​: THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE AND HERE’S WHY IT MATTERS!
By: Dan Rhodes, Education Coordinator, Bradford County Conservation District
Walk down the street and ask the first person you meet to define the terms ‘conservation’ and ‘preservation’. Repeat this test a few dozen times and you’ll most likely find that when confronted with these two very different terms and concepts, it is often difficult for people to differentiate them. Many people within the media, within government and within environmental activism groups even view the terms conservation and preservation as interchangeable in their meaning, so don’t feel bad if these terms confuse you! 

​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, Bradford County Conservation District
Do you realize that regular, every-day, neighbors of ours are producing world-class, healthy, 100% all-natural sugar right here in our own back yard?  It’s one of those forgotten wonders.
While maple sugar harvest here pre-dates recorded history, today, Pennsylvania ranks 6th out of 25 US states in production while Bradford County is 5th among 56 Pennsylvania Counties.  Bradford County’s 53 sugar makers install an estimated 54,200 taps each year, producing 8,000 gallons of delectable, 100% all-natural maple syrup.  Many direct-market their product as maple syrup along with the other most common 100% natural-sugar forms of maple cream, maple candy, and dry maple sugar.  Maple flavored goodies beyond these are only limited by the imagination.

​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
What does a tree have to do with Christmas? A lot, but not so much with what has become known as the Christmas tree. It is simply a beloved Christmas tradition.
​It didn’t begin that way in the United States. 16th century German Christians were the first known to bring decorated trees inside. 19th century Americans didn’t think much of the idea, considering them an offensive pagan symbol interfering with a sacred day. 100 years later, the Christmas tree was growing in popularity, and today it is central to many a home’s Christmas decorations.

By: Tori Bristol, Dirt and Gravel Roads Specialist

Last week we talked about The Mighty Oak Tree, and this week we are focusing on how to collect and plant acorns to successfully grow them. “The best time to plant an oak tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is today.” 

By: Tori Bristol, Dirt, Gravel & Low Volume Roads Specialist
The time of year has come during which, many of us might hear a sharp thwack! on the roof, followed by an increasingly quieter bump bump bump bump. Yes, the annual attack of the oak trees has commenced, signaled by the sound of acorns storming the roof. We all know that from tiny acorns mighty oak trees grow, but we should also add that those tiny acorns will also grow whitetail deer, squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys, crows, rabbits, opossums, blue jays, quail, raccoons, wood ducks, bear—more than 100 wildlife species eat acorns. 

By: Tori Welliver, Dirt Gravel & Low Volume Roads Specialist
​
     While the best time to plant a tree is during our first seedling sale 50 years ago, the second-best time is today!
​
     Planting trees is an investment in the future and locals have been making that investment through the conservation district’s annual sale for 50 years.  Each winter when the “green papers” start showing up at local store fronts, we know that spring is drawing near.