Education / Outreach Coordinator & Agriculture Conservation Technician
Hannah Bequeath
Growing up surrounded by the forests of western Pennsylvania, Hannah cultivated a deep passion for the environment throughout her childhood and education. Hannah has been the Education and Outreach Coordinator for 3 years and the Agriculture Conservation Technician for nearly two years at the Clarion Conservation District, where she continues to encourage others to care for the environment by sharing her passion and knowledge. Hannah will share her story— her path to where she is today, the purpose and goals of the Conservation District, her role in conservation, and ultimately her passion for nature.
Hannah’s Story
I grew up in Hermitage, PA in a home surrounded by deciduous forest. My parents often took my two brothers and I on walks through the woods or sent us outside to play on our own. A path in the woods led to my grandparents house next door where I would hang out with my grandma as she gardened or my grandpa as he worked outside. My family often went to our family camps in Tionesta, PA and Balltown, PA where we explored the nearby creeks and forests. I also grew up instilled with a sense of wanderlust as we went on many family vacations. Being raised by parents and grandparents that had an interest in the outdoors certainly had a big impact on me.
I had many interests growing up— trying everything from gymnastics to softball. I always had a fondness for the environment, though, and those interests stand out to me the most as I reflect back. Some of my fondest childhood experiences were when I was briefly involved in girl scouts spending many evenings and weekends camping, kayaking, attending science museums, etc. I also attended Creek Connections a few times at Munnell Run Farm (run by the Mercer County Conservation District), and I have fond memories tramping through the stream in rainboots with my mom. I always enjoyed getting muddy at softball practice and games, and I am sure it helped me adapt to being outside in various weather conditions.
Hannah’s Favorite Animal:
Eastern Box Turtle
(Terrapene carolina carolina)
No particular reason other than I encountered many wild eastern box turtles during my time as a Seasonal Park Ranger for the Allegheny County Parks near Pittsburgh, and I was always so thrilled to see them as I had never seen them in the wild before then. Felt very Steve Irwinesque!
I attended Mercer Area School District from elementary to high school and gained many science experiences that helped to direct my path. I then attended Clarion University to receive a bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology. Clarion University provided countless opportunities for me to gain hands-on experiences— whether it was through classes, labs, research projects, or being a part of the leadership in campus clubs such as Wildlife Society, the Society of Conservation Biology, or Plant Club. During my time at Clarion University, I met many inspiring professors with a great passion for the natural world that instilled in me curiosity and motivated me to deeply want to help make a difference in the environment.
While still a student, I had a summer internship with the Mercer County Conservation District under their Environmental Educator and their Watershed Specialist— both being women that I greatly look up to even to this day. Watching them in-action and getting to work alongside them was critical to my understanding of environmental education and the work that conservation districts do. I assisted with many environmental education programs and eventually was able to facilitate my very own education program at the end of the internship— a moment that encouraged me that I was indeed on the right path and this is something I really enjoy doing.
After college, I took a job as a Seasonal Park Ranger at the Allegheny County Parks towards Pittsburgh. I had an hour and fifteen minute commute both ways which likely canceled out most of the small amount of pay I received, but truly this opportunity was worth it, and the lack of monetary value gained was irrelevant compared to all of the experience I gained. During that spring to fall, I hiked more than I ever had in my life, but that also meant that I was exposed to the natural world more than I ever had been before, too. Myself and the other park rangers were always full of curiosity, attempting to identify every single new species we came across as we patrolled the parks. I helped with so many environmental education programs of all types with varying audiences and was able to grasp what environmental education really is. At the end of this position, my coworkers voted me as “Most likely to own her own environmental education facility,” and as simple as that might sound, those words were so encouraging to me that they saw my potential and drive for environmental education.
I applied to many environmental jobs after that, but ended up having to take a remote job that was not in the environmental field for a time. Working from home all day, indoors, on a computer, without in-person interaction, only further verified to me that that is not what I am meant to do. I was determined to find something in the environmental field once again and never stopped applying for jobs the entire year I was stuck in a non-environmental job. I also wanted to stay sharp while out of the environmental field and often listened to environmental podcasts. I created a public environmental education Instagram account where I shared nature photos or videos I took and a few fun facts I found interesting about the species I found.
What does the Conservation District do?
I work for the Clarion Conservation District (CCD). I have been the Education/Outreach Coordinator at CCD since 2021 (three years) and later also became the Agriculture Conservation Technician (ACT) as well since 2023 (about two years).
At CCD, we have a District Manager, Watershed Specialist, Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Roads (DGLVR) Technician, Erosion & Sediment (E&S) Technician, Agriculture Conservation Technician (ACT), and an Education/Outreach Coordinator that all work together to protect Clarion County’s natural resources, especially soil and water quality. From its inception in 1938, the Clarion Conservation District’s goal has been the promotion of wise land use in agriculture and the developing community through education or technical assistance. Over the years, meeting the needs of the residents of Clarion County has expanded the role of the District into areas of water quality, erosion and sediment control, environmental education, dirt and gravel road maintenance, and nutrient management. The duties delegated by the State Conservation Commission are administered by a volunteer board of directors. The board members, a vital part of this organization, offer years of experience in agriculture, business, science, technology, education, and public policy.
