Armstrong:
 Nonprofit Looks to Expand Large Composting Operations in Armstrong

Representative Smith Receives PACD Legislator Leadership Award

Partners pin together a mud sill crib at Fry's Run County Park on July 22, 2014. Photo provided by Northampton County Conservation District.

In partnership with the PA Fish & Boat Commission, Northampton County Parks Department and the Fry's Run Watershed Association, the Northampton County Conservation District coordinated and assisted in the restoration of nearly 400 linear feet of severely eroded stream banks along Fry's Run at Fry's Run County Park in July. Click here to read the entire article.

Shanon Burkland Stamm, Union County Conservation District Watershed Program Specialist (wearing visor and waders), helps a youngster and an adult collect aquatic animals and fish out of Penns Creek at the Ecology Field Day.

On Saturday August 9, 2014, two Ecology Field Day events were held in Penns Creek at the New Berlin Commons. Fifty-six people, both adults and children, collected and learned about the water quality, insects, crayfish, clams, and fish that inhabit Penns Creek; and how the surrounding land use affects the creek ecology.

This Ecology Field Day was funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection through an educational grant initiated by the Snyder County Conservation District and awarded to the Lower Penns Creek Watershed Association. Click here to read the entire article and for more photos. 

Spring Creek Farm owner, Forrest Stricker, takes the workshop attendees out to get a firsthand look at the next Best Management Practice (BMP) Site. Photo provided by Berks County Conservation District.

On August 7, the Stroud Water Research Center and Berks County Conservation District hosted a Best Management Practice Walk and Talk Session at Spring Creek Farms in Heidelberg Township as part of the District's new FARM program (Farmers Achieving Resource Management). The Field Day took place at an organic dairy farm owned by Forrest and Greg Stricker who graze their cows and chickens year around. Click here to read the entire article. 

Image of skunk skulls provided by Susan Gallagher.

Carbon County Conservation District's Susan Gallagher will be speaking at a workshop for educators in Harrisburg this fall. "Making the Dead Come Alive" is scheduled for Thursday, November 13 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park (Dauphin County).

This unique workshop offers instruction on the proper preparation and care of natural history collections. Participants will learn how to maintain taxidermy mounts, birds' nests, eggs, bones, pickled (wet) specimens, and more.

"There's a safety issue here, too," says Susan Gallagher a Carbon County naturalist and one of the workshop's presenters. "Some very old items may have been prepared with harmful chemicals such as arsenic or formaldehyde. We want educators to understand the risks, and to learn about safer alternatives."

In addition to Gallagher, speakers for the day include Carissa Longo, Environmental Education Coordinator for PA DCNR, and Tom Wampler, retired microbiologist from the State Veterinary Laboratory. Wampler will lead a "hands-on" session in which participants prepare and preserve small mammal skins.

Each participant will take home nearly $100 worth of free materials, made possible by a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection. Act 48 credit hours are available for teachers. There is a fee of $10 to cover light refreshments, but participants should bring their own lunch and drink.

Space is limited to 20 participants. Those interested in attending should contact Wildwood Park at 717-221-0292 ext 1.

NACD September U&C Webinar

The upcoming NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group webinar, scheduled for September 18 at 12:00 noon EST, will showcase products for conservation efforts in developed and developing areas. Invited guest, Filtrexx Sustainable Technologies, will explain how their resources are being used by Districts and others for sediment control projects, pollutant removal, and stormwater management. An explanation of these will be provided by Dr. Britt Faucette, Director of Research and Design Services.

There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted 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.

Serving Non-Operator Landowners 

Conservation districts serve all landowners and operators, and many districts have long had effective outreach efforts to non-operator landowners. Still, times are changing, and new ways to reach these customers are continuing to emerge. An upcoming webinar offers some research and tips for reaching these potential conservation district customers.

• Part 2: Best Practices for Engaging Non-Operator LandownersThu. Sep 11, 10-11:00 AM, or Thu. Sep 11, 2-3:00 PM CDT

In Part 2, they will highlight what they have learned through pilot projects across the United States and present tips to improve landowner outreach efforts.

To register for any of the sessions go to the Agren website.

