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News & Notes October 2006
Saving the Bay
Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fair
Four Pennsylvania conservation districts represented the efforts of
many other districts at the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fair on the afternoon
of Thursday, September 21, at Sandy Point State Park in Maryland. Exhibits
from approximately ninety partners actively engaged in the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed restoration effort highlighted basin activities. The Fair
was held in conjunction with the Chesapeake Executive Council's annual
meeting.
Adams
The Adams County Conservation District exhibit featured their Rain Barrel
Stormwater Reduction Project. The project was first made available to
the public in the spring of 2003 when the conservation district hosted
two workshops on the building and customizing of a rainwater collection
system. A total of four workshops have been held since the beginning
of the project. Vy Trinh, Watershed Specialist, staffed the exhibit
and led these workshops, funded in part through the Chesapeake Bay Educational
Mini-grant Program.
Vy Trinh, Adams County Conservation District watershed specialist,
staffs the PA Chesapeake Bay Program exhibit during the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Restoration Fair on September 21 at Sandy Point State Park
in Maryland.
Bradford
Bradford County Conservation District displayed their efforts in the
Mill Creek Watershed, with Mike Lovegreen, District Manager, in attendance.
Utilizing their study of this ten square mile area, the District leveraged
over $1.2 million in resources to address the planning, design and implementation
practices needed. As a result of this project, eighty-five percent of
the agricultural land in the watershed was planned utilizing the "P"
index, farming BMPs were installed on eleven of the thirteen farms in
the watershed, and over 1,500 feet of severely eroding streams were
restored. The effort included a well-rounded diversity of partners and
funding came from USDA - EQIP and CREP, Growing Greener, Section 319,
Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Nutrient Management grants. Most
significant in the project is that after only two years, water quality
entering the Stephen Foster Lake in Mt. Pisgah State Park, has already
shown significant improvement.
Snyder
Snyder County Conservation District's display featured its Agricultural
BMP Guide, No-Till Educational Field Day Demos, and Farmer's Winter
Meetings. Barry Spangler, Chesapeake Bay/Agricultural Conservation Technician,
managed these projects and manned their display. The Ag BMP Guide
shows the different types of agricultural Best Management Practices
(BMPs) on various farms within Snyder County installed to prevent sediment
and nutrient pollution from entering local watersheds as well as the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Guide has been used by several
other conservation districts to educate producers on BMPs.
This past summer, Snyder County Conservation District hosted a No-Till
Educational Field Day Demo. Speakers discussed the advantages no-till
farming. Equipment demonstrations were the highlight of this day and
a horse-drawn drill and planter were featured in an effort to reach
farmers in the Amish and Mennonite communities.
Farmer's Winter Meetings provide a means for the conservation district
to present the latest regulations and techniques in conservation farming
to area producers. Topical presentations at these meetings have included
BMPs through grant programs and technical assistance, BMPs farmers can
install on their own, soil quality, no-till farming, and safe use of
pesticides. Presentations have been made by district staff, NRCS, Penn
State Cooperative Extension, and Penn State College of Agricultural
Science.
These projects were funded in part by Chesapeake Bay Educational Mini-Grants.
York
York County Conservation District's display featured their Headwaters
Environmental Legacy Program for Small Streams (HELP-Streams). The program
was initiated in 2003 to educate landowners about making the best choices
for managing their small streams and providing financial and technical
resources for rehabilitating and protecting headwater streams. The District
received a grant from the York County Community Foundation's Codorus
Endowment the first year and four HELP-Streams projects were completed
between 2004 and 2005. Since the completion of the initial HELP-Streams
project, nitrogen, phosphorus and total sediment have been reduced by
42.5 lbs, 7.4 lbs, and 5,418.8 lbs. (2.7 tons) per year, respectively.
An additional donation to the program in 2006 will allow the program
to continue. Gary Peacock, Watershed Specialist, coordinates the program
and presented the display.
PACD
PACD also contributed to the Restoration Fair by presenting the Pennsylvania
Chesapeake Bay Program exhibit, promoting the "We All Live Downstream"
theme. The display explains that Pennsylvania is the "lifeline"
of the Bay and that the Chesapeake serves as a good indicator of water
quality in Pennsylvania.
A barbeque with entertainment by "Them Eastport Oyster Boys"
followed the fair. Later in the evening, awards were made to businesses
and farms in each of the Bay states for restoration activities. Representing
Pennsylvania businesses was Wenger's Feed Mill, Inc. of Rheems. John
Benscoter, Susquehanna County Conservation District, represented the
dozens of farmers who have been recognized by the Pennsylvania Clean
Water Farm Award Program. John and his wife, Donalee, received the award
for their farm in 1997.
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