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Front Page: Your Weekly News & Updates
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The Sunshine Act and the Coronavirus, PACD Awards, New dates for Fluvial Geomorphology Training, teaching environmental education at home, news from Snyder County, buffer webinars, state Envirothon cancelled, news from NRCS, NACD Covid-19 resources, and pollinator webinar.
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The Sunshine Act and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Sunshine Act is clear that public meetings should be held at public buildings with open public participation whenever possible. If an official emergency declaration prevents that from happening, a meeting via teleconference, webinar, or other electronic method that allows for two-way communication is permissible in most circumstances. (Some agencies may be governed by laws which add requirements beyond those included in the Sunshine Act.)
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Deadline for Nominations for PACD Conservation Awards is April 30
Do you know a staff person, director, or associate director who has gone above and beyond the call of duty? A legislator who champions conservation legislation? Or a Pennsylvania resident or Pennsylvania-based organization you would like to recognize for their contributions in support of environmental recreation? If so, nominate them for a PACD award!
The awards are:
- Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director or Associate Director Excellence Award
- Conservation District Employee Excellence Award
- Legislator Leadership Award
- Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation
The deadline for nominations is April 30, 2020. Click here
for more information and the nomination forms.
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New Dates for Fluvial Geomorphology Training
The two-day Fluvial Geomorphology Training that was scheduled for March 24 and 25 is rescheduled for November 17 and 18, 2020. It will be held at the Clinton County Conservation District. This event is full. Everyone that registered before are still registered. Please schedule your own hotel reservations as you did before. If this date is not good for you and you need to cancel, please do so by November 1, 2020. We will send out reminders closer to that time.
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New Resource: Teaching Environmental Education at Home
The Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators has created a new resource titled, "Teaching Environmental Education at Home." The page consists of online options for fun and interactive environmental educational experiences for students to do by themselves or with their parents.
Click here to view the resource.
Click here to read an article from Elk County Conservation District on activity tips.
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Snyder County Conservation District Holds Farmer Meeting
The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held its annual Farmers Winter Meeting on Friday, February 14, 2020, near Selinsgrove.
Ninety-six people attended the meeting. Topics presented during the meeting included understanding the science and the practical application of soil health on your farms, U.S. Department of Agriculture updates, the PA Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) tax credit program, repairing and maintaining farm lanes, and the SCCD's stream buffer program.
Guest speakers came from the farming community, PA No-Till Alliance, Stroud Water Resource Center, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, PA State Conservation Commission, Penn State Center for Dirt & Gravel Roads Studies, SCCD, and Penn State Extension.
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: Snyder County's annual Farmers Meeting was held on February 14, 2020. Photo provided by Snyder County Conservation District.
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DCNR to Hold Buffer Webinars
The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hosting webinars on Riparian Forest Buffers. There will be one webinar per day the week of
March 30 - April 3, 2020, from Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Topics determined to date are:
- Do Hellbenders, Freshwater Mussels, and Native Brook Trout Matter?
- Selling Buffers WITHOUT Financial Incentives
- Reforesting Shallowbrook School
Click here to view the webinar flyer.
If you are interested in joining a webinar, please email
[email protected]
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Envirothon State Competition Cancelled
The Envirothon board made the difficult decision to cancel the state competition, which was scheduled for May 19-20, 2020. School administrators are saying that, if and when schools reopen, they will not permit travel to outside events, including Envirothon. The board is looking toward the 2021 event and focusing on ways to keep students engaged in the program.
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USDA Seeks Proposals for On-Farm Conservation and Soil Health Test Projects
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting proposals through May 11 for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials, now in its second year. On-Farm Trials, part of the agency's Conservation Innovation Grant program, help support the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches on agricultural land.
Click here to read the entire press release.
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NACD Offers COVID-19 Resource Webpage
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) wants to help keep you informed during the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic.
NACD has created a COVID-19 webpage that contains resources and guidance for conservation districts and their associations to determine protocol and response in the wake of COVID-19. You can find updates on national resources, advice, and tips on how you can help others during this time.
Click here to view this resource.
Want to share guidance and resources about COVID-19? Please email NACD Director of Communications Sara Kangas at
[email protected]
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April Urban and Community Webinar
Pollinator Research is the topic for the next National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Urban and Community Conservation webinar, which is scheduled for Noon-1:00 p.m. on April 16, 2020.
Vera Pfeiffer, Postdoctoral Researcher with the Crowder Lab at Washington State University, will summarize patterns in the distribution of bumblebees foraging around Madison, Wisconsin.
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USDA Awards Funding to Increase Fishing and Boating Opportunities in Pennsylvania
The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced the award of nearly $670,000 to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to help provide more opportunities for fishing and boating.
Funding through the USDA's Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP),
will allow the PA Fish and Boat Commission to expand its existing Public Fishing Access and Conservation Easement program. The program will provide more opportunities for fishing and boating by involving more private landowners in the program.
Click here to read the entire press release.
Photo caption: Photo provided by USDA NRCS.
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Conservation Districts in the News
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Upcoming Events
March 31, 2020, 10am
April 3, 2020, 10am
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