Conservation Organization Vicky Michaels and the Independence Marsh Foundation

Conservation Organization: Vicky Michaels and the Independence Marsh Foundation have been an irreplaceable asset to the conservation district. If it were not for Vicky and her Marsh Foundation the JB#2 Abandoned Mine Treatment Facility would not exist. They volunteered to accept the land donation from the Sasso Estate when no one else would step up to the plate. This allowed the District to build the treatment system. They have continued to assist the District with the maintenance and repair not only of the JB#2 system, but also the other two systems the District and the Raccoon Creek Watershed Association maintain. Vicky has provided the construction site supervision for both the Hamilton AMD project and the JB#2 AMD project including the present emergency repair efforts. Vicky and her Independence Marsh Foundation have also applied for and received grants to improve the environmental study center at the Burgettstown School District campus and assisted with the Children’s Groundwater Festival. The Marsh Foundation has helped many communities with used tire cleanups using their tire sheer to cut the tires up and pack them into dumpsters to be taken to landfills. The latest tire collection was held in Hanover Township, Washington County. Washington County Conservation District Awards Luncheon December 16, 2006 For more information, contact the Washington County Conservation District by sending email to: washcocd@yahoo.com or calling 724-228-6774.

Conservation Educator: Sheila Burcin

Conservation Educator: Sheila Burcin is the former Director of the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office who was one of the four original individuals that formed the Washington County Watershed Alliance and has served as an officer of that county wide organization since the Alliance’s first days. Sheila was also a major organizer of the Chartiers Creek Watershed Association, which recently completed a Rivers Conservation Plan and other projects. She also serves on the Steering Committee and is one of the original organizers of the Children’s Groundwater Festival in Washington County. In addition to helping to obtain funding for the Festival, she organizes the schedule for the presenters and instructors. Washington County Conservation District Awards Luncheon December 12, 2006. For more information, contact the Washington County Conservation District by sending email to: washcocd@yahoo.com or calling 724-228-6774.

Conservation Farmer of the Year: Ray Furda

Conservation Farmer of the Year: Mr. Ray Furda, who is in his 80’s and has farmed all of his life, owns and operates a 285 acre beef and horse farm in Somerset Township, Washington County, and has been a conservation cooperator since October 17, 1949. The farm is extremely well kept and is located across from a popular public golf course. Mr. Furda installed a variety of conservation practices, including stream bank fencing, spring developments, tree planting, livestock crossings, warm season grasses, and a rotational grazing system. Mr. Furda also uses a low impact method of farming to constantly maintain an excellent vegetative cover on all of his pastures, planting and harvesting only hay. This low impact method of farming greatly decreases erosion rates, sediment runoff while increasing wildlife habitat. He participates in all of the available conservation programs through the Farm Service Agency and NRCS, including CREP, WHIP and EQIP. Washington County Conservation District Awards Luncheon December 12, 2006 For more information, contact the Washington County Conservation District by sending email to: washcocd@yahoo.com or calling 724-228-6774.

Mary D Multi-Purpose Mine Reclamation Project

Representatives of more than 20 partners gathered to celebrate the start of a multi-purpose mine reclamation project in MaryD, Schuylkill County. The partners include the Schuylkill Headwaters Association, Delaware River Basin Commission, Eastern Schuylkill Recreation Commission, Schuylkill County Commissioners, Schuylkill County Conservation District, Schuylkill Township, Mary D Fire Co., Mary D Baseball Association, Enterprising Environmental Solutions Inc., URS Corp., the Exelon Schuylkill River Restoration Fund, William Penn Foundation, DEP, DCNR and Stell Environmental Enterprises Inc. The $967,000 project will turn the old baseball field, currently owned by the Mary D Fire Co., into a passive mine drainage treatment system to treat up to 1,000 gallons per minute of acidic discharges from long-abandoned underground mines. The Blaschak Coal Corp. of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, has donated approximately 10 acres of abandoned mine land for the site of a year-round recreation facility that will new six-acre facility that will include a baseball field; a regulation soccer field; basketball courts; walking path; handicap accessible concession, pavilion and restroom facilities; parking; fencing and bleachers. PA Environment Digest editor David Hess caught up with some of the key partners at the ceremony. November 29, 2006

Farmland Protection Pioneer Retires From Senate

Sen. Noah W. Wenger (R-Lancaster/Chester) retired this week after serving 30 years in the Senate and House of Pennsylvania. Sen. Wenger was the key architect of Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation law, which has permanently preserved over 1,500 farms in the Commonwealth, including 28,000 acres in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania is now the number one state in the nation for farmland preservation. He is also the owner of a 107-acre livestock and poultry farm. In addition to serving as Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Appropriations Committees, Sen. Wenger served as a member and Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and as a member of the Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council. He is the recipient of many awards from organizations including from the Lancaster County Conservancy, the Lancaster Farmland Trust, the American Farmland Trust, the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. This video was aired on the floor of the Senate as a tribute to Sen. Wenger’s service to the Commonwealth. It was produced by Senate Republican Communications. November 21, 2006