PACD Front Page e-Newsletter

Front Page e-Newsletter

August 2, 2021

New Slate of Officers Elected

During the July 29, 2021, Executive Council meeting, three new officers were elected.

President: Kelly Stagen, Pike County

1^st Vice President: Dennis Beck, Cambria

2^nd Vice President: Emil Bove, Westmoreland

PACD Treasurer Sonia Wasco and Secretary Charles Duritsa continue to serve in their current positions. Outgoing President Mike Price was presented with a gavel plaque during the meeting. We thank Mike for his two years of leadership as PACD President!

Photo caption: New PACD President Kelly Stagen.

PACD Honors Award Recipients during Annual Meeting

Conservation district staff and partners attended the PACD Executive Council Meeting on July 29. During the meeting, several individuals were recognized.

The 2021 honorees are:

Legislator Leadership Award

· Senator Gene Yaw (PA 23rd District)

President’s Award

· Lisa Jo Suhr

Maurice K. Goddard Award for Excellence in Environmental Recreation

· Cindy Adams Dunn

Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award

· Bob Robinson (Wyoming County)

Conservation District Employee Excellence Award

· Matthew Golden (Washington County)

Conservation District Trash Champion

· Washington County Conservation District

Conservation District Employee Service Recognition Awards

30 Years of Service

· Brian Sneeringer, Adams County Conservation District

· James Coslo, Centre County Conservation District

· Debra Dressler, Juniata County Conservation District

· Donald Williams, Somerset Conservation District

35 Years of Service

· Anthony Quadro, Westmoreland Conservation District

Click here to read the entire press release.

Photo caption: Senator Gene Yaw was awarded the Legislative Leadership Award.

Winners Announced in State Poster Contest on Healthy Forests

PACD is pleased to announce the five state-level winners of the National Association of Conservation Districts 2021 "Healthy Forests Healthy Communities" poster contest.

The winners in each age category are:

K – 1^st Grade: Cora Petrunak, Lehigh County

2^nd – 3^rd Grade: Riley Thomas, Cambria County

4^th – 6^th Grade: Brock Wharton, Cambria County

7^th – 9^th Grade: Evelyn Warner, Cambria County

10^th – 12^th Grade: Kathryn Polstra, Columbia County

To promote the importance of trees, students from kindergarten through twelfth grades entered posters conveying their thoughts and ideas through original artwork. Submissions were judged based on the entry’s conservation message, visual effectiveness, originality, and universal appeal.

PACD thanks all of the participants in the contest for their interest and dedication to conservation. Best wishes to the state-level winners in the upcoming national judging competition.

For more information about the NACD poster contest, click here. Click here to view all the winning posters.

Click here to read the press release.

Photo caption: The 10-12^th grade winning poster by Kathryn Polstra (Columbia County).

Pennsylvania Finishes Seventh in NCF-Envirothon

On July 28, the New York team from Esopus, New York, was named the champion of the 2021 National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources education competition for high schoolers. The Pennsylvania team finished seventh.

Click here to read more.

Aldo Leopold Conservation Award Deadline Approaching

Leopold Conservation Awards recognize extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation, inspire other landowners through their example, and help the general public understand the vital role private landowners play in conservation success.

The deadline to apply for the 2021 Aldo Leopold Conservation Award in Pennsylvania is one week away! Apply by August 5.

Click here for more information.