Michael Percoskie has been selected as the Northumberland County’s Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year for 2003.  Michael and his family became cooperators with the Northumberland County Conservation District in 1973.

Environmental Educator of the Year

The winner of the Environmental Educator of the Year for 2003 is Karen Martello from the Milton Area Middle School.

Karen has been a teacher in the Milton School District for 27 years.  Some of the areas of her curriculum that Karen incorporates environmental education into are science, social studies, language arts, technology education and family consumer sciences.

During the 2001-2002 school year Karen’s students joined the Stroud LeafPack Network.  They were the first group to use the LeafPack Experiment Kit to investigate local stream ecology on Limestone Run.  The students shared their data on the  Stroud website.  This information sheds light on the impact of streamside forests and the ecology of rivers and streams.

 Some of the other projects her classes have been and are working on include, composting, growing an organic garden, and assisting local elderly residents to recycle.  Through their involvement in all of these projects Karen’s students will be educated decision makers of tomorrow.

We applaud Karen Martello for her efforts that made her the Environmental Educator of the Year!

 Conservation District Patch

Northumberland County boy scouts and girl scouts are eligible to receive the Conservation District Patch by earning at least three scout merit badges in conservation.  In addition, they must participate in one or more conservation projects, such as tree planting, recycling, wildlife management, litter removal, etc.  The following scouts have earned the Conservation District Patch and are receiving it tonight.

Junior Girl Scout Troop #80, Mt. Carmel: Kaitlynn   Hughes, Amy Besser, Jessica Guisewhite, Kalya   Artman.  Leader – Vicky Latshaw

Boy Scout Troop # 252, Shamokin: Andrew Shipe.    Leader – James Conbeer.

Boy Scout Troop #342, Northumberland: Roy   Kimmey.  Leader – Scott Hixson.

Boy Scout Troop # 311 Rebuck: Jordan Adams. Leader - Timothy Snyder.

Boy Scout Troop #331, Sunbury: Adam Cook. Leader – Michael Stender.

This award is given in honor of Mr. Stabler who began a career in highway construction in 1940.  Under his leadership, Stabler Companies, Inc. grew to 11 corporations, including Eastern Industries, a local construction and mining company.  Mr. Stabler was a contractor and a businessman who believed in doing things right.  It is in this spirit that Eastern Industries is pleased to sponsor this award to be presented to a contractor who displays this kind of work ethic.

  The NCCD awards committee selected Ressco Excavating to receive the Donald B. Stabler Conservation Contractor award.  They were selected for their excellent spirit of cooperation with conservation district personnel, and for their effectiveness during excavation and construction activities, especially on the Richard Daniels project in Pillow and the Lawrence Mattern project in Leck Kill.  Owner, Mr. Shirk and his employees made it a point to contact the conservation district prior to construction, to inform the district when they will be starting on the project so the proper district personnel could be available for inspections.  E&S controls were installed prior to the start of earthmoving, which included sediment detention basins, silt fence and proper and timely vegetative stabilization.

We are happy to present the Donald B. Stabler Conservation Contractor Award for 2003 to Ressco Excavating, a company that has shown a proper concern for the environment during earthmoving activities performed in Northumberland County.

 Raymond D. and Mable E. Shaffer Scholarship

Provided by Shaffer Insurance Agency, Dalmatia, this scholarship is awarded annually to a Line Mountain High School senior who will attend college in the fall and pursue a career in an agricultural or environmental field.

Mr. David Swank of Elysburg has been providing this award annually to a student pursuing a degree in an agricultural or environmental related field.  Selected to receive the 2003 award is Janette Strohecker of Herndon.  She is attending Delaware Valley College with a major in Crop Science and a minor in Biotechnology. 

Presented annually by Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co., Roaring Creek Division, this award is given to a student enrolled in a college or university who is pursuing a degree in an agricultural or environmental related field.  The recipient of this year's award is Heather Davis, a 2000 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School.

The Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Youth group has been selected to receive the 2003 Youth Conservation Organization of the Year award.  For the past five years this youth group has been involved with cleaning up roadsides.  In 2001 youth and adults from the church and community cleaned up a 2 1/2 mile stretch of road gathering up 81 bags of trash.

Group leaders assist the youth in these clean-ups with a lead by example attitude.  The group hopes to continue this annual event to beautify the local community.

Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance Service Recognition Award

The Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance(SCRA) would like to take the opportunity to present a token of our appreciation to two of its founders.

  David Moratelli helped start the Alliance.  The guidance that David provided steered us through the trials and tribulations of getting a non-profit organization started.  His dedication laid the groundwork for some of the projects that we have completed and those that will come in the future.

Pat Romanski provided whatever help or assistance was needed to make the Alliance an effective organization.  Her dedication in establishing our public outreach programs are responsible for our current membership.  Offices held: Executive Board 1996/1997, Recording Secretary 1997/1999, Board of Directors 1996/2000.

The members of the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance want to thank David and Pat for all the time and hard work they have given, provided to the Alliance and the Shamokin Creek Watershed.

Northumberland County Service Recognition Award

The Northumberland County Conservation District and the Pennsylvania Game Commission would like to take this opportunity to recognize a member of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Staff who has worked with the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program over the last 3 years.

While Colleen Delong has been the CREP Biologist for Northumberland County she has helped to enroll over 11,000 acres of farmland into the CREP program.  When conservation plans are fully implemented on these farms thousands of acres of warm and cool season grasses, filter strips, and riparian buffers will have been planted, creating important habitat for grassland and aquatic wildlife.

The Northumberland County Conservation District appreciates these efforts that Colleen has performed in our County. 

Swank Outstanding Conservation Organization of The Year

The Sunbury Municipal Authority is the 2003 recipient of this award due to their involvement in the formation of the Little Shamokin Creek Watershed Association. 

Over the past year the Sunbury Municipal Authority has provided funding, manpower and equipment to activities conducted by the watershed association.  Their donations have led to multiple litter clean-ups, a streambank restoration project, and recruitment of volunteers and sponsors for the upcoming Shamokin Creek Watershed Festival on June 1st.

Due to their concern for their environment the Sunbury Municipal Authority has earned this award!

Wildlife Conservation Award

The Pennsylvania Game Commission along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Northumberland County Conservation District recognize the importance of wildlife conservation.

Dennis Trayer was one of the first farmers in Northumberland County to incorporate wildlife habitat and water quality improvements through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).  Dennis had planted 49 acres in cool and warm season grasses, established forested riparian buffers on two streams and planted 2 - 1 acre food plots. 

We applaud Dennis for all he has done to conserve wildlife habitat by presenting him with the 2003 Wildlife Conservation Award!

Forest Conservation Award

The Northumberland County Conservation District and the DCNR, Bureau of Forestry each year look at who in our County has gone above and beyond in the area of forest conservation.  

Dave Kaleta has been working on reforestation and wildlife habitat improvement projects on reclaimed coal lands in Northumberland County.  Among the projects Dave has undertaken are:  Planting seedlings in reclaimed areas, performing wildlife crop-tree release and aspen regeneration cutting.  In addition to performing this work Dave is organizing volunteers and funding for further wildlife habitat improvement projects. 

We applaud Dave for all his hard work in conserving our forests with the 2003 Forest Conservation Award!