News & Notes January 2002

Cumberland County Student Awarded First Place in NACD Conservation Poster Contest

The National Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (NACD) has recently announced the winners of the 2001 NACD Conservation Poster Contest, including one representative of Pennsylvania. Brigid Duggan, of Cumberland County, was awarded first place in the Kindergarten – 1st Grade Division of the poster contest, for her colorful poster based on the theme “Habitat for Life.”

The PACD enters winners of its statewide poster contest into the NACD contest each year, and has enjoyed great success in recent years, earning at least one first place award during each of the past three years.

The conservation poster contest program, at the local, state and national levels, provides kindergarten through twelfth grade students an opportunity to share their thoughts about natural resources and related issues in an artistic manner. Assigned themes for the 2001 poster contest were “Habitat for Life,” and “Nature in Your Neighborhood.” Prior to having her poster entered into the NACD Poster Contest, Brigid received first prize awards in both the Cumberland County Conservation District county poster contest and the PACD statewide poster contest. Winners of the national poster contest were selected from a group of more than 130 posters, representing 35 states.

Brigid will receive a cash bond for $100, courtesy of the NACD Auxiliary, for her efforts and her poster will be put on display during the NACD annual meeting. Each of the students with a poster entered into the NACD Poster Contest has been previously awarded with a cash prize, provided by the PACD auxiliary, for claiming top honors in the state contest.

Presently, Pennsylvania conservation districts are preparing for the 2002 poster contest. PACD has posted the rules and requirements for the contest on the PACD website: www.pacd.org. The 2002 poster contest will be centered on the NACD theme, “The Gift of Trees,” and the National Wildlife Week theme, “Explore Nature in Your Neighborhood.” PACD hopes to continue its success with the poster contest, and hope that all districts participate in this worthy educational outreach program. Posters should be submitted to PACD by May 30, 2002.

Please note that the deadline for submitting a nomination for the PACD Conservation Awards is February 28, 2002– less than two months away. Don’t miss the opportunity to nominate a person or organization deserving the recognition of a PACD Conservation Award.

Submitting a nomination to PACD is easier than ever, as all the nomination forms and instructions are posted on the PACD website: www.pacd.org. For the 2002 Awards Program, we will be unable to hold a slide presentation as in previous awards ceremonies due to facility limitations, therefore nominating districts will not be responsible for collecting slides for the ceremony.

As noted the deadline for nominations is Feb. 28, 2002, with the exception of the entries for the PACD Poster Contest and Annual Report of the Year Award, which have a deadline of May 30, 2002. Districts within the Chesapeake Bay Drainage Basin are also encouraged to submit nominations for the Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Awards, also due Feb. 28, 2002.

Entries submitted to the 2002 Awards Program will be judged by panels of various conservation district personnel during the March PACD meeting in Granvtille, PA. Questions regarding the awards program may be directed to Chuck Rohrer at 717-238-PACD (7223), or chuck-rohrer@pacd.org.

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