News & Notes March 2003

PACD Wins Top Ten Award

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) received a 2002 Quota Recognition Award at the NACD Annual Meeting. The award was given because the association contributed $51,737.28 to the National Association. This figure represented one of the ten highest contributions by a state to the NACD.

PACD President Ron Rohall had this to say about receiving the award: "Pennsylvania placed in the top ten for NACD Quota the second year in a row. I was very proud to accept the award on behalf of Pennsylvania's 56 dues paying members. At the same time I was very disappointed that we are not one of the states with 100% participation in NACD quota. Pennsylvania's Conservation Districts are some of the best funded and most active in the Nation, many Districts in other States are envious of the opportunities afforded to Pennsylvania's Conservation District's. If you don't think so, get to a National meeting and you will be convinced.

I would encourage all Directors to pay attention to the information that comes out of NACD. The NACD staff in Washington D.C. are your eyes and ears on national issues. None of us can afford time to follow the major conservation issues on a daily basis. NACD does this for you and provides the information you need to contact your members of Congress or federal agencies to voice your opinion on issues. NACD's weekly Conservation Briefs, monthly Forestry Notes, Buffer Notes, bimonthly News and Views, timely Farm Bill Updates and up the minute web pages are invaluable resources to keep every Director informed on issues that affect the quality of conservation in your District. I encourage all of you to access the information available from NACD. If you are not aware of the products available from NACD, please contact Pat Sueck, myself or the PACD office and we would more the happy to tell you about them and how to access them.

To those of you who are tried and true NACD supporters THANK YOU. To those of you who are not, please consider supporting NACD. 'All ships rise with tide.' With everyone's support the tide can be higher."

PA Wins Another First Place

Congratulations to Michael Jordan, representing Luzerne Conservation District, in winning first place in the National Poster Contest for the Grades 3-5 Digital Category.

This contest provides K-12 students with the opportunity to express their thoughts on natural resources conservation and the NACD annual soil and water stewardship theme. This year's theme was "The Gift of Trees."

First place winners were awarded at $100 savings bond.

The winning posters can be viewed at http://nacdnet.org/2003/awards/poster.htm

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