NRCS Purchases Gas Meters for Safety Awareness

Pennsylvania NRCS is purchasing four gas meters that will be located at our Area Office Technical Centers. These meters will be able to measure methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). H2S is the gas of increased safety interest, which at this time appears to be directly related to gypsum use. Some farmers are using gypsum (includes ground drywall) for bedding, bedding supplement, and as a barn snow ingredient. 

The planned use of the NRCS meters will be for general safety awareness and to encourage farmers and manure haulers to consider purchasing their own meters for their own personnel use. The NRCS meters are not be used to determine air quality in confined spaces and are not to be used to loan out to farmers or manure haulers. 

NRCS is currently partnering with Penn State to perform/finish a Conservation Innovative Grants (CIG) demonstration. This CIG demonstration focuses on the safety issues associated with farmers using gypsum products. The CIG demonstration also focuses on using hand held gas meters to measure gases during manure agitation. A draft fact sheet is currently being developed. 

At a field day on August 25 in Schuylkill County, the use of the meters was featured during the agitation of an uncovered 12' x 120' round manure storage. The farmer uses a blend of gypsum/sawdust for the cow bedding. During the entire 60 minutes that the pump was agitating the manure, the gas meters consistently read over the 10 ppm H2S threshold and the highest reading recorded was over 300 ppm. The meters were pre-set with a 10 ppm alarm threshold. Note: at 100 ppm, a person should end work for the day, at 600 ppm people have been known to collapse. 

The H2S gas levels measured at this demonstration farm were dangerously high due to the use of the gypsum. Farmers and manure haulers working around manure storages with such high H2S levels should be taking special precautions including using personnel gas monitoring meters to locate and avoid areas of high H2S gas levels. Click here for a fact sheet.

Deadline Approaching for Producers to Renew Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Contracts                          

Producers with expiring U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts have until Sept. 12, 2014 to renew and add conservation activities that will support their natural resource improvement activities and fine-tune their conservation plans.

About 20,000 CSP contracts are reaching the end of their initial five-year contract period and may be renewed for an additional five years when participants agree to take additional conservation actions.

The program provides opportunities for farmers who are already conservation stewards by helping them improve water quality and quantity, soil health and wildlife habitat. NRCS began accepting renewal applications on July 11, 2014, and farmers have until Sept. 12, 2014 to renew. There will also be another signup in fiscal year 2015.

Read more here.

2014 Riparian Forest Buffer Tour and Workshop Being Held in Big Flats, NY

A Forest Riparian Buffer Establishment Tour and Presentations will take place at the USDA NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center in Big Flats, NY on Sept. 17, 2014, with registration starting at 9:30 a.m. Click here to register. 

Please save the date for our Annual Cover Crop Workshop, Tour and Presentations on Nov. 14, 2014. Any questions, please contact Paul Salon at 607-562-8404 x103 or paul.salon@ny.usda.gov. 

The 2014 PA Floodplain Managers (PAFPM) meeting will take place September 30 through October 2. The multi-day event will be at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City. 

Rates are as follows: 

* $350-for registrations received after Sept. 5, 2014 (includes 2015 membership)
* $75-student rate (includes the annual meeting only)

Registration is available online at www.palocalgovtraining.org. For more information about PAFPM, visit www.pafpm.org. Click here for the full registration brochure, which highlights the days' agendas, as well as provides hotel reservation details. 
 

September 9 is Protect Your Groundwater Day!  NACD and other promotional partners of the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) encourage everyone to protect public health and the environment by protecting groundwater.

In the United States, 44 percent of the population regularly depends on groundwater, and 42 million Americans rely on privately owned and operated household water wells for their drinking water supply. Another 88 million residents rely on groundwater-supplied community water systems.

Household water-well owners in particular, can make a major difference in water quality by how they manage their well systems and property.  People who do not have household wells can also make huge contributions to groundwater quality by taking steps to conserve water and maintain their septic system.

Established in 2003 by the America's Clean Water Foundation, World Water Monitoring Day was created to build public awareness about protecting the world's water resources. In 2012, this initiative was taken a step further to include a World Water Monitoring Challenge, an international education and outreach program which builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources by engaging citizens, at the local level, in the monitoring of their waterbodies. For more information about the challenge and how your district can participate, please visit  www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/About.aspx. If any districts are participating in and/or hosting an event in recognition of the designation, please send photos (with captions) to brandi-davenport@pacd.org. The photos will be featured in an upcoming edition of Front Page.