SPRING MILLS — The Centre County Conservation District hosted its 2024 Conservation Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at New Hope Lutheran Church in Spring Mills. The awards were presented during the annual Farm City banquet, an event held to celebrate sustainable agriculture.
“This annual event is a cherished tradition that brings the local community together to celebrate conservation efforts and the importance of sustainable agriculture,” a statement by the Centre County Conservation District shared when the banquet was announced.
During the awards, Evalene Ishler received the Special Achievement Award, the Ishler Family Farm won the Outstanding Conservation Farmer Award, Jordan Stoner received the Clean Streams Award for Excellence in Soil Erosion Control and the Watershed Stewardship Award was presented to John and Connie Pascavage and was accepted by their son Johnny and his wife Gretchen.
According to a statement by the Centre County Board of Commissioners, Ishler received her award because of her “over 30 years of commitment to the Farm City program.”
For the Ishler Family Farm, Chris Ishler and his sister Heather accepted the award.
“Their direct-to-market beef farm connects consumers directly to the source of their food and their rotational grazing system is an excellent example of adapting farm management to both ecosystem and herd health,” the statement noted.
According to the release, Stoner received his award for his work on improving road drainage and water quality in the area.
“As the road foreman, Jordan worked with the Conservation District’s Dirt Gravel and Low-Volume Road program to improve road drainage and enhance water quality along Blackhawk Road in 2020 and on Hill Road in 2024,” the statement said.
According to the release, John and Connie Pascavage gave back to the community by planting trees on 48 acres of their property over 20 years ago. This included a 12-acre riparian buffer along Halfmoon Creek.
“In 2024, the conservation district worked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement a stream restoration project on the Pascavage property, which included bank grading, riffle restoration, the installation of a stabilized stream crossing, as well as the installation of log vanes, rock vanes and mudsills,” the statement explained. “This restoration project has significantly improved fish habitat and is estimated to reduce sediment loading in Halfmoon Creek by over 165,000 pounds per year.”
