The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) was organized in 1950 to serve as a collective voice of Pennsylvania's conservation districts. PACD provides districts with education and information to help them in their work in land and water conservation. Over the years, the Association has been an integral part of the shaping of the modern conservation district.

The PACD represents districts at the state and national levels in soil, water, and related resource management. PACD places importance on local decision making and involvement in solving conservation problems.

Conservation districts serve a range of agricultural and urban interests and participate in a wide variety of resource programs.

Some of the programs Pennsylvania’s conservation districts are involved with include:

• Erosion and Sedimentation Pollution Control
• Storm Water Management
• Abandoned Mine Reclamation
• Nutrient Management
• Waterway Protection
• Dirt and Gravel Roads
• Biosolids Permitting
• Agricultural Land Preservation
• Chesapeake Bay Program
• Forest Management
• Wildlife Management
• Environmental Education
• County Envirothon
• Pennsylvania State Envirothon
• Floodplain Monitoring

Rules and Regulations

PACD frequently educates policy leaders about the value of empowering conservation districts to tackle water quality problems that stem from abuse of the land. During the past 1970's and 1980's, districts were delegated important responsibilities at the local level to implement parts of the Clean Streams Law and the Nutrient Management Act. In both cases, districts have been successful promoting compliance through education and negotiation before enforcement actions are pursued.

Whether conservation districts are needed in local resource planning, education, technical assistance, or enforcement, PACD shares the viewpoints of its member districts with state and federal agencies, the state legislature, farm organizations and environmental groups to best facilitate their work. When districts are needed to carry out state mandates, PACD advocates adequate funding of new responsibilities.

National Voice

PACD is the vehicle through which Pennsylvania's conservation districts speak to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). PACD elects a district director to serve as its representative on the Board of Directors for the NACD. PACD actively participates in other NACD activities, including national leadership training, national legislative conference, conservation forums, selected NACD committee meetings, and district employees association conferences.

Each spring, PACD leaders trek to Washington D.C. to meet with Pennsylvania congressmen to personally share with them a statewide perspective of conservation concerns as they relate to federal proposals.