Two New Conservation Easements
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy recently announced the acquisition of two new conservation easements. One of the properties encompasses 176 acres of land situated in Juniata County. The other property is located west of Carlisle, covering 54 acres of land directly next to 56 acres that the Conservancy protected in 2013.
The easement on the Juniata County property (which is located near the Susquehanna River and state game lands), was donated by landowner Helen Michaels. This generous 176 acre donation includes a contribution to the Conservancy’s stewardship endowment fund. The property easement was donated in memory of Michaels’ late husband, Lou, who had formed a deep connection to the land. During their residency on the property, he spent much of his time hunting the land and appreciating the beauty of the Juniata County landscape. Because the conservation easement prevents this land from being subdivided or the surrounding forests from being depleted, it ensures that the beauty and connection that Lou had with the land may be appreciated by future generations and that the unique conservation values of the property are supported in perpetuity.
Preserving Strategic Kittatinny Ridge Property
In December, CPC received a $95,000 C2P2 grant from DCNR for the purchase of a strategic property for conservation in Cumberland County.
The property is sandwiched between two state game lands tracts, and its protection and transfer to Pennsylvania Game Commission will connect the formerly divided tracts and offer the only way for sportsmen to access the 210-acre northern tract of game lands. The northern property boundary is adjacent to the Tuscarora Trail, which will be re-aligned to the ridge after the acquisition.
This parcel is a top priority parcel for protection in the Kittatinny Coalition’s prioritization initiative for the Kittatinny landscape. The assessment estimated that more and 200,000 acres of the 185-mile Kittatinny Ridge corridor in Pennsylvania is still unprotected, presenting risks of fragmentation, development, and mismanagement of this globally-important corridor for migratory bird species and other wildlife. The Conservancy congratulates landowner Jeff Davis for committing to the sale of this unique property for conservation purposes, and aims to continue its outreach work to additional landowners within this landscape to connect them to good stewardship programs and provide options for protection.
