EAC Network Virtual Conference

10AM – Noon | Inching Our Way to Healthy Yards/Healthy Streams
With 2 million acres of monoculture lawn in the Commonwealth, these spaces present an important opportunity for communities to be part of the solution to issues of watershed and stream health, water and air quality, and weather and climate stabilization. In this session, we’ll start with the big picture, learning about soils from a Penn State Extension Urban Forester, and zoom in to hear more about a few conservation landscape programs working to improve habitat, decrease stormwater problems, and offer low-cost climate resiliency. Leave inspired with ideas for local initiatives and policies which could be enacted in your community. Speakers: Vincent Cotrone, Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science; Jamie Anderson, Eastern Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative; Chris Bunn, Pennsylvania Resources Council.

1PM – 2PM | Greening Communities: Urban Agriculture and Urban Forestry
As we face the challenges of climate change, communities are recognizing the importance of increasing tree cover and access to food available more locally. In this session we will learn about programs and technical assistance available to municipalities that can be explored by EACs which engage and support their citizens while creating stronger and more resilient communities. Speakers: Nina Berryman, USDA Urban Service Office (Philadelphia); Orsolya Lazar, Urban and Community Forestry, PA DCNR (Bureau of Forestry)

2:30PM – 3:30PM | Advancing Sustainable Ways Communities are Managing Household Waste
It’s 2024, many communities have had curbside recycling for twenty years or more!  But as the economics of recycling shift with natural market fluctuations and the volume of trash disposed continues to grow as populations grow, it’s time to expand our vision and explore new opportunities to reduce our reliance on solid waste landfills and incinerators and more sustainably handle our trash.  Presenters will share examples of how some communities are incentivizing waste reduction, improving trash collection efficiencies, and converting waste into a usable commodity.  Speakers: Susanne Hay, Tredyffrin Township EAC; Colleen Falicki, Back to Earth Composting; Pamela Gural-Bear, West Whiteland Township.

11AM – Noon: Climate Action Planning – What Can Municipalities Actually Do?
Climate Action Planning is a hot button topic these days in municipalities across the Commonwealth, but with limited authority over building codes and often little money to incentivize change it can be frustrating.  Hear an EAC who has have gone through the process on project successes, pitfalls, and lessons learned; as well as a representative from the DEP’s LCAP program and Generation 180 on programs and available support. Speakers: Jim Baldassare, Doylestown Township EAC; Chris Nafe, PA DEP; Shannon Crooker, Generation 180.

1PM – 2PM | Oh, Deer: Management Options for Municipalities
Deer management is not just a problem for rural communities, it is an increasing issue in suburban and urban areas as well. What ecological issues need to be considered in a deer management plan, and what management actions work in urban and suburban landscapes?  Speakers: Eric Allen, Solebury Township EAC; Jeannine Fleegle, PA Game Commission; Nate Spence, USDA Wildlife Services.

2:30PM – 3:30PM | Putting the Dimmer on Light Pollution
We will be joined by guest speakers from the Pennsylvania chapter of DarkSky International for an informative session on the importance of reducing light pollution for bird, insect, and mammal populations, and information on what types of lighting are better or worse, and contrary to popular belief, more light isn’t always ‘safer’.  We will also be joined by a representative of Bird Safe Philly to talk about the massive bird Collison on October 2, 2020, that resulted in the death of thousands of migratory birds and how it led to the Lights Out Philly initiative. Speakers: Mark Grosz, DarkSky International; Diane Turnshek, Carnegie Mellon University; Leigh Altadonna, PA Audubon Council; Bill McGeeney, DarkSky International; Jeff Buler, Penn State University; Tim Lawler, West Chester Dark Sky Committee.