June 15, 2023 By: Brenda Shambaugh, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts bshambaugh@pacd.org | 717-794-6103 Did you know that over one-quarter of all the land in Pennsylvania is farmland? Of the 52,700 farms on this land, 88% are small producers making under $250,000 in gross revenue each year.
Many farmers rely on federal Farm Bill conservation programs to adopt conservation practices. Congress will soon consider a 2023 Farm Bill which could provide a unique opportunity to focus resources on farms in Pennsylvania helping ensure enough clean water for future generations, reduce pollution, bolster them to weather the changes brought by climate change, and keep them operating with a profit. The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD), representing all 66 conservation districts in the Commonwealth, strongly supports funding for state and federal conservation programs. Conservation districts are local units of government providing a wide range of services for the conservation of the Commonwealth’s natural resources. Districts implement programs, projects, and activities working with landowners, local governments, and a variety of partners to provide technical and financial assistance. These natural resource programs supported by PACD provide almost $46 million to Pennsylvania’s producers to implement environmentally beneficial best management practices (BMPs) on their farms. Combined, these programs included 733 contracts with Pennsylvania farmers, encompassing 155,658 acres. The 2023 Farm Bill should increase funding for these effective programs responding to a growing demand and helping ensure success of resource protection efforts. The key to success involves highly trained field staff to ensure that tools and incentives are efficiently used to target the most effective practices in the most effective locations, accelerating restoration progress. Funding for technical assistance personnel at the local level through conservation districts is vital to preserve both surface and groundwater resources. While 28% of Pennsylvania is farmland, over 58% is forest lands totaling 16.8 million acres. Non-industrial private forest lands cover about 11.5 million acres in Pennsylvania which is owned and operated by more than 738,000 private forest landowners. Forest Buffers and streamside trees are one of the most cost-effective BMPs for reducing pollution to Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams, while also providing benefits to wildlife, sequestering carbon, and making streams resilient to weather extremes of flooding and drought. Through financial and technical assistance, and in coordination with partners, PA is making significant steps toward a goal of maintaining and improving the health and resiliency of forested ecosystems on private forest lands. We highly recommend funding in the 2023 Farm Bill to address the health and resiliency of Pennsylvania’s forests. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is another program geared toward providing incentives to restore and improve Pennsylvania’s water quality. It is a voluntary federal-state partnership allowing landowners to remove marginal land from agricultural production under 10-15 year contracts. In return, landowners receive annual rental, incentive, maintenance and cost-share payments. Legislative changes in the 2023 Farm Bill removing barriers to enrollment and allowing states to easily take advantage of program improvements and incentives for landowners will help re-invigorate this critical opportunity to enhance the CREP program. Please join PACD to support increased funding for these federal programs in the 2023 Farm Bill that benefit small family farms and landowners, and cleaner rivers and streams, and contact your United States Representatives and two United States Senators as they deliberate this critical piece of legislation. Thank you. Brenda J. Shambaugh is Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD). As PACD's Executive Director, Brenda represents the 66 Pennsylvania conservation districts at the state and national level. In addition to being the organization’s spokesperson, she manages all operations of the PACD office and is responsible for the organization’s financial management. She also develops and implements the association’s government relations strategy. The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) is a non-profit organization whose guiding values include: Sustainable Resource Conservation; Integrity, Local; Education and Outreach; and Partnerships. PACD primarily serves as the collective voice for Pennsylvania’s 66 county conservation districts. For more information about PACD, visit www.pacd.org.
