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Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
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Conservation Districts meet with House Agriculture Committee, Farm Show volunteers needed, news from Pike County, Governor's office to augment DEP, DCNR budgets, and webinar on wildfire preparedness.
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Conservation Districts Meet with House Agriculture Committee
On November 20, 2019, representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) met with the PA House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. The majority committee chair is Rep.
Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), and the minority committee chair is Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne). The informational meeting discussed the operations and activities of the county conservation districts.
Presenters included PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh, who explained why conservation districts were created. Lancaster County Conservation District Manager Christopher Thompson spoke about interaction between conservation districts and the agricultural community. Blair County Conservation District Manager Donna Fisher spoke about stormwater concerns. McKean County Conservation District Manager Sandy Thompson gave an overview of the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Program in PA.
Click below for the text or slideshow of each presenter:
Click here to read the press release
and here to watch the video.
Photo caption (left to right): PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh, McKean County Conservation District Manager Sandy Thompson, Blair County Conservation District Manager Donna Fisher, and Lancaster County Conservation District Manager Christopher Thompson speak at a meeting of the PA House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee on November 20, 2019. This image is a screenshot from the livestream at www.repcauser.com.
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Volunteers Needed for Conservation District booth at the 2020 PA Farm Show
PACD will again be partnering with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to host a conservation district booth at the 2020 PA Farm Show.
We need volunteers to staff the booth for the following days and times:
Saturday, January 4-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 5-12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, January 6-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 7-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 8-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 9 ALL SLOTS FILLED
Friday, January 10-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 11-8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to fill one of these shifts by contacting Jann McNamara at
[email protected]
with your contact information and the shift you'd like to fill.
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Pike County Conservation District Completes Bioswale Project
In August, the Pike County Conservation District refurbished a bioswale on the district's property as part of their Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Project. The bioswale filters and slows down the movement of stormwater runoff. (What is the difference between the bioswale and a rain garden? Click here to find out.)
An educational sign was installed to teach the public how the bioswale functions and the positive effect this type of installment can have on local water resources. The district plans to use the site as a demonstration area for future educational programs.
The sign is available on the Educational Events Sample Materials page on the PACD website. Click here
to view the sample materials from previously funded mini-grant projects. Districts are encouraged to use these materials for their own activities rather than starting from scratch.
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.
Photo caption: Photo provided by the Pike County Conservation District.
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Governor's Office Announces Transfer of $45 Million to Augment DEP, DCNR Budgets
From PA Environment Digest Blog, November 15, 2019
O
n November 16, the Governor's Office of the Budget published a notice in the PA Bulletin
announcing the transfer of $45 million from 5 non-environmental special funds to "augment" the budgets for the departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources.
There is no further information in the notice on how much funding was provided to each agency or what it would be used for. An announcement is expected in the future on the use of the funding.
Click here to read the entire article.
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Webinar on Successful Community Wildfire Preparedness
The next National Association of Conservation District Urban and Community Conservation webinar will take place from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. on December 19, 2019. The topic is 'A Successful Community Wildfire Preparedness Program from Washington State.'
When it comes to successfully supporting communities in wildfire preparedness initiatives, the key to success is in the development of effective partnership models that are tailored on a local level. Hear from two Washington state conservation districts-Whidbey Island Conservation District and Cascadia Conservation District-that worked together with local fire districts and landowner communities to develop and implement uniquely tailored wildfire resilience programs in their regions.
There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to register.
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Conservation Districts in the News
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Upcoming Events
January 22-23, 2020
Wyndham Garden State College, Boalsburg, PA
February 12-13, 2020
Wyndham Garden State College, Boalsburg, PA
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