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By Karen Kapp, Administrative Secretary This week is National Pollinator Week! Did you know that 1 of every 3 bites of food we eat are insect pollinated? These foods are usually the most nutritious, as they are packed with micronutrients and provide color to our plates. Apples, pumpkins, and peaches are valuable insect-pollinated agricultural products contributing millions of dollars to the state’s economy, according to the Pennsylvania State University. Pollinators are essential to human and ecological survival, with more than 150 food crops depending on pollinators in the United States alone. They also help plants reproduce, which helps keep the air we breathe clean, purifies the water we drink, and prevents soil erosion. Plants with flowers require pollination to reproduce. This is very important to our ecosystem. According to the USDA, there has been a major decline in pollinator population by 80% over a 15-year study. Small practices such as planting a wildlife garden, reducing pesticide use, constructing bee houses, and incorporating leaves in your garden for winter cover can support pollinators in your yard and beyond. In Pennsylvania our main pollinators are:
Learn more about pollinators at the links below: How the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Helps Pollinators | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov) 9 Ways To Help Pollinators & Support Conservation Efforts (cec.org) The Center for Pollinator Research (psu.edu) 10 Ways to Save Pollinators - The National Wildlife Federation Blog (nwf.org)  Source: PA Environment
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Recognized by both the Pennsylvania State House and Senate, April 28th through May 4th 2024 Pennsylvania will be celebrating Conservation District week across the state. Pennsylvania state legislators recognize the need to support grass-roots conservation efforts in 2945 and passed the Conservation District Law which Conservation Districts. Every county except Philadelphia has a Conservation District office. We thank Governor Josh Shapiro, Senator Scott Hutchinson and Representative R. Lee James for their support of Conservation Districts in the Pennsylvania Budget. The Venango Conservation District (VCD) was established in 1961. Over the years our board of directors and staff have worked hard to provide natural resource conservation services through many stewardship programs. In the beginning, the board of directors worked with farmers to review and approve conservation plans. Our first staff member was a “Gypsy Moth” Program Technician. They administered the program to help landowners manage infestations of the invasive species. Over the years the Venango Conservation District has administered the DEP Chapters 102 and 105 Permitting programs, the West Nile Virus program the Watershed Specialist program, the Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Roads program, the Chapter 38 Nutrient Management and Chapter 91 Manure Management Program and many environmental education initiatives. This week, the Venango Conservation District celebrates our accomplishments in the past year. We welcomed new staff members to the Chapters 102 and 105 Permitting programs, the Dirt Gravel and Low Volume Road program, the Watershed Specialist position and Administrative Secretary position. We completed projects that constructed Agricultural Best Management Practices on three operations in Venango County. We provided funding and technical assistance to six municipalities to construct practices to build better roadways that reduce sediment pollution to local streams. We assisted landowners with permitting for earth disturbance at construction projects. We provided several educational events to promote natural resource conservation awareness to both youth and adult audiences. In 2024, we will continue to provide technical assistance, education and funding to support landowners in Venango County with their natural resource conservation needs. Find out more about the work we are doing by visiting our website at www.venangocd.org.  By HELEN FIELDING, The Derrick and The News-Herald
Published April 20, 2024 - click here for article About 60 area students circled through the pavilions of the Crosby Beach area on a cloudy day at Two Mile Run County Park on Friday, answering questions about trees, birds, soils, bugs and other natural topics. The 2024 Venango County Envirothon, put on by the Venango Conservation District, brought 12 teams of about five students each from Cranberry, Oil City, Rocky Grove, and Venango Catholic high schools to test their knowledge on topics including wildlife, forestry, soils and land use, aquatic ecology, and current environmental issues, which this year was the issue of renewable energy. The annual natural resources competition is open to schools and students throughout the county, and Conservation District watershed specialist Bailey Kozalla, who coordinated this year’s Envirothon, said its goal is to expose students to the natural world and the issues it faces, “to spark that next generation of environmental stewards,” she said. In addition to teaching environmental facts, the goal of the program is also to instill an understanding of the ecological and community factors involved in environmental decisions and actions, particularly in areas such as water quality, ecosystems, solid waste management and land use, according to materials provided by the Venango Conservation District. The Tunnel Rats team from Cranberry High School took top honors in Friday’s competition, and they will be moving on to the state-level Envirothon to compete against other county winners at Camp Mount Luther in Mifflinburg on May 22. Team members were juniors Dane Wenner and Kelsey Hanna and sophomores Jadyn Shumaker, Mariner Perry and Dalton Wenner. The Dam Woodcocks team from Rocky Grove High School came in second place, and Oil City Team One took third place. A training day for the competition was held in March, and representatives of several agencies led the stations at the training day and at Friday’s competition. Teachers and local natural resources professionals instruct the students prior to the testing day, although Venango County state game warden Samuel Terwilliger explained that testing-station leaders aren’t allowed to strictly teach “to the test,” and teams have to do their own learning before test day with the help of resources from the Pennsylvania Envirothon. Jane