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Students from Venango County schools tested their knowledge in natural resources during the 2023 Venango County Envirothon competition held at Two Mile Run County Park on April 21. About 35 students from Cranberry, Oil City, and Rocky Grove high schools attended this year’s event. Students competed as part of a five-member team, with seven teams participating. Three teams represented Cranberry, while Oil City and Rocky Grove sent two teams each. This annual environmental education event focuses on exposing young adults to various natural resource topics that are taught by their teachers and local environmental professionals. They study forestry, aquatic ecology, wildlife, soils and land use, and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue topic was “Adapting to a Changing Climate.” Hosted by the Venango Conservation District, the competition was accompanied by an “Envirothon Training Day” which was held at Two Mile Run County Park on March 24. Students were presented with information about each topic by local agency representatives including the PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. On testing day, the students rotated between stations which tested their knowledge on wildlife identification, aquatic macroinvertebrate classification, forest management techniques, among others. One of the Cranberry High School teams advised by Lauri Piercy, took home the first-place title. Named the “Tunnel Rats,” the team consisted of students Dalton Wenner, Colin Zerbe, Dane Ley, Dan Wenner, and Kelsey Hannah. Also from Cranberry, the “Hellbenders” team took second place, and the “Predators” team from Oil City High School finished third. The “Tunnel Rats” will travel to Camp Mount Luther in Mifflinburg, PA on May 24 to represent Venango County in the 40th annual state Envirothon competition. The “Tunnel Rats” team from Cranberry High School placed first overall at the Venango County Envirothon competition at Two Mile Run County Park on April 21. They will be representing Venango County at the state Envirothon competition on May 24 in Mifflinburg, PA. Pictured left to right: Dalton Wenner (9th grade), Colin Zerbe (12th grade), Dane Ley (12th grade), Dan Wenner (10th grade), and Kelsey Hannah (10th grade).
The Venango Conservation District offers support to watershed organizations throughout Venango County. One of those organizations, the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association (SCWA), conducts monthly water quality testing at two acid mine drainage treatment systems within the Scrubgrass creek watershed. Our Watershed Specialist, Bailey Kozalla, assisted two members of the SCWA on Tuesday, April 11 during their testing of pH levels, total alkalinity, and flow rates of water coming in and flowing out of the treatment systems. Conducting these tests monthly allows the SCWA to monitor the systems' effectiveness in neutralizing water acidity. To learn more about acid mine drainage and treatment systems, visit the PA Department of Environmental Protection's website: https://www.dep.pa.gov/OurCommonWealth/pages/Article.aspx?post=92 Early Bloomers: Get to know Spring Ephemerals By Bailey Kozalla, Venango Conservation District4/11/2023 Birds chirping, trees budding, and peepers peeping - the spring season is officially upon us! As we begin to enjoy the warmer weather and sunshine, the signs of the new season are all around us. The plants and wildflowers that begin to emerge after winter are called spring ephemerals. While the seasonal lifespan of these perennials is short-lived, they are important to the health of the ecosystem. These woodland wildflowers will begin to emerge from their dormant stage as the daylight hours begin to prolong at the beginning of spring. As the soil temperature increases, they will start growing stems, leaves, and flowers. The growing strategy of these plants allows them to take advantage of sunlight availability during this time of year. In deciduous forests, leaves have not yet grown on trees which permits sunlight to reach the forest floor in a much higher surface area. The spring ephemerals are able to use this sunlight to conduct photosynthesis and complete their cycle of blooming, pollination, and setting seed before the overstory trees shade the forest with their foliage in the summer. How to Grow Spring Ephemerals These plants are a great way to include early-blooming landscaping on your property. Plant them near an area with deciduous trees in moist soil (areas that receive sun in the spring, but are shaded in the summer). The fallen leaves of deciduous trees ensure an even ground temperature in the winter and keeps the soil rich and moist for ephemeral plants. Grow them under this leaf litter, which provides the environment needed for them and their pollinators. Planting them in the fall or early winter