The Berks County Conservation District was recently awarded $2,500 to work with landowners to prevent pollution in our local streams, lakes, and rivers.

The mini-grant was provided through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Outreach Program Office administered by the PA Association of Conservation Districts.

The CREP Program pays farmers and other landowners to conserve and enhance their land.

Over 12,500 landowners in Pennsylvania have received payments since the program began.

Berks County Conservation District will use these grant funds to hold a workshop and field day in July 2016 to explain the financial and environmental benefits of the CREP Program.

“With this funding, anyone who owns land next to a waterway will be invited to find out if they are a candidate to get paid to conserve and enhance their land,” said Dean Druckenmiller, Berks County Conservation District Executive. “Over the next ten months, we plan to educate landowners on the CREP Program and to help those already enrolled in the program with maintenance issues.”

Through this grant program, twenty projects received funding in twenty-one counties.

Projects include field days, workshops, and one-on-one visits. A more complete listing of awarded projects is available online.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-Grant Program is provided by the PA Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

For more information about the Berks County Conservation District website or call 610-372-4657.  For more information about CREP, visit PA CREP website.

12/14/2015