News & Notes May 2005

PACD Education Grant Activities

PACD's Chesapeake Bay and Section 319 NPS education grants with the PA Department of Environmental Protection are used to help support conservation districts. Grant funds are used to fund mini-grant projects, workshops and trainings, and provide web-based information, exhibits, print and other resources. Two of these efforts - Watershed Specialist training and "Strength and Needs Matrix," are discussed below.

Watershed Specialist Training Slated

Mark your calendars for the Annual Statewide Meeting of the Conservation District Watershed Specialists October 4-6, 2005 at The Atherton Hotel, State College, PA. As always, the watershed specialist meeting will provide valuable training and networking opportunities.

The agenda is in the developmental stages. In response to suggestions compiled through last year's evaluations, Dan Nees, Director of the Environmental Finance Center is scheduled to lead a full day of finance training on October 5. More information on the training will be distributed as it becomes available.

For room reservations phone (814) 231-2100. A PACD-Watershed Specialist room block has been arranged. The overnight rate, single or double is $80. Please reserve your room as soon as possible.

PACD provides registration, facility coordination and general program support for the Watershed Specialist meeting. In addition, a portion of its education grant funds are directed to hosting the Watershed Specialist Meeting.

Watershed Specialists Evaluate Strengths and Needs

PACD is currently working with conservation district watershed specialists to update their "Strength and Needs Matrix." The Matrix is a simple, but valuable resource that PACD compiles to help support watershed specialists activities.

Three times per year PACD staff solicits watershed specialists for information related to: 1) Special skills or program knowledge they can share with others; and 2) Training and/or resources needed to help them improve their job performance. PACD will compile their feedback and distribute an updated Matrix sometime next month to watershed specialists and appropriate DEP staff. Matrix results are used to help identify training needs that PACD can support with its education grant funds.

No-Till Workshop to Promote Bay Saving Technique

As reported in the April issue of News & Notes, the Chesapeake Bay Commission has recently cited no-till farming as one of the top cost-effective BMP's used to help improve local and downstream water quality. How does no-till farming help protect the Commonwealth's water quality and the Chesapeake Bay? No-till farmers plant without disturbing the soil and judiciously use herbicides to help control weeds. "Research has shown that with no-till we can get significant reductions in sediment and nutrient runoff for minimal investment," explained Jay Braund, DEP, who has been instrumental in promoting no-till education.

During the last 12 months, PACD has worked with Jay Braund and directed monies, provided through its PA DEP Chesapeake Bay Education grant, to support no-till farming educational activities. In summer and fall, for instance, PACD supported two no-till professional workshops. In winter, PACD sponsored a very successful National No-Till Conference bus trip whereby farmers and other conservation partners traveled to Ohio to attend the National No-Till Conference.

It seems that no-till education dollars are paying off because interest in no-till farming is increasing. In March of this year, several agencies and organizations interested in promoting no-till farming began to organize a state-wide No-Till Alliance. The Alliance is an eleven member interim board of directors comprised solely of farmers. Advisory members represent agencies and organizations. The mission of the Pennsylvania No-Till Council is to promote the successful application of no-till through shared ideas, experiences, education, and new technology.

To further promote no-till farming, the Alliance will host "A Systems Approach to Successful No-Till Agriculture" workshop July 19-21, 2005 in State College, PA. PACD is again, providing financial support for this workshop through its Chesapeake Bay Education grant. PACD encourages experienced conservation district nutrient management technicians, agriculture conservation technicians, Chesapeake Bay technicians and watershed specialists to attend.

Participants will learn why some no-till farmers are more successful than their neighbors. Staff will receive technical training so they can promote no-till farming and assist no-till producers. "The way we deliver this Best Management Practice is different than others like stream bank fencing so we need to understand how to promote it," said Braund. Participants will leave this workshop better educated and motivated to assist in the implementation of successful no-till farming in their county.

Contact Jay Braund to register for this hands-on workshop at (717) 705-4784. The workshop will be repeated October 4-6 in State College for those unable to attend in July.

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