News Release

PACD Recognizes Annual Award Winners

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) recognized individuals and organizations for supporting Pennsylvania conservation efforts at its annual awards ceremony on July 17 in State College, PA. Mr. Jarrett Miller, PACD Second Vice President, served as Master of Ceremonies for the awards luncheon.

Award recipients were nominated by their county conservation district. This year's PACD Conservation Award winners are:

Bradford Conservation District--2000 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)/PACD Conservation Award, recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of a Pennsylvania conservation district. The Bradford Conservation District provides numerous education and technical assistance programs for students, teachers and other community members. Programs focus on conservation education, agriculture and nutrient best management practices, non-point source pollution prevention and environmental stewardship of the soil, water, forest and wildlife resources within Bradford County.

Stan and Cindi Bucher, Lebanon County--Conservation Farmer of the Year, given to a farmer who has furthered conservation by implementing soil, water and nutrient management practices. The Buchers own and operate a 116-acre dairy and crop farm, and employ numerous conservation practices that ensure the agricultural viability of the land and the health of nearby waterways. The Buchers are actively involved with public and private organizations in conservation education, water quality monitoring and streamside improvement projects. This year's award is sponsored by the PennAg Industries.

Swatara Creek Watershed Association, Lebanon, Berks, Dauphin and Schuylkill Counties--Watershed Protection Award, given to an organization or individual who has promoted the protection of a particular watershed through a coordinated land and water resource approach. Founded in 1970, the Swatara Creek Watershed Association monitors water quality along the Swatara Creek and its six major tributaries. The association has worked with various state, federal and local agencies on many stream and wetland restoration and awareness projects, including an annual two-day canoe and river cleanup. They have also developed a Swatara Creek Rivers Conservation Plan, a long-term management approach for the watershed. The State Conservation Commission sponsored this year's award.

Harry Meyer, Allegheny County--Special Conservation Service Award, given to an individual or organization that has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the conservation movement in Pennsylvania. Meyer serves as an associate director with the Washington, Beaver, Lawrence and Westmoreland Conservation Districts, and has worked with many conservation districts since 1955. Now retired, Meyer was an employee of various state agencies for 32 years and worked with landowners and conservation districts throughout western Pennsylvania in erosion and sediment control, land reclamation, and groundwater preservation programs. Meyer lives on a farm in McDonald, Pennsylvania where he was born and continues to operate its orchard.

W. Ray Ketner, Berks County--Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation Volunteer Award, given to an individual who has demonstrated an exceptional volunteer commitment to conservation. A lifelong resident of Berks County, Ketner is Chair of the Berks Conservation District board and a retiree of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He is an active participant in state and national conservation district association events and helps to coordinate local district programs such as the Don Hartman Conservation Leadership School, the county Envirothon, and the annual seedling sale. Ketner is a retired Army major who served in the Battle of Normandy during World War II.

Brokenstraw Fish and Game Club, Warren County--Conservation Organization of the Year Award, given to an organization that has made a noteworthy contribution to the conservation of Pennsylvania's soil, water and related natural resources. The club works with public and private agencies throughout the year in conservation education and hunting safety programs. The club also conducts the Warren County Youth Conservation Camp, a three-day camp for boys and girls between the ages of 12-14. Participants learn about wildlife and aquatic ecosystems, water quality, hunting and boating safety, and astronomy. This year's award is sponsored by Allfirst Bank.

Grant Heilman Photography, Lancaster County--Media Conservation Award, given to an individual or professional communications organization that has made an outstanding contribution to increasing the public's awareness of conservation districts and natural resource issues. For more than 25 years, Grant Heilman Photography has worked with the Lancaster Conservation District, providing stock and custom photography. Recently, the firm assisted in the district's watershed awareness campaign and in capturing images for soil stewardship and farm cooperator awards. The firm's president, Sonia Wasco, has donated hundreds of volunteer hours as an associate director with the district as and co-director of the Lancaster County Youth Conservation School. Grant Heilman Photography is recognized nationally as a premier firm in agricultural, natural science, horticulture and wildlife photography.

James A. Edwards, Bucks County--Conservation Educator of the Year Award, given to a teacher who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to conservation education programs and activities in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Edwards is an environmental studies and biology teacher at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne and is an advisor to the school's Environmental Action Club. Edwards and his students have participated in Earth Week programs, recycling projects, habitat activities, water quality monitoring, and streambank stabilization projects at local environmental centers and within their community. The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education sponsored the award this year.

