VCD Celebrates 2024 Conservation District Week

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.
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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.