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 happy to announce that they will be offering the sponsorship of five Venango County agricultural producers to attend the upcoming 2018 Western PA Annual Grazing Conference, located in Clarion, PA on March 21st and 22nd, 2018. This is a two day event with the option to attend one or both days. Sponsorship of this event covers a one day registration cost of $45, which includes continental breakfast and hot buffet lunch. Awarded applicants have the choice of which day would they would like to attend. However, if the recipient wishes to attend the second day, they will be responsible for any additional registrations cost.
 
            The 2018 Western PA Annual Grazing Conference includes many speakers and presentations, including Teddy Gentry, bass player for the legendary country music group Alabama. Teddy Gentry will talk about efficiency of cow calf production and how grazing management has benefited his own beef cattle operation. Greg Judy, author of two grazing management books and owner/operator of a beef grazing operation in Clark, Missouri, will also talk about his successes of leasing and owning grazing land. The event brochure, including the agenda and more details can be found on the Venango Conservation District website www.venangocd.org.
 
In order to be an eligible recipient of this sponsorship, interested persons must be an agricultural producer and reside in Venango County. He or she must also complete a “Sponsorship Eligibility Form” and submit it to the Venango Conservation District by Thursday, March 1, 2018 by mailing to 1793 Cherrytree Road Franklin, PA 16323 (Attn: Becky Deeter) or email [email protected]. The “Sponsorship Eligibility Form” will be reviewed by the Venango Conservation District for appropriate eligibility, and available openings will then be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Awarded applicants will be notified by Monday, March 5th.
 
If you have any questions, need a copy of the “Sponsorship Eligibility Form”, or would like more information regarding the event, please contact Becky at the Venango Conservation District at 814-676-2832, [email protected] or visit www.venangocd.org.


Western PA Annual Grazing Conference Brochure

VCD Sponsorship Eligibility Form

The Clarion and Venango Conservation Districts will be hosting a free Twilight Pond Walk with the Penn State Extension.  The workshop will be held at YMCA's Camp Coffman.  We will gather at the Fisherman's Cabin Pond located behind the dining hall at Camp Coffman.  The program is designed for owners or managers who maintain ponds and lakes.

Penn State's Pond Educator, Bryan Swistock, will discuss life cycles both in and around the pond, starting with an overview of pond basics.  His emphasis will be on plant identification, management, and algal control.  He will also cover topics of pond structure, fish and wildlife issues, managing plants and algae, and an introduction to harmful algal blooms.  Samples of aquatic plants may be brought to the workshop for identification.

The workshop will be outside, so please dress for the weather.  Participants may bring a lawn chair if they will need a place to sit during the two hour session.

For more information, contact Tricia McIntire at the Clarion Conservation District at 814-297-7813 or [email protected]

click here for event flier

The Venango Conservation District has teamed up with the Crawford County Conservation District, the Erie County Conservation District and the Mercer County Conservation District to host a Manure Management Field Day event. 

Every farm in Pennsylvania that applies manure or agricultural process wastewater is required to have and implement a written Manure Management Plan.  You can join us at our field day to learn the facts about manure management and tips that will help you successfully complete a manure management plan for your own operation.

Topics we'll cover at the field day include Manure Management Regulations and the Manual, Biosecurity Practices, Farm Vehicle Transportation Regulations, Manure Spreader Calibration Demonstrations, Ag E&S Regulations, PA One Stop Mapping Introduction and more.

