Crawford County Conservation District

2015

Annual Report

Be the change you wish to see in this world

~gandhi

contents

Message, staff, directors 1 financial report 2 environmental education 3 Student riparian project program 4 Nutrient & Manure management 5 Agricultural land preservation program 6 Water obstructions & erosion and sedimentation control 7 Water quality program 8 Npdes 9 Dirt, gravel and low volume roads 10 Woodcock creek nature center master site plan 11 Staff and mission 12

Staff

Tracey j. crawford, District manager Breann J. Curry, Ag conservation technician Laura dengler, Administrative assistant Maria A. Dreese, Sr Resource Conservation Technician Jared Prokopchak, Resource conservation technician Brian S. Pilarcik, Watershed specialist Kathy E. Uglow, Environmental educator

Directors

Robert J Waddell, Chair Andrew Hyde, Vice Chair Amber Heil, Sec-Treasurer John amato, commissioner Vernon knapp, rural director George greig, rural director Heidi Moorhead, urban director

Associate directors

Roger williams Wendy Kedzierski Scott preston As of Jan 2016 1

Crawford County Conservation District 21742 German Road Meadville, PA 16335

Www.crawfordconservation.org P (814) 763.5269 F (814) 763.1585

Message from the manager

With each year… our schedules seem to get increasingly filled, days are consumed with change and challenge as projects become more complicated, regulations more difficult and administration evolves . The technology that assuredly increases our efficiency, leaves us in search for more. This challenge and change indeed improves who we are and what we do. Since 1956, there have been many changes in staff and programs, but one thing has remained constant. the district has been providing the citizens of the county with current technical guidance, on soil, wa-ter and natural resource concerns. Now, more than ever we are grateful to those who support conservation in crawford county. As the new district manager, I couldn't be happier with the staff, direc-tors and cooperating agencies who put forth so much effort to make the crawford county conservation district and woodcock creek nature center an exceptional place. This report is but a sample of what we accomplished in 2015. We hope that however small or large your connection to the district our efforts touched you in some way. Now, As we close the door on 2015, we know more great things await us in 2016. In conservation,

Tracey J. Crawford

financial report

Income $1,585,297.25

County Funds

State Funds

Act 13 Funds

Special Projects

Sales

Fees

Rent

Misc. / Interest

Donations

2

Expense $1,275,847.02 Salary

Construction

County Reimbursement

Administrative

Travel/Training/Equip

Building/Park Maint

Contractual

Computer/Office/Postage

Fund Raising Exp

Utilities/Telephone

Education

Insurance

Misc / Dues

Dinner & Workshop Exp.

A new roof and entrance at the woodcock creek nature center

2015 Environmental Education program

49 Environmental

Education Classes

1197 school students visited

3

3021 Total

Attendees

5,000 trees planted

2015 Student Riparian Planting Projects

2015 marked the 15th year

and the 100th project for crawford countys’ student riparian project program.

7 Schools

500 students

4

Conservation District staff… presented two Manure Management Trainings to the Nw Pa Equine Council Processed one manure storage setback waiver Provided technical assistance to several area producers and landowners Reviewed two Nutrient Management Plans and re-ceived two plan updates

2015 Nutrient / Manure management program

5

Crawford County Agricultural Land Preservation Program Board Members Bob Hopkins, Chair Richard Deiss, Vice Chair John Tautin, Sec-Treasurer Richard Ferguson Dennis Hindman Rick Rendulic Scott Preston

in 2015, 400 more acres were evaluated and ranked, bringing the waiting list to 40 farms. With five farms pre-served compris ing 1000 acres, Crawford County is currently se-curing funding for the next purchase.

6

2015 Water obstructions & Erosion and

sedimentation Control programs

34 General Permits processed

2 Permit Transfers received

30 complaints Investigated

14 single E & S Control Plans Reviewed

7

2015 Water Quality program

Conservation District Staff… Conducted Trophic State Index sam-pling on Pymatuning Reservoir . Maintained conductivity and tem-perature data loggers on Little Sugar Creek, Cussewago Creek, and Gravel Run watersheds. Conducted summer vertical profile sampling on 7 lakes and reservoirs around the county. Coordinated a large scale aquatic vegetation survey on Pymatuning Reservoir. Six survey teams col-lected samples from 1900 sample points. Twelve separate organiza-tions and agencies from PA, OH, NY, and Florida participated in the pro-ject. 8

2015 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination system (NPDES) Program

7 General NPDES Permits issued during 2015 to

manage earth disturbance on 265 acres of pro-

posed land development

Photo courtesy of GoErie.com 9

2015 Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Roads Program

Quality Assurance Board Members Terry Crecraft Vernon knapp Jody lasko Tracey crawford

20 Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Road Projects completed during 2015 Construction season

10

Applied to dcnr for a c2p2 master site planning grant

Future location of woodcock creek nature center extension

Woodcock Creek Nature Center

11

Crawford County Conservation District

Woodcock creek nature center 21742 German Road Meadville, PA 16335

Mission statement: To protect, conserve, and restore the natural resources of the county for present and future generations by actively seeking resources and partnerships to achieve these goals through voluntary cooperation.

District staff

12

District Board Nominating Organizations

Crawford County Extension

Crawford County Farm Bureau

Crawford County Pomona Grange

Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce

Crawford County Planning Commission

Crawford County Farm Service Agency

Crawford County Senior Environmental Corps

Penn State Master Gardeners

Crawford County Holstein Club

(L to r) Jared Prokopchak, Tracey Crawford, Maria Dreese, Brian Pilarcik, laura dengler & Kathy uglow

Great things to

come in

2016