is ideal. Since they would be dormant during this time, however, you would be planting only the root or bulb of the plant. Ephemerals can be planted in the spring, but they may not flower during its first season. Spring ephemerals currently established in the wild should not be removed as they serve as an important food source for wildlife emerging from hibernation and for pollinators. The sensitive nature of these plant species also do not fare well being transplanted. It is best to purchase them from a nursery or online through a native plant mail order company. Types of Spring Ephemerals Here are a few species of spring ephemerals that you may see on your own property or on your next hike in and around Venango county. Photos and descriptions of these species are adapted from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s website. To view descriptions of these spring ephemerals and others, visit their website here: https://waterlandlife.org/spring-wildflowers/ Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale) This member of the lily family is found only on the western side of Pennsylvania. Only growing to 15 centimeters tall, this plant grows fleshy structures called fatty elaiosomes which attract ants to disperse its seeds. Squirrel-corn (Dicentra canadensis) This plant begins to bloom in mid April and goes to fruit by mid May. By the time the fruit ripens, the leaves are yellow and are resting on the ground. They can be exposed to natural erosion due to their preferred habitat being rocky, mountainous slopes. Yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum)
You can find large colonies of this bright yellow flower covering the forest floor. The plant gets its name from its mottled leaf markings that resemble a brown or brook trout (and they bloom during trout fishing season!). It can take up to five years for the plant to start producing a flower. The plants reproduce with both runners and seeds, and like the trillium, ants help to propagate the seeds. On February 17, 2023, the district’s Agricultural Technician Jane Price and Watershed Specialist Bailey Kozalla visited Cranberry High School to teach students about the role Conservation Districts play in cooperating with farmers to implement environmental Best Management Practices (BMPs). By presenting a mock farming scenario, the students identified livestock heavy use areas, environmentally sensitive areas, and calculated Animal Equivalent Units (AEU) on the farm. Using these characteristics, the students learned about implementing agricultural BMPs and compiling manure management plans for farming operations. Approximately 140 seventh and ninth grade students attended the presentation throughout the school day. The district offers technical assistance to farmers throughout Venango county to implement Best Management Practices. Agricultural BMPs work to reduce soil, fertilizer, and animal nutrient runoff into our waterways. This not only ensures the conservation of our soil and water resources, but also improves the productivity of the land and reduces operational costs on the farm. Interested in bringing an environmental education program to your school or organization? Contact the Venango Conservation District at (814) 676-2832 or send an email to Bailey Kozalla at bkozalla.vcd@gmail.com. Venango Conservation District welcomes new Watershed Specialist02/22/2023
Hello, my name is Bailey Kozalla and I am the new Watershed Specialist for the Venango Conservation District. I am a Crawford County native, graduating from Saegertown High School in 2018. I received my B.S. degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Environmental Writing from Allegheny College in May of 2022. Before joining the Venango Conservation District, I gained experience working for federal, state, and non-profit conservation organizations such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Foundation for Sustainable Forests. Throughout college and my prior work experience, my passion for conservation grew as I developed my skills conducting education and outreach, mapping projects (GIS), habitat enhancement, and writing articles for various publications. I am an avid outdoorswoman, as I love to go hunting and fishing in my spare time. These hobbies have taken me throughout the many woods and waters of Northwestern Pennsylvania. I am excited to be a member of the district team and contribute to natural resource management throughout Venango County. Venango Co. 4-H Club OutreachOn February 9, 2023, our own Ag Tech Jane Price met up with Clarion Conservation District’s Education Specialist and ACT Tech Hannah Bequeath to provide a presentation to the 4-H Club, American Made, out of Knox, PA. American Made reached out to their local Conservation Districts to learn more about what those agencies do and how they help the local Commonwealth protect natural resources.