Robert Long, Cambria County--M.K.Goddard Forest Resource Management Award, given to forest landowners in Pennsylvania that have done an outstanding job managing their woodlots. Robert Long and his family operate George Long and Sons Lumber Company in Patton, Pennsylvania. As a professional forester, Long prepared and implemented a management plan, enhancing wildlife habitat and the water quality of nearby waterways. The woodlot contains broad ecological diversity which the Long's share with their community; most of their properties are open for public use. This year's award is sponsored by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative of Pennsylvania.

R. Jeanne Sonntag, Lancaster County--William Lange Urban Conservation Award, given to an individual who has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the conservation of natural resources in an urban area of Pennsylvania. Sonntag is a former Lancaster Conservation District public director and worked with the district for more than nine years. She also served as chairman of the Lancaster County Planning Commission Water Resource Task Force. Among her other achievements, Sonntag was instrumental in raising funds for the Shuts Environmental Center in Lancaster and for initiating a yearly legislative breakfast tour between elected officials and state and local conservation district representatives.

Representative Gary Haluska, Cambria County--Legislator Recognition Award, given to a state legislator who has consistently supported conservation issues and has made outstanding contributions to the preservation of Pennsylvania's natural resources. Haluska has been an invaluable advocate for the Cambria Conservation District. He has helped to secure funding for district programs, such as those which address acid mine drainage and other point sources of pollution in local waterways, and in preserving recreational opportunities without compromising the environment. Haluska is also a dedicated community volunteer, working with local firefighter associations, sports booster organizations, and tourism initiatives.

RNS Services, Inc., Cambria County--Erosion and Sedimentation Pollution Control Award, given to an individual, agency or organization in the construction industry that demonstrates outstanding erosion and sedimentation control measures. RNS mines, transports and recycles coal refuse and fly ash. They have been involved with numerous abandoned mine reclamation projects in Cambria, Indiana and Somerset Counties. RNS has worked with the Cambria Conservation District and local farmers, using fly ash as a soil substitute in barnyards and feedlots to help prevent nutrient and sediment runoff into nearby waterways. RNS also works with local organizations in other abandoned mine drainage abatement and wetlands restoration initiatives.

Adams County Conservation District--Annual Report of the Year Award, presented to the conservation district that submits the most informative, concise, readable and attractive annual report. Each district's annual report is judged by representatives of the State Conservation Commission, Department of Environmental Protection, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the PACD. Second place was awarded to the Berks Conservation District, while the Snyder Conservation District captured third place.

During the luncheon ceremony, two Pennsylvania farm families were recognized as Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Award recipients. They are: Charles and Marlene Bomgardner, owners and operators of a farm in Lebanon County; and Mark Verbyla, who operates a dairy farm in Luzerne County. The Clean Water Farm Awards recognize farmers who strive to protect local water quality and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay by implementing exemplary farm management practices, such as controlling soil erosion and limiting nutrient and pesticide runoff into surface and ground waters. The awards are administered by the Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Education Office (PACD).

Each year, PACD hosts a poster contest for school children in grades K-12. The PACD Auxiliary sponsors the poster contest. The winning entries are sent to the National Association of Conservation Districts' poster contest for judging on a national level. This year's winners are:

• Brigid Duggan, Cumberland County, Kindergarten to First Grade Division;
  
• Melina Webb, Bradford County, Second to Third Grade Division;
  
• Felicha Koscheck, Greene County, Fourth to Sixth Grade Division;
  
• James Lincke, Delaware County, Seventh to Ninth Grade Division; and
  
• Anna Spoor, Delaware County, Tenth to Twelfth Grade Division.
  

The PACD Auxiliary also presented it annual scholarship award to Sean C. Sweeney of Newmanstown, Pennsylvania. Sean is a student at Penn State University, majoring in agriculture and bioengineering.

Commissioner Randy Degenkolb of Indiana County was recognized as PACD's County Commissioner District Director of the Year Award. This award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of County Commissioners, is given to a County Commissioner member of a conservation district board who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of conservation districts at the local, state, and national levels. The PACD is a non-profit organization that supports, enhances, and promotes Pennsylvania's Conservation Districts and their programs.