While we don’t want to throw rocks, we certainly have enjoyed learning this year about how they interact with water and how that relationship helps shape our landscape. Let’s take a stroll through our 2025 newsletter themes and then lace up our boots for action to keep the environmental momentum going in 2026! 

Springtime & Planting Power
In early 2025, we focused on landscaping with purpose. Native species don’t just look pretty; they’re the frontline heroes in reducing runoff, stabilizing soils, supporting pollinators, and improving water quality. We talked about how your yard (yes, YOUR yard!) is part of the big watershed puzzle. By choosing plants adapted to our soils and climate, using less fertilizer and fewer chemicals, and thinking about how rain runs off your property, you become a local environmental champion. 

 

 

Geology, Groundwater, & Stream Systems
Mid‐year we dug deep (literally!) into the relationship between geology and water. We explored how aquifers recharge, how rock types and landforms influence surface water flows, and why the shape and substance of our land matter so much for the streams, wells, and wetlands of Pike County. These stories underscore that our land and water are inseparable. What happens on the ground shapes what flows beneath and what rushes past. 

 

 

Winter Risks & Everyday Impacts
As the year progressed, we spotlighted some of those sneakier threats. Things like road‐salt accumulation, increasing impervious surfaces, and the implications of how we maintain our properties in winter. These are practices many of us do without a second thought, but when you view them through a conservation lens, they’re major levers for change. By showing how small everyday actions add up, we hope to empower you to make smarter choices that benefit the streams, woods, and aquifers. 

 

 

What It All Adds Up To
Taken together, our 2025 newsletter series is a mosaic: landscaping, geology, water, and winter stewardship all interweave. We want you to see yourself not just as a resident of Pike County, but as a guardian of its natural systems. We offer information, programs, and partnerships to support that guardian role. 

Your Next Steps
Here are some fun, doable ideas to keep the energy going into 2026: 

1. Pick a native plant mission: Choose three native species this spring (talk to us if you want suggestions!). Plant them in a key spot on your property- near your driveway, in a stormwater-runoff path, or along a stream bank. 
2. Upgrade your winter routine now: Before next winter, prepare by planning how you’ll handle snow, ice, and salting. Consider alternatives (sand, brine, improved drainage) and commit to less impervious surfaces around your home.
3. Get involved in our grant or educational programs: If you’re a teacher, youth leader, homeowner, or community group, check out our Environmental Education Grant. We can also collaborate to bring hands-on conservation into classrooms, clubs, and neighborhood groups through one of our engaging education programs.
4. Share your stories: Snap a photo of your native plant bed, your improved drainage fix, or your “walk and observe” moment and tag us or bring it by our office. We’d love to hear about what you’re doing and potentially highlight your work as part of our PCCD community. 

This coming year, PCCD is excited to continue implementing our 2025 Strategic Plan. Expect to see a fresh take on our website, newsletter, and education and outreach programs as we dig into our 70th year. We’re especially thrilled to announce our 2026 education theme: “Roots of Yesterday, Seeds of Tomorrow.” Together, we’ll honor the deep roots that brought us here while sowing the seeds of a brighter, more vibrant future. We invite you to continue to grow with us into a bolder, more hopeful future, making every patch of land and every drop of water count for the health of Pike County.  

With enthusiasm and boots on the ground,
Your friends at PCCD