2024 Keynote
The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Local Conservation Districts, and You – Helping Achieve Pennsylvania’s Forest and Meadow Goals
Abstract: The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) has been awarded funding under Conservation Partnerships Program grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to offer to Pennsylvania’s conservation districts support for the implementation of conventional riparian buffers, multi-functional riparian buffers, and lawn conversions. These programs were developed to help achieve Pennsylvania’s goal of planting 5,000 acres of upland forest and 5,000 acres of meadow by 2025. This keynote will provide an overview of these grant programs, describe the application process, present criteria for participating, requirements for awards, and recommendations for successful applicants. This session will also present the perspectives of three Watershed Specialists working in different landscapes in our region, and highlight selected projects undertaken to date in Berks, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties. With funding still available in these programs, they offer important opportunities for anyone in our region considering the installation of a buffer or a lawn conversion to help achieve Pennsylvania’s goals for forest and meadow plantings. Additional resources that conservation districts can contribute to watershed protection and restoration will also be touched on this this session. This keynote will feature an extended Q&A segment that will include questions that have been crowd sourced in advance from the Watershed Congress audience.
Speakers
Brian Vadino
Watershed Specialist
Montgomery County Conservation District
Brian Vadino is a Watershed Specialist with the Montgomery County Conservation District. He has worked in partnership with Watershed organizations, municipalities, and other entities. Brian works within Montgomery County and throughout the region on planning, design, permitting, funding, implementation, monitoring, and maintenance activities associated conservation efforts.
Prior to his current position, Brian worked as a Watershed Specialist with the Delaware County Conservation District, Director of Rivers Program with Wildlands Conservancy, and Eastern Area Habitat Management Assistant with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Brian earned his Bachelor's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Penn State University in 1997. In 2015, Brian received the Environmental Leadership Award from the Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association for “his work with nonprofits, municipalities, landowners and others to promote watershed health and conservation practices.”
Kent Himelright
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Watershed Coordinator
Berks County Conservation District
Kent Himelright has been the Watershed Coordinator at Berks County Conservation District since 2016. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Schuylkill Action Network Agricultural Workgroup and Berks County Source Water Protection Program. He attended Pennsylvania State University, studying Wildlife and Fisheries Science. He is native to the Susquehanna River Basin but has called the Schuylkill Watershed his home for the last decade with his wife, two boys, and baby girl.
Karen Wilwol
Watershed Coordinator
Delaware County Conservation District
Karen is a Delaware County native and has been the Watershed Specialist at the Delaware County Conservation District since 2018. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental, Geographical, & Geological Sciences with a focus on Geography and Planning from Bloomsburg University.
Karen’s experience in urban and suburban resource conservation combined with an understanding of environmental planning principles has enabled her to identify and address resource concerns in Delaware County. Through collaborative efforts with government agencies, volunteer groups, municipalities, and landowners, Karen has planned, designed, and implemented best management practices for the improvement of water quality in the Delaware River Basin.
Moderator
Michael Griffiths
Michael J. Griffith
Environmental Education Coordinator & Watershed Specialist
Berks Nature
Michael joined the staff of Berks Nature in August of 2015. He has volunteered for many environmental organizations and is a board member of several more. He was an intern for us during the summer of 2013, while he was acquiring his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Biology at Kutztown University. He spent a lot of his time at Kutztown involved in extracurricular activities. He was the vice-president of the Kutztown University Environmental Action Club, research assistant, teacher’s assistant, tutor, and did independent research. He has experience in management, photography, citizen education at the Department of Agriculture, laboratory work, and concentrated on limnology (water ecology) at school. He lives in Sinking Spring with his son Michael Jr.