 The Venango Conservation District is proud to recognize and congratulate our Board Member and Chairman, Mike Ohler on receiving the No‑Till Pioneer Award at this year’s Southwest PA Soil Health Conference. This honor reflects not only his leadership within our district, but also his long‑standing commitment to soil health, conservation, and innovative agricultural stewardship across our region.
About the No‑Till Pioneer Award The No‑Till Pioneer Award—formally known as the Shirley Phillips No‑Till Pioneer Award—was established to honor individuals who have made significant, lasting contributions to the no‑till movement. The award is named after Shirley Phillips, a University of Kentucky agronomist whose early work alongside Kentucky farmer Harry Young Jr. helped launch no‑till farming in the United States. Their efforts contributed to the first commercial no‑till plot in 1962 and helped spark a national shift toward sustainable soil‑saving practices. Recognizing pioneers in the adoption, advancement, and advocacy of no‑till agriculture, this award celebrates leaders whose work continues to influence soil health, reduce erosion, and support long‑term agricultural resilience. Why This Recognition Matters Our chairman’s dedication to conservation practices, his guidance in promoting soil‑friendly farming methods, and his leadership within the Venango Conservation District exemplify the spirit of this award. His work has strengthened partnerships, supported local producers, and elevated the importance of sustainable land management throughout our community. We are deeply grateful for his passion, commitment, and vision. Please join us in celebrating this well‑deserved recognition and in thanking him for all he continues to do for soil health and conservation in Venango County and beyond. Congratulations—we are incredibly proud to have you leading the way. 🌾
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The Venango Conservation District is once again offering a tree seedling sale. The sale is underway now. The last day to order will be March 20, 2026. Species offered this year are: Norway Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Eastern White Pine, Red Oak, White Oak, Sugar Maple, Red Chokeberry, Silky Dogwood and a Northeastern Wildflower Seed Mix. Tree seedlings are 2 years old and will be bare-root. The seedlings will be ready for pick-up on April 24, 2026. Click here for the order formThe Venango Conservation District is happy to announce that funding has been awarded for the 2025-26 construction year. The Venango Conservation District administers the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads grant program, providing funding for local road projects to address drainage concerns. These funds are allocated to Conservation Districts by the State Conservation Commission on an annual basis. Funding is awarded to projects which remediate unpaved and sealed low volume roads while also reducing the amount of sediment that enters our streams. To qualify as a low volume road, the road must receive less than 500 cars per day.
Most municipalities and organizations in Venango County with publicly owned roads are eligible to apply for funding as long as the person in charge of their road projects has attended the free, two day Environmentally Sensitive Maintenance training through Penn State University’s Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, held at various locations throughout Pennsylvania. For our 2025-2026 grant round, the following projects have been awarded: Dirt and Gravel Roads Funds: Mineral Township, Slatertown Spur: $115,430 Pinegrove Township, Schwab Road: $192,150 Rockland Township, Dotterer Road: $142,320 Low Volume Roads Funds: Cornplanter Township, Pipeline Road: $20,055.03 Oil City, Lindon Alley: $20,285 For additional information about the program, please contact Hilary Buchanan at 814-676-2832 x5 or [email protected]. On August 15, 2025, the Venango Conservation District received an Environmental Education Grant from the Department of Environmental Protection for our "Venango County Youth Agriculture Education Initiative". The Venango County Youth Agriculture Education Initiative is a two-part agriculture education program where participants will learn about nonpoint source pollution prevention through the implementation of agriculture Best Managment Practices (BMP's) and environmental stewardship. The non formal education project will address several Pennsylvania education standards in environmental literacy and sustainability, and the program priorities of climate change and water. This program will build on sustainable agriculture and nonpoint source pollution management topics discussed in the classroom by providing an outdoor experience for 50-100 sixth through twelfth grade students at a local farm in Venango County and by touring and interacting with the PA Farm Bureau Mobile Ag Lab. “Financial and other support for the VENANGO COUNTY YOUTH AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE has been provided by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Education Grants Program.”
