PACD Front Page 05.20.19

Your news on Pennsylvania's Conservation Districts is here!

PA Association of Conservation Districts

Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates

CREP mini-grants awarded, new PACD staff member, news from Tioga and Jefferson Counties, updated NPS funding website, 2020 stewardship theme, and discount for SWCS conference.

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Over $35,000 awarded to Conservation Districts to promote CREP in PA

Pennsylvania's county conservation districts were awarded more than $35,000 for projects in fifteen counties for the 2019-20 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Mini-Grant Program. Conservation districts will use these grants to work with landowners to prevent pollution in our streams, lakes, and rivers. Projects will take place over the next twelve months.

The following districts were awarded up to $2,500 as part of the 2019-20 CREP mini grant round:

Allegheny & Westmoreland, $2,500

Berks, $2,500

Blair, $2,500

Bradford, $2,500

Butler, $2,310

Clearfield, $2,500

Columbia, $2,500

Chester, $1,650

Indiana, $2,500

Jefferson, $2,500

Juniata, $1,230

Lycoming, $2,500

Snyder, $2,500

Sullivan, $2,500

Tioga, $2,500

Click here for more information on the CREP program.

Welcome New PACD Software Specialist Nick Yeagy

By Nick Yeagy, Software Specialist, PACD

I recently graduated from Penn State Harrisburg with a B.S. in General Science. Last summer I interned with PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). As an intern, I worked on creating content for the Clean Water Academy, a web-based program dedicated to providing conservation district and DEP staff with training on Chapters 102 and 105. As the PACD software specialist, I will continue to work on the Clean Water Academy.

In my spare time I enjoy fishing, cooking, and following Penn State and Philadelphia Eagles football. I am excited to join PACD and work with the conservation districts. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Clean Water Academy, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] .

Tioga County Conservation District Holds Legislative Event

By Erica Tomlinson, Manager, Tioga County Conservation District

The Tioga County Conservation District hosted their annual Legislative Lunch on May 10, 2019. The presentations from staff focused on grant projects that were completed last year and new projects scheduled for this season. The staff also gave updates on conservation planning, permitting, and flooding issues facing the county. The event is a great way for the conservation district to showcase projects and answer questions for our state and local legislators.

PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh traveled to Tioga County Conservation District for the event.

Photo caption (left to right): Earle Robbins, Erica Tomlinson, Roger Bunn, Melissa Fenstermacher, Carl Koch, Eric Kosek, Carolyn Kilburn, Andrea Boyce, James Neal, Mark Hamilton, James Weaver, Lee Hoar, Chuck Dillon, Representative Owlett, Brenda Shambaugh.

Funding Site for Nonpoint Source Pollution Projects Gets Makeover

Nonpointsourcepa.org recently got a makeover. The new site is more dynamic and visually appealing. The site was produced through partnership between PACD and the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

The site is a resource for funding opportunities for nonpoint source pollution projects in the following four areas:

Agriculture
Acid Mine Drainage
Stream Restoration
Urban Stormwater

Check out www.nonpointsourcepa.org today!

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. 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.

Jefferson County Conservation District Holds CREP Workshop

The Jefferson County Conservation District hosted a Wildlife Conservation Workshop on March 28, 2019, at the district office in Brookville. Thirteen individuals learned about the benefits of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), noxious/invasive weed identification and management, riparian buffers, and wildlife in grassland areas. Presenters Mike Kerr, Kimberly Bohn, John Brundege, Tim Hoppe, and Megan Whitlatch provided important information and answered many questions from attendees.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

Photo caption: John Brundege, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, explains why riparian forest buffers are important. Photo provided by the Jefferson County Conservation District.

NACD Announces 2020 Stewardship Theme

The NACD Stewardship and Education Committee has announced the release of the 2020 Poster Contest and Stewardship Week theme: "Where would we BEE without Pollinators?"

Pollinators form the foundations of a healthy and sustainable future for food and the environment, but in recent years they have shown concerning signs of decline. It's important that we work to help them prosper by enhancing native pollinator habitats and protecting against pollinator declines.

Rules, entry forms and other resources for the 2020 NACD Poster Contest will be available for download later this summer. Click here for the Stewardship website.

Reminder: Entries for the 2019 " Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper " contest are due June 30. Contact Jann McNamara with questions.

Discount Available to Conservation Districts who Help at SWCS Conference

Volunteers for the 74th Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) International Annual Conference receive half off their full conference registration! Help is needed to provide audio-visual support, moderate sessions, assist with the Society and Keystone Chapter exhibit booths, and run a silent auction. Conservation district employees attending the conference who are interested and able to assist are encouraged to complete the volunteer form and must submit it by Wednesday, June 5, 2019, to get the discount. Contact Dan Dostie at [email protected] if you have any questions.