PACD Front Page e-Newsletter

Front Page e-Newsletter

July 12, 2021

Landowner Guide to Buffer Success Available Now

Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partners have updated the “Landowner Guide to Buffer Success” that was last published in 2007. Like the previous guide, this one is set up calendar-style with pages for notes. In addition, the guide features key tasks by season, tips to improve outcomes, example photos, summaries of how riparian forest buffers help streams, and links to resources. PACD has 2,500 calendar style guides available for distribution. Contact Holly Miller at [email protected] to request copies and to make arrangements for pick-up.

Thank you to all our CREP partners who contributed to the Landowner Guide to Buffer Success!

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office 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.

Findings from CREP Farmer Focus Groups

PACD partnered with Water Words That Work to offer farmer focus groups and interviews across Pennsylvania to discuss the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The goal was to learn how we can successfully deliver the program and gain more interest in CREP.

On June 24, 2021, a virtual presentation was offered to partners to discuss the results. To view the presentation of the results, click here. Click here for the written report.

Photo caption: Screenshot of Water Words That Work webinar.

Two Conservation Districts Complete CREP Mini-Grants

This year PACD offered a short round of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) mini-grants to Pennsylvania conservation districts. PACD awarded $500 to Cameron County Conservation District, and $1,000 to Indiana County Conservation District. The grants were used to implement virtual educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the CREP program. For more information about the mini-grant program, please get in touch with Holly Miller at [email protected].

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.

Indiana County Conservation District Receives Department of Agriculture Funds

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced $460,000 in funds for eight projects that will increase market opportunities and competitiveness for Pennsylvania specialty crops. Funded under the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, state Specialty Crop Block Grants support high-priority specialty crops that are not eligible under the federal specialty crop grant program.

Indiana County Conservation District will receive $37,951.00 to collaborate with local farmers and brewers to create an educational program for hops and malt grains production.

Click here to read more.

NACD July Webinar on Conservation Assistance Programs

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) July Urban and Community (U&C) Webinar is scheduled for July 15, 2021, at noon.

Participants will learn about Conservation Assistance Programs (CAPs), an emerging opportunity for conservation districts to support landowners with nonpoint source pollution. As cost-share programs, CAPs typically provide financial, technical, and educational assistance to property owners installing eligible practices with the support of their local conservation district.

Click here to register for this free webinar.