In 4‑H programs, kids and teens complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement. A mock farm scenario helped the kids get engaged and they talked about what resource concerns could happen on a farm like stormwater issues, manure management, and nutrient management. They then worked hands on and observed the Enviroscape which showed everything they discussed in a 3D landscape. It was a fun and educational evening! Welcome, Jake Cochran, our new Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Technician! Hi, my name is James (Jake) Cochran and I am the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road Technician for the Venango County Conservation District. I am originally from Franklin, Pennsylvania and attended Franklin Area High School. I graduated from Slippery Rock University in December of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geosciences: Geology. Just prior to this in the summer of 2022, I received geologic field experience through the University of Minnesota. I am an active member of the Geologic Society of America (GSA), Pittsburgh Geologic Society (PGS), and the Pittsburgh Association of Petroleum Geologists (PAPG). Through my time in college, I took up the family practice of oil and gas production in western Pennsylvania. The skills I acquired through this field of work assist me greatly with the tasks I now handle day-to-day at the Venango County Conservancy. My interests include outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, and hiking as well as learning the local history of Venango County. I personally care greatly about the integrity of our local waterways and preserving them for future generations to enjoy. I look forward to continue assisting my local community alongside my team at the Venango County Conservation District. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome, Haley Bechtel, our new Resource Technician! My name is Haley Bechtel. I graduated from Oil City High School in 2018 and have lived in the Franklin/Oil City area my entire life. I graduated from Gettysburg College in May of 2022 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biology. While at Gettysburg I was a part of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service organization which focuses on volunteer work not only locally but also nationwide and globally. In my free time I love to get outdoors and go hiking and kayaking in the warmer months. I also enjoy traveling and I have a bucket list goal to hike at all of the National Parks. I started on this goal over the summer by visiting both Acadia National Park in Maine and New River Gorge in West Virginia. In the winter months I spend my time reading and watching hockey games (Lets go Pens!). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome, Karen Carey, our new Administrative Secretary! Karen Carey grew up in the Bay Area of California and moved to Venango County in 2006. The beauty of the area and the opportunities it provided was what brought Karen to Franklin, PA. The many waterways provide ample fishing and boating, the trails provide beautiful backdrops to any walk or biking adventures, and the four seasons weather brings many opportunities for snowmobiling, four-wheeling, and camping, all of which are favorite activities of Karen’s.
Karen has been an active community member in Franklin for 17 years, currently serving the Franklin Retail Association as Treasurer. She has served as President of the FRA and also as Chairman of the Board for the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce. Sharing all that Venango County has to offer is Karen’s pride and joy. Working as the Administrative Secretary for the Venango Conservation District offers even more chances for Karen to share her love for Venango County. The Venango Conservation District administers the Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Road Program in Venango County. The program provides funding to municipalities to install Best Management Practices (BMPs) that reduce pollution coming from rural roadways in the county.
Daylighting is a practice that is a part of a vegetation management plan for road maintenance. Good management of vegetation at roadways can reduce erosion and can save on future maintenance costs. Daylighting is the process of cutting back trees so the road is exposed to more light. By utilizing a daylighting practice on rural roadways a municipality may increase sunlight to the roadway, increase visibility for drivers, dry out soggy road surfaces and reduce annual trimming needs. The Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Road Program’s primary focus is to reduce sediment pollution caused by rural road ways to local water bodies. To achieve that, a road needs to have adequate drainage where water has an opportunity to exit the roadway and to filter out before it reaches the water body as runoff. Daylighting can improve drainage function. By cutting back vegetation, the chances of leaves and debris clogging cross pipes and ditch lines can be reduced. Soggy roadways can more easily erode if they never dry out and compact. By cutting vegetation back, sunlight can more easily reach the road bed, helping to dry out areas that tend to retain water. This practice reduces erosive soil that can pollute local waterways through runoff. Daylighting is also a practice that can increase safety on a rural roadway. Cutting vegetation back can increase line of site for drivers. This practice also reduces the opportunity for vegetation to block road signs and to cause damage utility lines and guard rails. The Venango Conservation District recently awarded funding to Irwin Township to perform daylighting practices on their Kerr Road and Byers Road. These roads are both dirt and gravel surface roads. The road surfaces tended to stay moist throughout the year, promoting erosion of the road surface. The Venango Conservation District (VCD) employs Jane Price as the district’s Agricultural Resource Technician. The purpose of the position is to assist agricultural operators by providing technical assistance on such things as soil sampling, plan writing, providing Best Management Practice (BMP) information etc. One of Jane’s main jobs is to help operators with Nutrient Management and Manure Management planning. MANURE MANAGEMENT PLAN (MMP) - In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, anyone who produces, spreads, hauls, or utilizes manure is required to obtain a Manure Management Plan. This plan is very simple and the VCD can help with writing plans. The plan compiles information about the operation, which includes maps, crop information, where/how manure is kept, and how manure is utilized on the property. Most importantly, the plan identifies any environmentally sensitive areas on the property. