PACD News

Dates to Remember:

January 17-19, 2007
PACD Winter Meeting
Ramada Inn and Conference Center, State College, PA

March 5, 2007
PACD North Central Region Meeting
DEP, Williamsport, PA

March 8, 2007
PACD North West Region Meeting
Venango County Conservation District, Franklin, PA

March 12 OR March 19, 2007
(Final date will be determined based on the schedule of the legislature.)
PACD Capitol Day
Crowne Plaza, Harrisburg, PA

March 23, 2007
PACD South East Region Meeting
Franconia Heritage Banquet and Conference Center, Franconia, PA

March 26, 2007
PACD South Central Region Meeting
Adams County Conservation District, Gettysburg, PA

March 29, 2007
PACD South West Region Meeting
Crooked Creek Environmental Center, Ford City, PA

April 16-20, 2007
Level I Boot Camp
Fort Indiantown Gap, PA

April 19, 2007
PACD Central Region Meeting
Arena Restaurant, Bedford, PA

April 20, 2007
PACD North East Region Meeting
Location TBA

May 7-11, 2007
Level II Boot Camp
Fort Indiantown Gap, PA

May 29-31, 2007
Summer Agronomy (Principles of Agronomy)
State College, PA

June 1, 2007
Summer Agronomy (Tillage Management, repeat of May 31)
State College, PA

July 15-18, 2007
PACD/SCC Joint Annual Conference
Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, Scranton, PA

October 16-18, 2007
Conservation District Watershed Specialist Annual Meeting/Training
Nittany Lion Inn, State College, PA

October 14-16, 2008 (Tentative)
Conservation District Watershed Specialist Annual Meeting/Training

PACD Hosts Meeting to Coordinate Training

The PACD District Employees Committee asked PACD to facilitate the establishment of a committee to help coordinate training opportunities targeted to conservation district staff. On December 8, PACD hosted a meeting of approximately twenty individuals who are in charge of coordinating training programs for conservation districts. Topics on improving coordination included timing, content, whether the training is mandatory, audience, difficulty level, funding, consolidation of topics, and whether certification or other formal training mechanisms are needed.

During this first meeting of the Conservation District Staff Training Coordination Steering Committee, attendees went over each training program provided to conservation districts. A variety of agency representatives attended including the Department of Environmental Protection, State Conservation Commission, Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Department of Community and Economic Development. Three members of the PACD District Employees Committee were also present to represent staff. Feedback from attendees was positive as agency personnel agreed that there is a need to better coordinate training for conservation districts.

The Committee will meet again at the PACD Winter Meeting to go through a matrix of course descriptions and curriculum developed from information collected at the meeting. The matrix will allow the Committee to compare training programs and to decide on a course of action.

DONATION - December 2006
Capital Fund

Erie County Conservation District
Wyoming County Conservation District

As of December 28, 2006, the total value of the Capital Fund was $19,141.

News & Notes January 2007