The Clarion Conservation District Watershed Specialist works to assess the water quality of local streams and monitor, improve, or implement new pollution removal efforts such as abandoned mine drainage (AMD) treatment systems. The DGLVR Technician administers Clarion County’s Dirt and Gravel Road program that provides grant funding to municipalities to eliminate stream pollution caused by dust and sediment from unpaved roads. The E&S Technician reviews erosion and sediment pollution control plans, conducts site inspections, receives, answers, and services complaints, and processes permit applications pursuant to the NPDES program. E&S controls are used in instances where soil is being disturbed by development, timber harvesting, or by highway development. E&S Control Plans that are submitted to our office for review must include measures that will promote the maintenance and protection of existing water quality and its uses. The Agricultural Conservation Technician provides educational events and field days for local agriculture producers and administers Clarion County’s Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP). ACAP is a cost-share program that provides financial and technical assistance for the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) on agricultural operations within the Commonwealth to reduce nutrient loading and soil erosion impacts to local streams and rivers. The Education/Outreach Coordinator provides year-round environmental education programs for all ages throughout Clarion County and works to spread the word about the work the District does through social media, newsletters, mailings, newspaper articles, and more. The District Manager provides oversight to all district programs including administration and finances.
There are conservation districts all over the country and in every Pennsylvania county except Philadelphia. The 1930s Dust Bowl tragedy prompted a realization of the need to support grass-roots conservation efforts throughout the country. During this devastating time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) consulted with soil scientist, Hugh Hammond Bennett, seeking advice on how to mitigate the dust / soil erosion. This eventually resulted in the Standard Soil Conservation Districts Law of 1937 that enforced soil conservation practices and protections for watersheds, as well as the Conservation District Law (Act 217) of 1945 that further established local conservation districts. Conservation Districts provide education and technical services to local communities such as farmers, municipalities, landowners, contractors, teachers, etc.
Hannah’s Day-to-day
Each day is different for all of us at the Clarion Conservation District. As the Education/Outreach Coordinator & ACT, some days I am in the office, other days I am in the field assisting one of the other technicians, on a farm visit, hosting an event or program out of office, or at a school, etc. I have assisted our Watershed Specialist with water sampling and freshwater mussel surveys with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC)— a river snorkeling experience that I will never forget! Most days I work independently, but some days we all work together to put on an event or complete a project, etc.
As the Education/Outreach Coordinator, my tasks include: scoping out a trail/outdoor site, researching and planning/writing a program, preparing materials (gathering visuals/laminating, etc.), and facilitating an educational program; coordinating larger events such as our local Envirothon and Earth Day at Cook Forest event; updating our website, writing our quarterly newsletter (putting together reports/updates from other technicians), or creating a graphic for our social media or an event flyer; scheduling programs & coordinating between partners on details via phone or email, collecting and organizing registrations for programs, gathering tabling materials and ordering take-away items for outreach events, assisting with trash clean-ups or rain garden work days, etc.
As the ACT, my tasks include: planning educational events/field days for local producers (gathering speakers, ordering food, creating and sending out invitations, etc.); going on a farm visit and/or communicating with local producers to provide technical/financial options for those that need assistance implementing best management practices; coordinating ACAP: a cost-share program that provides financial assistance to producers to implement best management practices where there are resource concerns; coordinating with other agencies such as USDA-NRCS, PACD, PASA Sustainable Agriculture, the Farm Service Agency, etc.
My favorite parts of my job are having the ability to work outside and glorify God by showcasing His hand in Creation and helping others, getting to know my local community better, the responses/questions I get from audiences that portray curiosity and wonder about our natural world, working for a manager that values continued learning and professional development, how it encourages me to stay sharp on environmental knowledge, and so much more! I chose this career path because I love all things in nature, I love speaking with and meeting new people, and I could not decide on an environmental field to specialize in but rather preferred to learn about and educate others on all environmental topics.
The good certainly outweighs the bad, but there are a few challenges. Time management and not overbooking myself is a challenge that I am still working on as an Education/Outreach Coordinator. It is easy to say ‘yes’ to too many opportunities because I am passionate about what I do, but this can add stress if there are too many events going on at once. Conservation Districts often have small staff numbers and sometimes double up on positions such as how I am both the Education/Outreach Coordinator and ACT. Balancing two positions can be tricky and busy at times, of course. Also, finding a job in the area was a bit tricky, but thankfully I have a supportive husband that encouraged me to continue to pursue my dream even though it required us to move away from family.
Advice from Hannah
A few skills for success in these roles include communication, organization, passion, and a good memory. Communication as a whole is super important whether that be writing, public speaking, speaking on the phone/email, coordinating with partners and coworkers, etc. Both the Education/Outreach Coordinator and the ACT positions require me to speak with many different people of all ages. Organization is also crucial to this role as it is quite busy and has many moving pieces involved in planning all of the events/programs, etc. Enthusiasm/passion for the job and the environment is another key part as it is necessary in order to motivate community members to care and want to protect the environment as well. Having a good memory might be useful as well as you prepare and memorize information for programs, remember details for outreach events, learning community members’ names, knowing acronyms associated with this field of work, etc.
Hannah’s Favorite Plant:
Sweet Everlasting
(Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium)
Common in dry pastures, old fields, and along roadsides. The small, clustered, spherical flowerheads give off a maple syrup scent (one of my favorite foods!). I love the common name for this plant as well!
If someone is interested in pursuing a career in environmental education, I encourage them to consider conservation districts and network with various agencies to make connections and learn. Attend educational events/programs, or apply for an internship or seasonal position and learn from other educators. Perhaps take a chance and consider that you might be able to help the environment in a different way through a position you never pictured yourself having— such as being an Agriculture Conservation Technician and assisting local farmers in implementing conservation practices to protect our soil and water quality. Most importantly, don’t give up on this passion for the environment— this earth needs many hands on deck if we want to see improvements and protection for our natural resources.
Keep trying. Keep learning.
Hannah’s Interesting Fact:
Did you know? Some species of freshwater mussels create lures that mimic fish, worms, snails, or insects to attract fish to attack and they release their larvae into the fish’s gills to spread and increase mussel populations. So cool!
