|
Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
|
| PSATS, news from Columbia and Allegheny Counties, news from NACD, and cover crop mini-grants available. |
2018 PSATS Conference - Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are still needed at the Conservation Booth at the 2018 Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference. The conference runs from Sunday April 22 to Tuesday April 24 at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA.
Help is needed for:
- Sunday, April 22 - 12-5pm
- Monday, April 23 - 12-4pm
This is a great opportunity for district volunteers to be able to talk about district programs and build relationships with township officials from across Pennsylvania. Volunteer now by contacting Jann McNamara at
[email protected]
or call
717-238-7223
.
|
Columbia County Conservation District Holds 3rd Annual Women in Agriculture Conference
Submitted by Heather Almer, Watershed Specialist, Columbia County Conservation District
The Columbia County Conservation District organized its 3rd annual Women in Agriculture Conference at the Bloomsburg VFW Post 804 on March 21, 2018. Attendees learned about sustainable building, the future of agricultural education, credit scores and lending, and sheep farming.They also learned about yoga for stress relief and participated in a hands-on product making workshop to highlight the benefits of making your own cleaners and personal care products.
Photo caption: Attendees of the Women in Agriculture Conference make roll-on bottles of therapeutic essential oils, such has orange and lavender, after a talk by Sheila Williams and Heather Almer. The presentation was titled, "the Benefits of Making your own Cleaning and Personal Care Products." Photo provided by Columbia County Conservation District.
|
Allegheny County Conservation District to Receive Western Pennsylvania Environmental Award
Environmental programs from throughout Western Pennsylvania will share $25,000 from Dominion Energy and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) for innovation and effectiveness in making a positive impact on the environment.
The 2018 winners are:
- Allegheny County Conservation District (Pittsburgh, Allegheny County)
- Allegheny Outfitters Warren (Warren County)
- Casselman River Watershed Association (Somerset, Somerset County)
With the funds, Allegheny County Conservation District will support their Urban Soils Program.
The winners will be honored at the Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 24, 2018, at the Westin Convention Center Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.
|
NACD Applauds Conservation Measures in Omnibus Bill
Congress recently passed, and President Donald Trump signed into law, a Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 omnibus appropriations package that will improve conservation delivery across the United States.
"NACD is encouraged by the strong support for conservation programs in the omnibus," NACD President Brent Van Dyke said. "These provisions provide both the staff and financial assistance essential to conservationists, and we hope to see similar funding in FY 2019 appropriations this fall."
The omnibus includes strong funding levels for Conservation Operations at $874 million, including conservation technical assistance, and maintains full funding levels for farm bill conservation programs.
The omnibus maintains funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's 319 grants and provides continued financial support for the Watershed Operations and Watershed Rehabilitation programs. The package also includes $335 million for the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry programs, which is an increase from FY 2017's levels, with $28 million dedicated to urban forestry efforts.
Click here to read the full press release.
|
April Urban and Community Webinar
The National Association of Conservation Districts will hold a free webinar on April 19 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., which will focus on understanding how soil is vital to every landscape.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service soil scientists from New Jersey will discuss their use of XRF technology, an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials, along with its value and its availability through the agency. King Conservation District from Washington state will share about their 'hügelkultur initiative', its value in urban areas, their awareness campaign and how it helped create new partnerships with compost providers and generated media stories.
Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, email Debra Bogar at [email protected].
|
Cover Crop Mini-Grants Available
The Keystone Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society announces the Cover Crop Mini-Grant program for 2018. The purpose of this program is to establish demonstration plots that highlight either common cover crops that need more emphasis in your area or new cover crops (such as mixtures) for your local area. Emphasis should be placed on (but is not limited to) using cover crop mixtures to manage one or more of the following: management of compaction, nitrogen fixing or uptake, water infiltration, and organic matter.
There will be up to five grants of $250 each. The application deadline is May 30, 2018.
Click here for more information.
|
Conservation Districts in the News
|
|
Upcoming Events
April 2-6, 2018
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
April 10-12, 2018
Ramada Conference Center, State College, PA
|
|
