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Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
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| NACD annual meeting and poster contest, director training, staff conference, news from Northumberland, urban grants, academic standards being updated, and videos from NRCS. |
PACD Well Represented at Meeting of National Association
The 74th National Association of Conservation District's Annual Meeting took place at Bally's Las Vegas, February 8-12, 2020. NACD Director Cliff Lane and Alternate NACD Director Kelly Stagen joined by several other conservation district and partnering agency representatives.
Hosted in partnership with the Nevada Association of Conservation Districts, NACD's 2020 Annual Meeting brought together nearly 1,000 conservation leaders from across the nation for educational sessions, workshops, and networking. This year's meeting theme, "Conservation Innovation: Working from the Roots Up," explored innovative techniques for delivering conservation on the ground.
During the meeting, the Board of Directors elected Michael Crowder of West Richland, Washington, to serve as the association's president-elect.
Photo caption: Pennsylvania representatives (left to right): Cliff Lane, McKean County Conservation District Commissioner Director, PACD North West Region Director, NACD Director; Sandy Thompson McKean County Conservation District Manager; Kelly Stagen Pike County Conservation District Director, PACD 1st Vice president, Alternate NACD Director); Ron Rohall, Westmoreland Conservation District Director; Alyssa Harden, Westmoreland Conservation District Watershed Technician; Dr. Irvil Kear (Schuylkill County), Jon Burgess, Allegheny County Conservation District Programs and Policy Director; and Roy Richardson, State Conservation Commission Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road Coordinator.
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Student from Delaware County Wins Second Place in National Poster Contest
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), in partnership with the NACD Auxiliary, announced the winners of the 2019 Photo Contest during the 74th NACD Annual Meeting. The 2019 Poster Contest theme was "Life in the Soil: DIG DEEPER."
Congratulations to Tvisha Jani and the Delaware County Conservation District for winning second place in the grades 2-3 division!
Click here for information on the 2020 poster contest.
"Where would we BEE without Pollinators." PACD will be accepting photos of your county's winners until June 30, 2020.
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The Building for Tomorrow 2020 Back to Basics Regional Director Training workshop scheduled for March 10 at Berks County Conservation District has been canceled. But there's still time to register for the March 11 workshop at Cumberland County - please click here for more information.
For those unable to attend a regional workshop, remember to visit the Director Training page
at the Building for Tomorrow website for learning resources and updates on upcoming programming.
In the meantime, mark your calendars for the July 23 Director's Breakfast at the PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference, where Janet McNally of Team Development Services will present on The Five Practices of Effective Boards. Janet recently gave this presentation at a meeting of the PACD Executive Board, and everyone who participated agreed that it would be a valuable session for all Directors. Stay tuned for more information coming in spring.
Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership's Leadership Development Committee.
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Conservation District Staff from Across the State Convene in State College
The 2020 Building for Tomorrow Staff Conference was held on February 12-13 at the Wyndham Garden State College. There were 130 attendees from 45 counties. Keynote sessions were held on productive conflict and emotional intelligence and getting things done through time management.
Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership's Leadership Development Committee.
Photo caption: Janet McNally, Team Development Services, kicked off the Building for Tomorrow Staff Conference with the morning keynote on productive conflict and emotional intelligence.
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Northumberland County Conservation District Holds Breakfast for Landowners in Warrior Run Watershed
Submitted by Judy Becker, Manager, Northumberland County Conservation District
The smell of breakfast was in the air as 75 farmers and landowners gathered the Saturday morning of January 25. In the initial planning phases to create water quality goals in the Warrior Run watershed, the Warrior Run Watershed Team decided a pancake breakfast was a great way to connect with those living in the watershed. The Team could not think of a better way to engage the community than to offer free breakfast and time of fellowship where they can learn about the watershed in which they live.
Click here to read the entire article and see more photos of the event.
Photo caption: The stream table showed attendees how their actions affect an entire watershed. Photo provided by Northumberland County Conservation District.
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Two Pennsylvania Projects Selected for Urban Agriculture Grant
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced $1 million in urban agriculture conservation funding for 21 conservation districts across 13 states.
NACD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service first partnered through the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative in 2016 to support technical assistance activities in developed or developing areas.
Two recipients are from Pennsylvania:
- Allegheny County Conservation District (ACCD)
Soil Health 2.0: Enhancing Productivity in Allegheny County
The ACCD will support a series of soil health science and management workshops, development of an urban soil management guide, provide staff support for a pilot master composter program, and map out soil properties for potential urban ag lands across vacant lots in two low-income communities.
- Indiana County Conservation District (ICCD)
Growing Community Education of Urban Agriculture with Community Partners
The ICCD will establish local partnerships to improve operations and locate spaces for edible plants to provide onsite examples for workshops on urban agriculture and soil health best management practices. District staff will be trained to prepare and run workshops to expand knowledge of local agriculture as well as soil and water management.
Click here to read about the other recipients.
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Science & Technology and Environment & Ecology Academic Standards being Updated
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NRCS Unveils New "Conservation at Work" Videos
NRCS is unveiling a new video series, Conservation at Work, which consists of short, 90 second videos that highlight common conservation practices.
The videos shine the spotlight on farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners from across the U.S. who tell us their own conservation stories, and how practices are helping them protect and improve resources and save time and money.
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Upcoming Events
February 26, 2020
Clinton County Conservation District, Mill Hall, PA
Monroe County Conservation District, Stroudsburg, PA
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