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News from Butler and Northumberland and urban agriculture funding webinar. 
Butler Completes Storm Drain Stenciling and Marker Program
 
During the 2017-18 round of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant Program, Butler County Conservation District (BCCD) received a $1,913 grant for stormwater education.
 
BCCD produced and distributed storm drain educational brochures and stenciled storm drains in three housing developments in Buffalo Township. Working with the homeowners associations, the district held an event where homeowners and family members helped with the storm drain stenciling. Educational brochures were also distributed to these neighborhoods.
 
BCCD also marked 30 storm drains on Main Street in Saxonburg where many events are held each year. The project increased the community's knowledge about nonpoint source pollution and the steps they can take to reduce it.

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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 of stencil provided by Butler County Conservation District.
Soil and Water Quality Field Day
By: Judy Becker, District Manager, Northumberland County Conservation District

The Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Schuylkill Conservation District held a joint Soil and Water Quality Field Day on August 29, 2018, at the Agricultural Research Service Lab in Klingerstown, PA. The meeting was free for attendees.

The Field Day was offered in two sessions. Session 1 covered new information about the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Session 2 covered important research that occurred in the Mahantongo Creek Watershed. Attendees had the option to sign up for one session or both.

Topics for both sessions were provided by representatives of the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Pheasants Forever, the ARS Lab, The Pennsylvania State University, NRCS, NCCD, and the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance. Time was also provided for questions during both sessions. Approximately 100 people were in attendance. The meeting was paid for by the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program and grant funding that was available from the Schuylkill Conservation District.

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: Janette Lesher of NRCS and Ryan Cherwinski of NCCD discuss the importance of cover cropping and soil health.
NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation Initiative Funding to Become Available

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is again teaming up with partners to help districts provide conservation technical assistance for urban agriculture. A new round of funding will be made available this fall through the NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Initiative. NACD expects to fund UAC technical assistance for up to 20 conservation/natural resources districts for a one-year project. The Request for Proposals is expected to be released and posted at  www.nacdnet.org/about-nacd/what-we-do/urban-and-community/ in November.
 
The next Urban and Community Conservation webinar, scheduled for 12:00-1:00 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2018, will review this initiative and respond to members' questions. To help prepare for the webinar, NACD asks that districts send any questions they have to Deb Bogar at [email protected].
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Conservation Districts in the News 
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Upcoming Events

November 6, 2018
Southcentral Chapter 102 Fall Regional Session
DEP Southcentral Regional Office, Harrisburg, PA

November 13-15, 2018
Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey area) in Grantville, PA


PA Association of Conservation Districts | 717.238.7223 | [email protected] | www.pacd.org
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