Clinton County Conservation District Celebrates 75 Years
By Christopher Miller
In mid-March, The Record and therecord-online was notified of a very significant anniversary coming up in the history of Clinton County.
Since its formation in April 3, 1946 the Clinton County Conservation District has been charged with helping to protect and enhance the things that make Clinton County our home – the air, the land, the water, our natural resources, and our neighbors.
The Mission of the Clinton County Conservation District is to provide quality leadership, education, and service for the stewardship and conservation of the county’s natural resources (borrowed from their official Mission Statement).
The Conservation District was created to administer conservation work within the Clinton County boundaries. It was originally organized by local citizens interested in soil and water conservation, land use planning, and flood prevention.
To the residents of Clinton County, they provide technical, and educational assistance and resources to help all county residents conserve soil, water, and related natural resources.
The Conservation District administers the following state programs for Clinton County:
• Ch. 102 Erosion & Sediment Pollution Control
• NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits
• Ch. 105 Stream Encroachment General Permits
• Chesapeake Bay Program
• Act 38 Nutrient Management Regulations
• Municipal Dirt & Gravel and Paved Low Volume Road Program
• Watershed Specialist Program
• Agriculture Preservation Program
The Conservation District operates under the following philosophy: the best way to advance the cause of conservation is to educate local citizens to become better environmental stewards. By building partnerships, providing technical assistance, and sharing information, the district strives to achieve environmental
compliance using common sense to build a culture of responsible stewardship.
As a special side note, the author of this piece has personally taken part in special events held by the Conservation District in past years. While studying at Lock Haven University I took part in a science course where we toured locations on top of Beech Creek Mountain that fell subject to Acid Mine Drainage – shout out to Scott Koser for those tours in 2010/2011. I also took part in the Lock Haven University Project WILD training where fellow teacher candidates learned how to use and teach the resources necessary to pass on conservation and environmental ethics to youth in K-12 classroom settings.
Throughout the month of April, The Record will be highlighting the Clinton County Conservation District and their fantastic efforts to pass on stewardship and conservation of the county’s natural resources.
Throughout these next four weeks we will cover all things conservation that matter to creating and sustaining life in Clinton County.
Come take a journey with us as we rediscover what it means to be an environmental steward.
