications, who attended the event. "Attendees shared their experiences and questions with the group which resulted in valuable farmer-to-farmer networking and information sharing. FCCD staff put a lot of time and thought into this event and it showed."

 

Staff from a variety of partners attended the event to lend support to the district and the on-farm projects that were showcased. Along with PACD, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Penn State Extension, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency all participated in the event. Click here to view photos from the event.

 

EPA Logo Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information about PACD, visit www.pacd.org.  

Susquehanna Greenway Mini-grant Program Deadline Extended

Susq greenway The Susquehanna Greenway Mini-Grant Program deadline has been extended to Aug. 22, 2014. Conservation Districts are eligible to apply.


This is a competitive grant program for interpretative planning and signage projects that will help to improve the experience of people who are using walking and biking trails, water trails, community parks, or visiting river towns within the Susquehanna Greenway. Grant guidelines and application forms are available online at www.susquehannagreenway.org/mini-grant-program.  

Get Outdoors PA Seeking Partners

Get Outdoors PA is looking to work with community partners to offer a Winter GO Day that will run in coordination with National Trails Day, on or around Jan. 10, 2015. Partners are asked to work with a Get Outdoors PA Community Partner (or group of community partners) to hold events on this date to celebrate Winter Trails Day.

 

For more information on Get Outdoors PA please visit 

www.getoutdoorspa.org email info@getoutdoorspa.org. You can also find them on Facebook here. 

August Observed as Water Quality Month 

There are thousands of small waterways throughout Pennsylvania that feed into six major watersheds: the Ohio River, the Susquehanna River, the Delaware River, the Potomac River, Lake Erie and the Genesee River. Whether someone resides along a stream or in the heart of the city, the property on which they reside is a part of a watershed; making them a part of the larger watershed system. Everyday activities have a direct impact on water quality.

 

Poor water quality relates back to community health. Community health relates back to overall community sustainability and progression. Therefore, it is imperative that best management practices (BMPs) are put into place to continue preserving our individual pockets of the commonwealth. As such, awareness for this vast natural resource is a concern for everyone. With August designated as Water Quality Month, everyone is reminded to work together to ensure the highest standards possible when considering the quality of the water we drink, swim in and bathe in. If any of your districts are hosting or participating in an event noting the designation, please send photos and captions to brandi-davenport@pacd.org.