Watershed Protection and Restoration
Guides and Publications
Watershed Decisions Activity Kit
A hands-on, inquiry based activity kit that helps older youth and adults learn about water quality issues in small watersheds and the decision making processes that go into improving those water quality issues.
Learn more about Watershed Decisions Activity KitLatest News
See All News
Featured Articles
Articles
A Healthy Stream Has Low Embeddedness
Embeddedness is a complex word to describe a simple concept. Are the rocks, gravel, and boulders in the stream bed exposed? Or are they buried by sediment, surrounded by soils, and barely visible?
Articles
Riparian Buffers: Pennsylvania's Best Solution for Protecting Its Waters
This article explains the benefits of using riparian buffers to protect the health of waterways, livestock, adjacent property, and all who drink and use water downstream.
Articles
Live Staking for Stream Restoration
A brief introduction and instructional guide to using live staking as an inexpensive and simple technique to restoring eroding stream banks.
Articles
Introduction to Watersheds
Have you ever passed a sign welcoming you to a watershed and wondered what it means? Here are some basic facts about watersheds to help you out.
Category Title
Webinars
AgWorks: Safe Movement and Ergonomics on the Farm
When 11/05/2026
Length 2 hours
Learn how ergonomic practices, tools, and technologies can reduce physical strain, improve farm safety and efficiency, and support farmers through AgrAbility services.
Free
Webinars
AgWorks: Unemployment Compensation: Appeals and Hearings
When 11/04/2026
Length 2 hours
Learn about unemployment compensation appeals and hearings, including updated regulations, hearing preparation best practices, appeal levels, and the burden of proof under UC law.
Free
News
Apply for the PA Fruit Grower Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant
Date Posted 9/10/2026
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is offering up to $10 million in relief to Pennsylvania fruit growers whose crops were damaged by freezing temperatures between April 1 and April 21, 2026.
Webinars
Fueling the Working Livestock Guardian Dog
When 12/08/2026
Length 1 hour
Learn how to provide proper nutrition for livestock guardian dogs, follow feeding protocols, and set up effective feeding stations to support healthy, working dogs.
Free
News
Penn State Extension Seeks Input on Water Resources Programming
Date Posted 9/10/2026
Penn State Extension's water resources team is conducting a survey to help shape its future programming.
Articles
Dahlias: Why September Can Change the Crop
September and October are prime dahlia production months. Cooler nights, warm days, and improved soil moisture favor flower development. Adjust irrigation and continue scouting for pests and disease to maximize production until frost.
Webinars
Antlers and Academics: Field Dressing and Safety
When 11/10/2026
Length 1 hour
Discover best practices for field dressing, storing, and transporting harvested deer. Learn safety considerations and food handling tips to responsibly manage your harvest.
$15.00
Workshops
Pasture Walks with Extension: Sheep and Goat Farm
When 10/13/2026
Length 3 hours
Explore organic farming practices, transition strategies, and practical approaches to addressing local challenges in pasture-based crop and livestock production.
Free
Workshops
Gardening for Birds: Creating Your Backyard Bird Paradise
When 10/10/2026
Length 2 hours, 30 minutes
Discover how native plants can transform your backyard into a bird-friendly habitat, then paint a birdhouse gourd and tour a garden designed for birds and wildlife.
$15.00
Workshops
Boxwood and Holly Tree Making
When 12/07/2026
Length 2 hours
Create a festive 14-inch evergreen tree using boxwood and holly while learning how to grow and care for these garden plants.
$20.00
Webinars
Managing Corn Silage for Profit: 2026 Hybrid Trials Update
When 11/10/2026
Length 1 hour
Explore 2026 corn silage trial results and learn how hybrid selection can improve yield, quality, and profitability for dairy and livestock operations.
Free
News
2026 Pennsylvania Tree Fruit Maturity Report - September 8
Date Posted 9/9/2026
The Tree Fruit Maturity Report is a weekly program to inform producers about the maturity of the most common apple cultivars sampled from two regions represented by two Pennsylvania counties: Adams and Berks.
Workshops
Dining with Diabetes (Private for UPMC Bedford Hospital)
When 10/19/2026
For adults with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and their families, this program will increase your knowledge of healthy food choices and diabetes management.
$15.00
Webinars
Understanding and Managing Invasive Plants
When 12/08/2026
Length 2 hours
Learn how to identify, assess, and manage invasive plants in Pennsylvania. Discover species identification techniques, invasive vine control methods, and strategies for protecting natural landscapes.
$10.00
Webinars
Forest Carbon and Resilience: Introduction to Biochar
When 09/22/2026
Length 1 hour
Discover how biochar can benefit forest landscapes, from turning forest residues into useful products to supporting carbon goals and creating potential economic opportunities for landowners.
Free
Webinars
ACAP Conservation Cornerstones: Buffering the Farm
When 10/15/2026
Length 1 hour
Explore how vegetated buffers benefit farms, waterways, and communities through improved water quality, reduced erosion, enhanced habitat, and greater farm resilience.
Free
Webinars
Forage Quality Matters for Late Gestation Sheep and Goats
When 01/26/2027
Length 1 hour
Learn how forage quality affects nutrition for pregnant sheep and goats, including forage fiber, supplement needs, and forage intake limits during late gestation.
Free
Articles
Why Corn Ears Don't Fill: Pollination, Tip-back, and Kernel Loss
Corn ear size determination, what goes wrong at pollination and why
News
Corn Silage Dry-Down: Week of September 7, 2026
Date Posted 9/8/2026
A weekly check-in on silage crop moisture progression at several locations across Pennsylvania
Your Challenges, Our Expertise
Connect with us for the latest research-based knowledge and hands-on know-how. Find experts who will work with you in person or online to answer questions, solve problems, and seize opportunities.
Everyone lives in a watershed. Learn what makes a stream healthy, how you can make a difference with conservation practices in your community, and discover watershed education tools and resources you can use to help teach others.
Youth Education: Water
Penn State Extension assists educators and teachers in obtaining comprehensive information on youth water education. The Rain to Drain: Slow the Flow, for instance, is a hands-on stormwater educational curriculum designed to provide youth and adults with a better understanding of stormwater movement. It can be used in classrooms, 4-H clubs, scout meetings, and afterschool programs.
In-depth resources and water education tools are provided, as well. Discover more about innovative teaching, activities that engage youth in watershed efforts, and safe drinking water education.