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN (NMP) - If an operation has an overabundance of animals or does not have enough land to spread all the manure being produced so that manure has to be hauled off the property, then the operation is required by the Commonwealth to have a Nutrient Management Plan. This plan is more complex and can be written by the VCD or a consultant that is NMP Certified. WHAT – A Nutrient Management plan helps operators to better understand how they can best utilize nutrients on their property. These nutrients may consist of lime, fertilizer, and manure. Soil samples and manure samples help technicians determine when to apply and the quantity that should be applied. It is important that the operator knows this information so that they don’t over apply or apply at the wrong time. A technician can gather all the operator’s management practices information and nutrient values information. The data is used to compute what fields are utilizing the nutrients and to ensure that no excess nutrients become pollutants through runoff to local water bodies. WHO – Some operations can have a NMP written for their operation voluntarily. Some operations are required by law to have a NMP. If a farm exceeds 2 animal equivalent units (AEU) per acre on a yearly basis, it is defined as a concentrated animal operation (CAO). CAO operations are required to have a NMP. Almost all NMPs in Venango County are Volunteer Animal Operations (VAO). WHY – If a farmer is producing more manure than can be spread and is a CAO, the PA Law states that the farmer would need a NMP. A farmer would also need a NMP to receive certain funding. If the operator was interested in the NRCS EQUIP Program funding, then they would be required to have a current NMP in place. Some grants and agencies that are available to farmers require or will work with an operator to get a NMP before any more extensive technical processes happen or funding awarded. An operator may want to upgrade from a MMP to a NMP because they want to better understand how the nutrients on their farm can more effectively be applied and if time and money could be saved. THE VCDS ROLE IN MMP AND NMP - To become a certified NMP Specialist for a conservation district and through the State Conservation Commission (SCC) a technician needs to complete a number of trainings and pass a state exam to become certified. The final step is to write and review a set number of NMPs that will be reviewed by other technicians that are certified. The number of plans a technician striving for certification must write and review is determined by the level of certification to be achieved. Jane is currently working toward her final certification. She has written one plan for James McCall, whose operation is in Venango County. Mr. McCall owns 60 acres and has a 100-head beef farm. The operation is considered a VAO. He implements a rotational grazing system. He was able to install some BMPs with help from the NRCS EQUIP Program. He has some agreements with other local farmers for rented pasture that he moves his animals to for the grazing season. Mr. McCall sells his grass-fed beef to casinos in Erie and New York and to some local restaurants as well. If you are a landowner interested in more information on how you can get technical assistance, or to inquire about potential grant opportunities, contact Jane Price at the VCD by phone at 814-676-2832 and by email at jane.price8484@gmail.com. The staff at the Venango Conservation District is so happy to be back to working from our office beginning in June of 2021. It was not easy being away, but during our time of working from home, the VCD Board of Directors and staff were busy working on securing a new home.
Two Mile Run County Park has been very generous over the years in providing us office space on the Park. Our office is located at 1793 Cherrytree Road, Franklin PA in a little house that overlooks the boat launch on Justus Lake. We’ve been happily installed at that location since 2007, but now we’re looking forward to a place of our own. In October 2020, the district purchased the former Happy Tails Veterinary Clinic property. A design architect was hired and a contractor received a bid award to renovate the Clinic building so that we can utilize the space as our office. Once renovations are completed and we are able to move in, the Park can begin to utilize the little house we called a home as a rental space where visitors can stay. The benefits of this move is to secure a location that is owned by the district. In this way we are less dependent on the County to provide a space for us. The new property at 4871 US 322 includes several garage spaces that will provide secure storage for our large equipment. The new office space is large enough for our staff to grow in the future. There is even enough room to hold meetings and educational programs. The VCD is grateful to the Park for continuing to offer space for us until renovations are complete at our new property. We hope that visitors to the park who stay at our soon-to-be former office will be as happy with the location as we have been. |
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