News & Notes February 2002

PACD to Participate in SCOFO's Annual Cornucopia
in Conjunction with Legislative Conference

March Meeting to Feature Capitol Day, Cornucopia Reception The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) will hold it's annual Legislative Conference, March 11-13, 2002, at the Holiday Inn, Harrisburg/Hershey. As always, conservation district directors and staff are strongly encouraged to attend statewide meetings and take an active role in Association business. During the Legislative Conference it is critical to have a large, unified body representing PACD during its Capitol Day visits and your presence is needed.

Capitol Day & Cornucopia: Included on the Legislative Conference agenda, is PACD's annual Capitol Day activity, which will be held on March 11. PACD has arranged for its members to participate in the State Council of Farm Organizations' annual Cornucopia reception, which will be held in the East Wing Rotunda of the Capitol, following the PACD's Capitol Day visits.

The reception, which is generally very well attended by state legislators, will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. At the reception, legislators will be educated about the state's various agriculture-related organizations, such as the PACD. Food will be provided by a variety of Pennsylvania commodity groups, so no one will go hungry. In addition, the SCOFO has afternoon activities scheduled at the Capitol. These events will take place prior to the Cornucopia reception.

The 2002 Cornucopia, based on the theme "A taste of Pennsylvania," will provide the PACD with a unique opportunity to meet with state lawmakers and discuss issues in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. "We're participating in this event to increase our visibility. Our members will be in a unique position to make an impact," said Susan Fox, PACD Executive Director. "By partnering with the SCOFO we're going to accomplish more than PACD could on its own."

By attending the Cornucopia, PACD members will have an opportunity to discuss conservation issues with legislators from across the state, in addition to their local legislators. District personnel who plan on participating in Capitol Day are reminded to schedule appointments with their local representatives well in advance in order to secure a convenient meeting time.

Conservation Issues Forum: During the second day of conference activities, PACD will host its second Conservation Issues Forum, on Tuesday, March 12. The Forum will feature a review of the Department of Environmental Protection's Comprehensive Stormwater Management Policy, as proposed in Fall 2001. Dan Greig, Chairman of the PACD Soil and Water Committee, will present the PACD's collective response to the policy. A discussion focused on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's new erosion and sedimentation control initiative, has also been scheduled for the Forum. PACD is now conducting Conservation Issues Forums during statewide meetings as an alternative to the former committee structure.

Conservation Districts/DEP Working Partnership Forum: Following the Conservation Issues Forum, DEP Region Directors will participate in a panel discussion centered on the working relationship between conservation districts and the DEP regional offices. This session is a continuation to the dialogue generated during a similar Region Director panel discussion held during a PACD meeting in July 2000. During the upcoming session, the region directors will outline the role of the regional office and discuss methods for improving the local support networks within the Conservation Partnership.

A review of the accomplishments and actions taken since the July 2000 Forum will be included. The goal of the Forum is to continue the dialog between DEP and the conservation districts in order to identify opportunities for building a more effective partnership. The latter portion of the Forum will include a small-group discussion, where each group will be asked to identify actions that can be taken to make the partnership more effective. A summary of the group reports will be used for consideration in the Environmental Futures Planning Process and during the next Forum in March 2003.

Conference Meetings and Programs: Additional conference activities include "Building District Relationships," a training session provided by the Leadership Development Committee, the conservation districts managers meeting and a PACD Auxiliary meeting.

PACD Executive Council and SCC Meeting: On the final day of conference activities, Wed., March 13, the PACD Executive Council will meet, followed by a meeting of the State Conservation Commission.

Meeting registration: A complete schedule of conference events, as well as registration and hotel information, are available on the PACD website: www.pacd.org.

Conservation Awards Update

Judging for the 2002 PACD Conservation Awards will be conducted during the March PACD meeting. Anyone interested in serving as a judge for one of the various awards is asked to contact Chuck Rohrer at the PACD office, 717-238-PACD (7223), or via e-mail at chuck-rohrer@pacd.org. Districts who plan to submit nominations should note that the deadline is Feb. 28, 2002.

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