 Recently the Venango Conservation District hosted a Rain Barrel Workshop. Participants learned about the benefits of using a rain barrel to manage stormwater in the backyard. Along with the presentation, the district recommends that homeowners utilize rain gardens near their rain barrel. This practice is a great place to empty your rain barrel after every storm event. You can find our rain barrel powerpoint presentation below as well as a great "how to" publication on rain gardens created for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. You can find links to these publications below:
 The VCD is now accepting applications for any Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads projects that Venango County municipalities may be considering for funding for the 2025 construction year. The deadline for applications will be October 11, 2024. This year, we will accept up to two (2) Dirt and Gravel Roads applications and one (1) Low Volume Roads application per applicant, equaling three (3) applications in total. The grant application form and instructions can be found on the VCD DGLVR webpage here.
The Venango Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Road Program provides funding for the construction of Best Management Practices (BMPs). The amount of sediment that leaves the road can be reduced by the construction of BMPs. At the same time, the resulting site becomes a road that requires less maintenance for the municipality. To qualify for funding, sedimentation from the roadway must be affecting a local waterway. The roadway must also be a publicly owned road that is open to the public at least 2 consecutive weeks per year. The project supervisor must also be ESM certified, a free training to make municipalities familiar with the program’s policies and BMPs. The goal of the program is to fund safe, efficient and environmentally sound maintenance on local public roads. For more information, call Lisette Lane at 814-676-2832 x6 or reach out via email at [email protected].  The Venango Conservation District announces funding opportunity for landowners in Venango County to manage invasive species through new pilot program.
The Venango Conservation District, in cooperation with local partners, established an invasive species management cost-share program to manage invasive species throughout Venango County. Known as the Venango County Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), the grant program seeks to fund projects that manage terrestrial and/or aquatic invasive species in Venango County. Species of plants, animals, insects, and pathogens that do not naturally occur in a defined area and cause harm to the economy, the environment, or human health are considered invasive. Examples include Multiflora Rose, Spotted Lanternfly, and Zebra Mussels. After becoming established in an area, invasive species outcompete native species for food and space and can cause property or agricultural damage. Any landowner including private individuals, municipalities, non-profits, and educational institutions with property located in Venango County are eligible to apply for up to $7,000 per project. A 50:50 match is required (either cash or in-kind). Applications are currently being accepted by the Venango Conservation District until September 30, 2024. The Venango County PRISM program is part of a larger pilot program created by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) and partners from the PA Governor’s Invasive Species Council. After receiving a $210,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service, PACD offered the PRISM pilot program to 13 counties in northwest Pennsylvania. The program will “address the critical need to manage invasive species that threaten Pennsylvania’s economy, environment, and human and animal health by developing strong, diverse stakeholder partnerships,” according to PACD. Interested applicants can find more information including the application form on the Venango Conservation District’s website. For questions or to discuss a potential project, please contact Bailey Kozalla of the Venango Conservation District by calling 814-676-2832 or emailing [email protected]. Financial and other support for the PRISM Pilot Program in NW Pennsylvania is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant with the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. The Venango Conservation District, located at 4871 US 322, Franklin, PA 16323, is accepting proposals for a contract to construct approximately 100 feet of stream-bank stabilization and fish habitat in-stream structures in Cherrytree Run located on Sportsman Lane (41.497706, -79.70034) within Cornplanter Township in Venango County, Pennsylvania. The Cherrytree Run Fish Habitat Improvement Project will address an urgent environmental need to stabilize eroding stream banks as well as create standard fish habitat structures. The scope of this project consists of 100’ of stream bank in which 1 modified mudsill structure will consist of four 20 feet long sections. This process is an open call for qualified contractors. The Venango Conservation District is a tax-exempt organization. Proposal prices should be calculated without applicable sales tax. A pre-bid meeting will be held at the project site on Friday, July 12, 2024 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Meeting location will be at 41.497584, -79.700361 on pull off onsite on Sportsman Lane located directly off of Rt. 8. Please contact Bailey Kozalla by calling 814-676-2832 ext. 2 or emailing [email protected] to RSVP for this meeting by 4:00 p.m. on July 11, 2024. Contractor representative attendance at the bid meeting is required for the submission of a successful bid for the project. All construction activities for this project will be subject to the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act of 1961. Prevailing wage rates determinations from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for this project are attached. Sealed proposals must be received by the Venango Conservation District by 3:00 pm on July 26, 2024. Proposals may be sent via email in pdf format to Bailey Kozalla: Bailey Kozalla Watershed Specialist Venango Conservation District 4871 US 322 Franklin, PA 16323 (814) 676-2832 ext. 2 [email protected]
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