Front Page Newsletter January 16, 2023

Brenda Shambaugh at the Senate Committee Information Session.

PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh participated in the Senate Environmental Affairs and Resource Committee information session on Chesapeake Bay issues. The session was held at the Farm Show Complex on January 12, 2023. 

Click here to watch the session. Brenda’s comments begin at 1:03:08.

Mark your calendars for the 2023 Virtual Conservation District and PA Agency Ag Meeting!

April 3, 2023, 1:00pm to 4:00pm – Statewide Information

April 6, 2023, 9:00am to Noon – Chesapeake Bay Information

*We’d like your suggestions! Please submit ideas for topics you’d like to hear about to hmiller@pacd.org by COB Wednesday, January 18, 2023.

County conservation districts and your partners have a huge impact at the local, state, and federal levels. And all of this PROGRESS is happening because of expanding PARTNERSHIPS and PROJECTS! We invite your district to join these two half-day meetings to hear from local, state, and federal partners about how your work is connecting the dots everywhere and inspiring partners at every level.

Staff from PA state agencies, USDA-NRCS, and conservation districts are encouraged to attend.

More information to come! Registration will open in February. Please contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org with questions.

Close to 4,000 township officials and guests from all over Pennsylvania will attend the annual Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) Conference and Trade Show, April 23-26, 2023. Once again, there will be a Conservation District Booth at the show from Sunday, April 23, to Tuesday, April 25. 

Trade Show dates and times are:

• Sunday, April 23        1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1^st shift) and 6:30–8:00 p.m. (2^nd shift)

• Monday, April 24      7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (1^st shift) and 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (2^nd shift) 

• Tuesday, April 25       7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Please consider volunteering for a morning or afternoon shift at the conservation district booth. This is a valuable opportunity to promote the districts and explain the type of work they do, as well as reinforce existing relationships with local township officials.

To volunteer, please get in touch with Brenda Shambaugh at bshambaugh@pacd.org. 

Plinko game in action at the 2023 PA Farm Show.

Thank you to all the volunteers who made the conservation district booth at the PA Farm Show a success! The 2023 show premiered the Stormwater Plinko game, which drew visitors to the booth.

Thank you to the following conservation districts who sent volunteers:

• Blair
• Centre
• Clinton
• Columbia
• Cumberland
• Indiana
• Lancaster
• Lebanon
• Lehigh
• Northumberland
• Schuylkill
• Snyder
• And the PA Envirothon

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) work. Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment and/or CREP maintenance.

Applications are due February 24, 2023.

Project examples:

-Walkabouts/field days

-Farmer and landowner workshops

-Riparian buffer workshops

-Workshop series with several topics

-Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards

-Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

The guidelines and application for the new CREP mini-grant program for conservation districts are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org. 

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.

All district personnel and partners are invited to join us for the 3rd Annual Conservation District Video Awards, streaming via Zoom on Thursday, February 16 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Since 2020 we've been recognizing excellence in this medium and celebrating the efforts of district staff who produce and share video content. Our 2022 finalists represent the best of the best from across the state. Tune in on February 16 to find out who will win bragging rights for their district and bring home the coveted CONDIVA trophy.

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.

Every district is encouraged to send a representative to attend one of the Employment Law Seminars scheduled for February 21, 22, and 23. Space is limited and filling up quickly – visit Building for Tomorrow to register.

All staff and managers participating in the 2023 CliftonStrengths Initiative should complete their assessments by February 3. Those planning to attend a workshop can register here - space is limited, and registration closes for each when capacity is filled or by February 17. Contact Matt Miller, LD Coordinator mmiller@pacd.org, for more information.

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.

Screenshot from Sand County Foundation’s website.

Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm of York County is the 2022 recipient of the Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award®.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the prestigious award recognizes farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water, and wildlife habitat resources in their care.

In Pennsylvania, the $10,000 award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

The Flinchbaugh family was revealed as the award’s recipients at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. They receive $10,000 and a crystal award for being selected. PACD Executive Director Brenda Shambaugh attended the event.

The Leopold Conservation Award in Pennsylvania is made possible thanks to the generous support of American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Sand County Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, EDPR NA Distributed Generation, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, and The Nature Conservancy.

Click here to read more.

You are invited to attend a free webinar on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, from 1 – 2:30 p.m. "Vernal Pool Wetland Restoration."

Wetland restoration projects can recreate habitats that support wildlife and improve the health of local watersheds. In this presentation, we will discuss the importance of vernal pools and the unique wildlife that use them. We will highlight restoration techniques and lessons learned through projects we completed at three State Parks in Pennsylvania. We will show the steps we took in planning, permitting, construction, restoring a native plant community, and monitoring vernal pool health. The webinar is hosted by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, and the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks.

Click here to register.

Note: If you are interested in attending this event but cannot make the scheduled time, please still register to receive a link to the recording.

Questions? Please email Betsy Leppo at bleppo@paconserve.org. 

Bradford:

CONSERVATION CORNER: Bradford County Students Awarded Scholarships

Centre:

Conservation District Presents 2022 Conservation Awards

Clarion:

Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads Awards Announced for Clarion County

Cumberland:

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS: County Conservation District

Indiana:

DEP Growing Greener Money Awarded for Two Lick Creek Assessment 

Lawrence:

Conservation Manager Job Changes Guard

PACD:

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Announces $11.8 million Investment to Improve Pennsylvania Climate Resiliency

Somerset:

Abandoned Mines Legislation Signed into Law

Tioga:

Wolf Administration Announces Funds for Conservation Project

Other News:

NACD Announces Application Period for Urban and Community Conservation Grants