Burkett, agricultural conservation technician for the Conservation District, said schools can do the program a few different ways, sometimes as an elective, sometimes as an after-school program, and sometimes simply as a student-led endeavor coordinated by teachers. The Conservation District and other natural resource agencies are there as a resource to help the students learn, and some schools will invite representatives of the agencies to do educational programs prior to the testing day. “The state (Association for Conservation Districts) gave us a bin full of tracks and scat and pelts, so we can give those to teachers to help with learning,” Burkett said. “This past year, they gave us soil samples and soil profiles, and a stuffed trout, so the students can see what a brook trout looks like.” Kozalla said she did Envirothon when she was in high school, and for many of her fellow competitors who enjoyed hunting and fishing, “it really gave them a place to shine with the knowledge they’d gathered through that,” she said. “I was one of those kids that wasn’t into organized sports, and Envirothon was a place where I could show my stuff. And for the kids who didn’t grow up with it, it’s a chance for them to get exposed to it.” The competition originated in Pennsylvania in 1979 in the Fulton, Luzerne and Schuylkill conservation districts, then called “Envirolympics,” and Envirothon has since spread across the state and to more than 45 states, eight Canadian provinces and territories, and two Chinese provinces. Venango County has been participating for decades. “Bailey’s done a really good job building back Envirothon back up after COVID,” said Conservation District manager Lisette Lane. “It lost quite a bit of interest during COVID.” Confidence, study time and results varied from team to team on Friday, but there was one thing everyone had in common. When asked by Kozalla prior to the awards ceremony whether they had a good time, a resounding “Yeah!” came from the assembled students in the park office. “It’s fun, very fun,” said senior Hailey Gunnery, a member of Rocky Grove’s Leap Frogs team. “I love being able to be outside, learning about all of the nature stuff and issues facing the world, and being with friends.” The Venango Conservation District is seeking applications for our newly opened Administrative Secretary position. The duties of the Administrative Secretary will be primarily clerical, financial, bookkeeping and administrative in nature as they relate to the mission of the Venango Conservation District. The Administrative Secretary will provide support for the Board of Directors and staff and will be under the direct supervision of the District Manager.
To learn more, click the links below and contact Lisette Lane, District Manager by phone at 814-676-2832 x6 or by email at [email protected]. click here to read the full Administrative Secretary Job Description click here to download the Venango Conservation District Job Application  The Venango Conservation District is pleased to announce our accomplishments over the past year in our 2023 Annual Report.
Read about our new staff, completed projects, and program updates. The report can be viewed by clicking the link below or by visiting our "About Us" page. 2023 Annual Report If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the work we do, give us a call at 814-676-2832 and we would be happy to discuss.  The annual National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is held February 26 through March 3, 2024, which seeks to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat that they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. The term "invasive" is used for aggressive non-native species that spread and reproduce rapidly, displace native species, and cause major disturbance to the areas in which they are present. Invasive species can cause irreversible harm to the environment and the economy, and often pose a threat to plant, animal, and human health.
When managing invasives, certain species and locations are prioritized over others. Early detection and rapid response should be used to find and eradicate new and emerging invasive species in a specific location. This method is much more effective than trying to control a widespread infestation of an established species. This type of effort is seen through the Spotted Lanternfly quarantine order in the state of Pennsylvania. When this invasive planthopper was discovered in Berks county in 2014, the PA Department of Agriculture introduced a quarantine to help stop the spread of the species to other areas of the state. To avoid spreading it to other areas not yet placed in quarantine (such as Venango county), certain regulated articles are prohibited from being moved from quarantined counties. These include firewood, nursery stock, packing materials (pallets), among others. While invasive species management has become all too common in Pennsylvania, it is important to remember that prevention is the most effective method of controlling invasive species. When boating, make sure to inspect and dry your boat, trailer, and other equipment to ensure that aquatic hitchhikers don’t spread to other bodies of water. Look for vegetation that may be in your live well or on your boat motor. When traveling, make sure to “look before you leave” by inspecting your vehicle and other outdoor equipment for egg masses laid by insects such as the spotted lanternfly. Want to get more involved with managing invasive species? Report your sightings! Download the iMapInvasives app or visit www.imapinvasives.org to start recording your observations of invasive species near you. Many organizations and agencies use this data to focus their management efforts. Several field guides such as the Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas and PA Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species are available. The Venango Conservation District now has an open position. We're hiring for our Resource Technician position. This technical position involves operational level work administering PA Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) delegated programs in the field of Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control (PA Title 25, Chapter 102), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (PA Title 25, Chapter 93), Waterways Obstruction and Encroachment General Permitting (PA Title 25, Chapter 105) and other duties as they relate to Venango Conservation District goals and objectives.
