News & Notes October 2005

Mini-Grants Available to Districts

PACD is accepting applications for 2005-06 Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Educational Mini-Grants through an "open" round. Applicants may apply for a grant at any time, however projects must be completed by May 15, 2006. Grants will be awarded to projects that meet program guidelines and priorities on a first come-first serve basis.

Applications also are being accepted for Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grants. These applications will be considered later this fall, pending the availability of additional funds.

Grants provide up to $2,500 to conservation districts for educational projects that promote water quality. Funding for the grants is provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Chesapeake Bay Program and the Environmental Protection Agency's Section 319 Program.

For more information, visit www.PACD.org and click on "Pollution Solutions," or call Yvonne Harhigh at the PACD office, 717-238-7223.

Two Pennsylvania Watersheds to Join Conservation Security Program in 2006

The French and Shenango watersheds have been selected to participate in the 2006 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Security Program (CSP). These watersheds are located in Erie, Crawford, Venango, Mercer and Lawrence Counties. Farmers from nearly 2,900 farms encompassing over 400,000 acres within those watershed boundaries who agree to continue using good conservation practices on their production land can apply to NRCS for the opportunity to receive stewardship and maintenance payments.

This voluntary program recognizes and rewards farmers for their ongoing stewardship activities on working agricultural lands. "Natural resource conservation efforts by America's producers benefit everyone through healthier soil, cleaner air and water and improved fish and wildlife habitat," remarked Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner.

The 2006 CSP will include a renewable energy component. Eligible producers can receive compensation for converting to renewable energy fuels such as bio-diesel and ethanol, for recycling 100 percent of on-farm lubricants, and for implementing energy production, including wind, solar, geothermal and methane production.

The signup period is expected to take place early this Fall. A sign-up announcement will be published that will detail specific program requirements in the watersheds. Additional information on CSP is on the Web at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.

Workshops Held to Improve Board Effectiveness

A series of four "Outreach for Success" workshops for PA Conservation Districts' board and staff were held throughout the state in September. Brad Ross, former Ohio DNR Deputy Chief, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, presented the workshops.

Attendees learned how to recruit directors to serve on their board who will actively attend district meetings as well as regional and state-wide meetings. One of the topics that attendee and PACD President Victor Cappucci found interesting was social capital. "I never heard that term before. We had a chance to analyze the county population in general and how different it is for each county," he said. The idea is to then make sure your board represents the occupations, race and ethnicity, gender and education level found in your county.

While learning how to improve board effectiveness was the focus of the training, there were other benefits. "There is value in getting together and comparing notes on what others are doing in their county. The interaction between districts was a valuable part of the workshop," said Cappucci.

Board recruitment, marketing, and networking are all important skills attendees learned. The next step is applying this knowledge in their county.

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