So, join us on Friday April 8 2016 at the Apple Shamrock Dairy Farm in Townville PA from 9am to 3pm.  We're asking that you register for the event, but there is no fee and lunch is provided.  Please register by April 1st with Shawn at the Mercer County Conservation District 1-724-662-2242.


click here for informational event flier

P.S.  Can't make it to the Regional Field Day?  The Venango Conservation District will be hosting three Manure Management Workshops at the Nature Lodge on Two Mile Run County Park.  The dates are:

Follow-Up Workshop - April 13th - 9am to 12pm
Full Day Workshop - April 14th - 9am to 3pm
Equine Workshop - April 26th - 5:30pm to 8:30pm


click here for informational event flier

The Venango Conservation District, in conjunction with the Mercer County Conservation District will be coordinating and Agricultural Field Day on Thursday September 17th from 10am to 3pm.  The event will be hosted by the Mike Ohler family of Sandy Valley Farms located at 632 Valley Road, Polk PA  16342.  This Agricultural Field Day event will provide an opportunity for local farmers to attend an event at a localized level to learn more about the importance and benefits of agricultural practices that help conserve farm land, and ultimately prevent and/or limit nonpoint source pollution.

AGENDA

9:30-10:00       Registration/Visit with Sponsors

10:00-10:15     Welcome

10:15-10:45     Cover Crop Benefits

                        Joel Hunter; Agronomist-Penn State Ext.

10:45-11:15     Rainfall Simulator/Soil Health

                        Tim Elder; Grazing Specialist-NRCS

11:15-12:00     Informational Sessions

                       · NRCS Programs (10 min)

                                    NRCS Staff

                       · Nutrient & Manure Management

                         (15 min)

                                    Laurel Rush; Western PA NM

                                    Coordinator

· Resource Enhancement & Protection (REAP)/Farmer Testimony

                          (20 min)

                                    Joel Semke; REAP Coordinator

12:00-1:00       Lunch/Visit with Sponsors

1:00-1:45         Steam Bank Stabilization

                        Lance Bowes; District Manager-Venango Conservation District

1:45-2:00         Travel to Field Site

2:00-2:30         Managing Corn Foliar Diseases

                        Kevin Fry; Field Agronomist-DuPont Pioneer

2:30-3:00         Return to Farm/Evaluations

 

OPTIONAL PRESENTATION

3:00-4:00         Agricultural Management Solutions (AMS) - The Latest In GPS                                                   Technology

                        Ike Vorisek; Elders Ag & Turf

 

Contact the Venango Conservation District at 814-676-2832 for more information or to register by September 10th.

click here for informational brochure

The Venango Conservation District will be conducting a series of classes and activities for children and their families at Two Mile Run County Park.  Classes are free, but class registration is required.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.  The classes are a series of nature walks where participants will learn about bugs, water pollution, habitat, plants and other environmental topics.  The classes will be held on three consecutive weekends in August.

Saturday August 15th, 10:00am at Pioneer Flats – a class on Streams.  Participants will learn about how streams are formed and different types of pollution that can impair streams.  The class will also cover aquatic life and how they can indicate how clean or polluted a stream might be.  Participants should wear boots or old shoes.

Saturday August 22nd, 10:00am at the Handicapped Fishing Pier – A program on lakes and wetlands.  Participants will learn about why the lake is so shallow compared to 20 years ago.  The class will also discuss what can be done to solve the problem.  Participants should wear boots or old shoes.

Saturday August 29th, 10:00am at the Nature Lodge – a class on forests.  Participants will enjoy a nature walk on a trail near the lake.  The program will cover topics ranging from trees, forest succession and critters of the forest.  Participants should bring bug spray.

Classes will be about an hour and one half long.  This program is a great opportunity to get the family outdoors and have fun.  You can register by calling Devin Lineman at 814-676-2832.

The Venango Conservation District is partnering with the Oil Creek State Park to host an educational event for children.  "Learning to Fish with Mom or Dad" will be held on Saturday June 20th at 9:30am at Two Mile Run County Park.  Learn everything you need to know to start catching fish! All gear & bait will be provided, no licesnse needed. Dress for the weather. You may want to bring drinks, snacks, and bug spray. REGISTRATION REQUIRED, Call Oil Creek State Park at 814-676-5915 to register! Meet at the Boat Ramp.

See the OCSP post for more information https://www.facebook.com/events/656798317787199/