News & Notes September 2000

53rd Joint Annual Conference Promises to Offer
Something For Everyone

This fall, historic Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, will serve as the site for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts/State Conservation Commission 53rd Joint Annual Conference, hosted by the Southeast Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.

The conference, featuring the Second Annual Conservation Expo, will be anchored to the theme “A Reflection on the Past – Before a 21st Century Charge.” Activities open on Sunday, Oct. 29 and conclude on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

As always, the conference will offer conservation leaders and supporters an excellent opportunity to strengthen their networking connections and their knowledge of conservation issues. In addition, the Joint Annual Conference will host several unique feature events, including a presentation/tour on deer management, a tour of urban Best Management Practices sites, and the Conservation Expo.

This year’s conference also places an increased emphasis on providing training opportunities. Workshop training sessions, on stormwater management, watershed improvement projects, GIS, PennDOT’s E&S Program, stream corridor restoration and leadership development, to name a few, will be offered during the event.

An estimated 60 exhibitors, representing an assortment of public and private organizations, will participate in the Conservation Expo and on Monday, Oct. 30, the event will be opened up to the general public. District managers from the host counties anticipate that a large number of municipal officials and watershed organizations will be in attendance.

Wetland and native plants for restoration, erosion control products, watershed restoration and improvements, financial services, pollution prevention on dirt and gravel roads and nutrient management, represent a sampling of the conservation products and services that will be made available by the various exhibitors.

During the first day of conference activities, Tim Smail of the Quality Deer Management Association will provide conference participants with a dynamic audio-visual presentation, and on-site tour of Valley Forge Park. This event will provide information on Quality Deer Management as a Best Management Practice and Land Stewardship Issue in Pennsylvania.

On Monday, Oct. 30, the PACD Auxiliary will take a guided tour of historic Valley Forge Park. On Tuesday, Oct. 21, they will tour Longwood Gardens and visit the Brandywine Museum.

Conference participants are invited to attend a tour of Best Management Practices for stormwater management and erosion and sedimentation control, encouraged by the Southeast Conservation Districts. The tour follows the PACD Executive Council Session, on the final day of conference activities. Participants will examine a supersilt fence, a skimmer, porous paving, storm basin retrofit and wetland treatment systems, while touring three separate sites; a township building, a golf course and a construction site on the campus of Villanova University.

The Year 2000 Conservation Expo is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with support provided by The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, The State Conservation Commission and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. A special donation was provided by the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust.

PACD members and Conservation District Directors will automatically be mailed an invitation to the Joint Annual Conference. Anyone requiring additional information regarding conference activities, or the conservation expo, is asked to contact PACD at 717-238-PACD (7223), or pacd@pacd.org.

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