For a full Job Description, click here. For the Job Applicaiton form, click here. Do you need more information about this position? Please contact Lisette Lane, District Manager by phone at 814-676-2832 x6 or by email at [email protected].  An American Holly in winter. Source: PennLive By Bailey Kozalla, Watershed Specialist
With the start of the winter season, much of the landscape throughout Northwest Pennsylvania has lost most of its color. Despite this, glimpses of glossy green leaves and red berries are often seen scattering the bottomlands, a signature of the holiday season. The American Holly (Ilex opaca) is easily identified in the winter months against the contrast of a snowy scene. Inhabiting the understory of forests in moist soils, the tree normally grows between 15 to 25 feet tall but can reach heights of 60 feet. Its stout, stiff branches equipped with spine-tipped leaves is considered the hardiest broadleaf evergreen by many. Female plants possess its notable red berries which are an invaluable food source for wildlife species (but are poisonous to humans). The tree's beauty and hardiness makes it a desirable native ornamental. There are over 1,000 native and non-native varieties of the species - before planting, make sure to check with a nursery to ensure you are receiving a native American Holly. By Jake Cochran, DGLVR Technician The Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road program is predicated on the concept of “local control." At the district level, this is achieved through the recommendations of the Quality Assurance Board (QAB). The QAB is a four-member “steering committee” that makes recommendations to the district board on project funding and local policies. This four-person body is comprised of a nonvoting chairman appointed by the conservation district directors, and one local representative appointed by each of the following entities: The federal Natural Resource Conservation Service, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the county conservation district. The PFBC or NRCS may appoint members who are not necessarily a PFBC or NRCS employee to the QAB to serve as that agency’s representative. Local conservation agencies such as Trout Unlimited may be a potential source of QAB volunteers. These members assist the district with the establishment of local control and program requirements including but not limited to: fiscal, environmental, and written priorities, training incentives, and site inspections. The QAB’s recommendations are relayed to the conservation district board and action is taken on project approval and spending. The public is welcome to attend QAB meetings. The date, time, and location of these meetings are posted in advance on the district’s website and as a public notice in the local newspaper.
The Venango Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Road Program QAB held a meeting on December 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Venango Conservation District. The recommendations from this meeting were given to the Venango Conservation District's board of directors on December 14 at their monthly board meeting. The Venango Conservation District board of directors has approved funding for the following projects for the 2023-2024 DGLVR season: Dirt and Gravel Road Projects Canal Township – Wood Road - $95,877.00 Oakland Township – Gifford Road - $147,430.96 Pinegrove Township – Hale Road - $197,720.00 Irwin Township – Kerr Road - $80,000.00 Low Volume Road Projects Irwin Township - Whieldon Road - $23,700.00  An American Chestnut stump sprout. The dead stem in the background succumbed to blight. The sprout will become infected with blight before it can begin to produce chestnuts. Source: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay By Bailey Kozalla, Watershed Specialist Over a century ago, eastern hardwood forests looked very different than they do today. What once made up a quarter of deciduous tree species across its range has now been wiped away leaving little to no trace of its former existence. Now, the ghosts of over four billion individuals haunt our woods, and have since been a distant memory. The American Chestnut succumbed to a fungus known as chestnut blight or Cryphonectria parasitica. It was first discovered in 1904 at the Bronx Zoo and had since infected the chestnut’s entire range by 1950. The fungus forms cankers throughout the tree’s inner bark and eventually girdles the tree. Young American Chestnuts are often found stump-sprouting from ancestor trees, but they too will eventually die from the blight before they reach reproduction potential. The fungus resides in nearby oaks, which are notably unaffected. Despite these young chestnuts still being present in our forests, they are considered to be functionally extinct due to their inability to reproduce. As the chestnuts vanished, eastern forests were forever changed. The lumber industry lost a hallmark wood product that was known for its strong integrity and its ability to withstand weathering. In fact, many of the old fence posts seen on farm lands are made of chestnut wood. Additionally, many declining wildlife populations are attributed to the loss of the chestnut. The chestnut crop was a consistent annual food source for deer, squirrels, bears, turkeys, and others - unlike the oaks which only produce acorns every few years. Early 1900 reports document the steady decline of squirrel species, and several pollinator species who relied on the mid-summer bloom of chestnut flowers have declined or gone extinct. The present shrub-like chestnuts seen in the understory hardly resemble the ghosts of the “sequoias of the east” that dominated the landscape over one hundred years ago. There is hope, however, to see the return of chestnut trees to eastern forests. The American Chestnut Foundation began breeding blight-resistant trees with the naturally resistant Chinese Chestnut in 1989. This process continued over many years and resulted in a 94% American Chestnut and 6% Chinese Chestnut offspring. Doted the “Restoration Chestnut,” these trees are being experimentally planted throughout their historic range on federal, state, and private lands. Managers at the Allegheny National Forest are researching restoration techniques including site suitability, impacts of deer browsing, and the chestnut's response to prescribed fire. Research is still being done with regard to modern genetic modification in hopes to increase blight resistance even further. The regulatory process associated with reintroducing the blight-resistant chestnut will likely take many years, however. Despite the goal being to restore the tree to its native range, the chestnut will not likely be as dominant as it once was. This is due to the threat of invasive species and deer browsing which will make it difficult to encourage seedlings to become established naturally. This Halloween, remember that the ghost of the American Chestnut is a horror story of its own that haunts our eastern forests. Restoration efforts, however, are hoping that future generations of people, wildlife, and forests can enjoy the American Chestnut and the ecosystem services that it provides.
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