2006 NACD North East Region Meeting and
59th PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference
July 23-27, 2006
The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA
Nearly 350 conservationists from eleven states met
from July 24-27, 2006 in State College for the "Conservation
- Keystone for Our Future" conference.
Victor Cappucci, President of PACD stated, "It was a real honor
to participate in the 2006 NACD North East Region meeting and the
59th PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference. Folks from the north east region
converged to further educate themselves on conservation issues, share
ideas and solutions, and create sound conservation policies."
Conference participants attended a number of tours and workshops on
various topics including legacy sediment (sediment collected in stream
beds over hundreds of years), environmentally sound maintenance of
dirt and gravel roads, nutrient management, stormwater management,
air quality/odors, and acid rock drainage.
During the conference, both the NACD North East Region and the PACD
held their annual business meetings. During NACD's North East Region
Meeting, a report fostered from surveys from the north east conservation
districts was presented. The region's report, including five position
statements, was adopted including a resolution stating that urban
conservation should be classified as a Tier 1 priority. Elections
were held re-electing Pat Sueck from Pennsylvania as chair of the
NACD North East Region and Steve Hobart of Maine as vice-chair. "I'm
thrilled to again represent Pennsylvania as chair of the North East
Region," Pat Sueck stated.
At the PACD Executive Council Meeting, the following PACD officers
were re-elected for another term:
Victor Cappucci - President
Larry Kehl - 1st Vice-president
Irvil Kear - 2nd Vice-president
George Hildenbrandt - Secretary
Porter Duvall - Treasurer
Pat Sueck - NACD Director
Also during the PACD business meeting, the following PACD policy decisions
were adopted:
1. One policy position pertaining to sound conservation practices,
focused on the need for significant funding increases in the 2007
Farm Bill for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and
conservation districts to assist landowners and land users with technical
assistance.
2. Another new PACD policy opposes any mandatory match requirement
for Growing Greener Grants that may prohibit a significant number
of organizations from participation.
3. PACD members also voted to endorse a PA Resource Enhancement and
Protection (REAP) Tax Credit Program which provides state tax credits
to offset some or most of the costs of a number of environmental improvements.
4. PACD will support a legislative package entitled, "The Second
Phase of the Farmers First Agenda aimed at support for vocational
agriculture education, centers for agricultural excellence and education,
school nutrition programs, and funding for an agricultural consumptive
water use project."
5. Finally, PACD acknowledged the impact of legacy sediment on water
quality in the Commonwealth and supported adequate funding to address
legacy sediment removal and the restoration of streams.
Other conference activities included a silent auction (see Thank
You Silent Auction Donors article on page 4),
an exhibit hall featuring ten sponsoring agencies, two hospitality
suites showcasing Pennsylvania products, the annual PACD/SCC Awards
Luncheon (see PACD Awards Given for Commitment to Conservation
article on page 2), and PACD committee meetings.
The committee meeting minutes will be posted on the PACD website as
they become available.
PACD staff received positive feedback from conference attendees on
the event. PACD would like to thank all the individuals, conservation
districts, and agencies that helped to make this meeting a success.
The 2007 PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference will be held in the Pennsylvania's
northeast region. Contact Molly Burns at 717-238-7223 if you are able
to serve on the planning committee.
PACD Executive Council Approves PACD Strategic Planning Process
The PACD Executive Board identified the need to revise
and update the 2003 PACD Strategic Plan and asked PACD Executive Director
Susan Marquart to obtain input from the members on the type of planning
process they would like the Association to utilize. Based on input
from the winter 2006 region meetings, a proposed process for creating
a new PACD Strategic Plan was created. The PACD Executive Council
approved this process during the annual meeting of the PACD Executive
Council on July 27, 2006 in State College, PA.
It is important that each conservation district provide input on the
plan. To facilitate this process, PACD staff will mail each conservation
district a letter and a conservation district input form. Each conservation
district will be asked to complete the form as a district and ensure
that at least one person from the conservation district attends its
PACD fall region meeting to provide input. (See the back page of this
newsletter for the date of your region meeting.)
The draft strategic plan will be finalized and voted on at the PACD
Winter Meeting, January 17-19, 2007 in State College, PA. The overview
of the PACD strategic planning process (to begin in fall 2006) can
be viewed on the PACD website at, http://www.pacd.org/about/strategicplan/06planningprocess.htm.
