News

January 9, 2004                                 Contact: Shannon Eberly
For Immediate Release                      (717) 238-PACD (7223) x 18

PACD Receives First "Partner in Progress Award"

Harrisburg, PA-The first "Partner in Progress" award was presented to the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) by Dennis Wolff, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture at the annual farm show dinner on Friday, January 9, 2004. The PACD is
a non-profit organization that serves as the collective voice for Pennsylvania's 66 county conservation districts.

PACD President Jarrett Miller and PACD Executive Director Susan Fox Marquart accept the Partners in Progress award from PA Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff.

The new award recognizes organizations or individuals who exemplify the theme "making progress with our partners." PACD Executive Director Susan Marquart explained, "The PACD is honored to accept the "Partners in Progress" award on behalf of Pennsylvania's conservation districts. Conservation districts lead the way in partnering with federal, state, and local governments, and other organizations and entities to protect and improve our natural resources."

Conservation districts partner with local governments to accomplish local projects that have a significant impact on agriculture and the environment. "Conservation district accomplishments are made possible by two groups of people. The first group is just the 500 district directors who are appointed public officers who serve without pay. The second group of people are more than 600 dedicated professionals who serve as county conservation district staff across the state. Conservation district staff provide the technical assistance to implement many programs and are supported by partnering organizations," said PACD President Jarrett Miller.

PA Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff, Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, PACD President Jarrett Miller, PACD Executive Director Susan Fox Marquart and PA State Conservation Commission Director Karl Brown at the annual Farm Show Dinner.

One partnership success story is the Dirt and Gravel Roads Program. Pennsylvania has more than 17,000 miles of unpaved roads owned by local municipalities and government agencies. Many of these roads, some hundreds of years old, are economically valued. Dirt and gravel roads serve the state's leading industries of agriculture, tourism, forestry and mining while being more economically feasible to maintain than paved roads. Since sections of these unpaved roads are also a frequent and consistent source of water and air pollution, the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission partners with county conservation districts to provide funding and training to local communities for local road maintenance to halt and prevent pollution of water and air. To date, 935 projects have been completed through this partnership program.

Other examples of partnering between conservation districts and local governments include storm water management planning, training on agricultural-related issues, urban tree planting, on-lot septic system workshops, and conservation camps for children.

For the past 53 years the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts has worked to enhance locally led efforts that support the wise use of the state's natural resources. Over the years the Association has played an integral part in shaping the modern conservation district by providing advocacy, education and training, program coordination and facilitation to districts and their constituents. For more information click on www.pacd.org.

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