Front Page e-Newsletter
August 23, 2021
Final Reminder to Apply to Intro to Conservation Planning Course 
PACD partners with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This free training is scheduled to take place October 19-21, 2021, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey area) in Grantville, PA.
 
Intro to Conservation Planning is an introductory course for employees who are interested in writing conservation plans and becoming an NRCS Certified Conservation Planner. The training is free, and lunch will be provided.
 
For more information on the training, including the prerequisite, click here. Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with questions.
Armstrong Completes Multi-Functional Riparian Forest Buffer
Armstrong Conservation District planted 3.2 acres of multi-functional riparian forest buffer along two branches of Big Run, a tributary to the Allegheny River. The total cost for the buffer was $31,603.25, which was paid for through PACD's multi-functional buffer sub-grant program. Contact Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org for more information on this sub-grant program.
 
Photo caption: Photos of the buffer before and after planting provided by the Armstrong Conservation District. 
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 Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. 
Cumberland County Conservation District Holds Rain Garden Workshop 
At the Upper Allen Township’s annual stormwater workshop on May 20, 2021, residents had the opportunity to learn how to design, install, and maintain a rain garden.
 
The workshop included presentations on “Local Watersheds in Cumberland County” by Lori Glace with Cumberland County Conservation District, and “How to Construct Rain Gardens” by Andy Yencha with Penn State Extension. The workshop ended with a live demonstration of planting a rain garden at the Upper Allen Township municipal building.
 
Photo caption: Photo of rain garden workshop provided by Cumberland County Conservation District. 
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.
Franklin County Conservation District Holds Summer Conservation Tour 
Franklin County Conservation District received a Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant to hold a Summer Conservation Farm Tour on July 27, 2021.
 
The tour's highlight was seeing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on-site and asking the district's 2021 Conservation Farmer of the Year, Leslie Bowman (Lesher’s Poultry Farm, Inc.), for his first-hand knowledge of implementing and maintaining BMPs. The 70 attendees were able to hear about numerous BMPs, including animal waste storage facilities, composting manure, planting green, utilizing cover crops, variable rate manure/nutrient application, grassed waterways, diversifying crop rotations, and experimenting with growing organic row crops.
 
Photo caption: Leslie Bowman (speaking) at a stop on the Summer Conservation Farm Tour. Photo provided by Franklin County Conservation District. 
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.
Snyder and Juniata County Conservation Districts Hold Enviro Camp
During the evenings of August 9 -13, 2021, Snyder County Conservation District had the privilege of co-hosting the first kids' Enviro Camp at Basom Memorial Park with Juniata County Conservation District. Fifty-four children attended the camp. Each night, children learned about topics focused on aquatics, wildlife, soils, and forestry. The final night of Enviro Camp was family night, which included conservation jeopardy, a streamside tree planting, and a bluebird box installation at the park.
 
The Enviro Camp was funded through a DEP Educational Grant.
 
Photo provided by Snyder County Conservation District. 
Indiana and Clearfield County Conservation Districts Join Agriculture Summit
On August 9, 2021, Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson held an Agriculture Summit at Mount Aloysius College. Indiana County Conservation District Manager Doug Beri Jr. and Agricultural Specialist Marisa Matlin exhibited with Clearfield County Conservation District staff.
 
Panelists including Congressman John Joyce, PA Dept. of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, and PA Farm Bureau President Rick Ebert discussed various issues and legislation impacting Pennsylvania farmers.
A video of the event is available here.

Photo provided by Indiana County Conservation District. 
State Conservation Commission, Dept. Of Agriculture Recognize Champions of Soil, Water Resources
On August 12, at Penn State’s annual Ag Progress Days, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recognized six individuals and two county conservation district boards with 2020 and 2021 Conservation Excellence Awards.
 
On behalf of the State Conservation Commission, Redding presented Distinguished Service and Training Excellence Awards to current and retired county, state, and federal employees from Bedford, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lycoming, and York counties.
 
He presented Leadership Excellence Awards to the boards of the Montgomery and Washington County Conservation Districts.
 
Click here to read the entire press release.
Conservation Districts in the News
Upcoming Events
August 23-27, 2021
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey Area), Grantville, PA

September 9, 2021 | 10 a.m. - Noon