Conserveland

Contact Us | Get Updates

Welcome to Conserveland.org
  • Login
  • Create Account
  • About
    • Vision & Mission
    • Background
    • Board of Directors
    • Policy Advisory Committee
    • Member Organizations
    • Milestones
    • Public Policy Accomplishments
    • Bylaws
    • Program Reports
    • Staff
  • Conservation Basics
  • Stories
    • Success Story Map
    • In Their Own Words
    • Stories of Land and People
    • Video
    • Conservation Champions
    • More Stories
  • Jobs
    • Job Board
    • Submit A Job Listing
  • Training
    • 2020 Western PA Summit
    • Trailability: DEI and Access on Recreational Trails in PA
    • 2020 Trail Workshops
    • 2020 WeConservePA Webinars
    • 2020 EAC Network Conference
    • Past Conferences
    • Mentorship Program
  • News
    • Archive
    • Newsletters
  • Support
    • Donate Online
    • Donate by Check
    • Gifford Pinchot Society
    • Planned Giving and Stock Donations
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • AmazonSmile
    • Donate Your Vehicle
You are here: Home / Conservation Projects / Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and The Nature Conservancy Protect 2,400 Acres
7
June

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and The Nature Conservancy Protect 2,400 Acres

06/07/2018

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and The Nature Conservancy announced today that the two will protect over 2,400 acres of Sanctuary forestland for generations to come.

“Hawk Mountain sits on the Kittatinny Ridge, a globally significant migration super highway. Our goal is to protect this international flyway and to guarantee that our refuge for raptors—and the people who enjoy it—stays forever wild,” said Hawk Mountain President Sean Grace.

Over the course of three years, the two conservation leaders implemented a creative approach to conserve the Sanctuary, including placing the majority of its landholdings in a perpetual conservation easement.

“Hawk Mountain has always considered this approach, and The Nature Conservancy presented us a tremendous opportunity through its Working Woodlands program,” Grace explained.

An attractive feature was the chance to collaborate on a broad-based forest management plan that emphasizes the best and highest ecological forest functions, and brings to the Sanctuary forest expertise that it otherwise would not have.

Bill Kunze, executive director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, called the partnership a win-win for conservation. “Our work to preserve the Kittatinny Ridge is easier when Hawk Mountain leads by example. Not only does Hawk Mountain benefit, but so do other organizations. We’ve already co-hosted with Hawk Mountain a two-day workshop that connected the best minds in key forest management issues, such as deer over-browsing and invasive plant management.”

The project works thanks to a carbon inventory and the sale of carbon credits. This, in turn, helps to fund the conservation easement and provide the ongoing input from experts in the field. According to Kunze, eligible landowners like Hawk Mountain earn revenue through carbon credits, and as forest management practices improve, income may increase over time.

“The net result is better-managed forest, more carbon sequestered, and greater incentive to protect land over the long-term,” said Kunze.

The ultimate goal is to serve as a leader in land conservation, and a model for other organizations and private landowners.

“Hawk Mountain and The Nature Conservancy has done a tremendous job today in this project to not only protect land, but also to still allow recreation and nature tourism,” says Sara Nicholas, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources policy director.

“It’s amazing what two organizations can accomplish when they partner at the highest level,” said Grace. “Hawk Mountain and The Nature Conservancy benefit, and so does wildlife.”

Filed Under: Conservation Projects Tagged With: forestry, wildlife, conservation easement

No Comments
categories: Conservation Projects

Categories

  • General Interest
  • Conservation Organization
  • Conservation Learning
  • Bigger Picture
  • Funding
  • Public Policy
  • Conservation Resources
  • PALTA News
  • Uncategorized
  • Conservation Projects
  • Conservation People
  • Items of Interest

Archives

  • Conserved Properties for Sale
  • Conservation Easement Assistance Program
Get The Latest News

WeConservePA envisions future generations enjoying—undiminished—Pennsylvania’s natural areas and open spaces.

Thank you to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for supporting the Association’s conservation efforts.

© 2023 · Pennsylvania Land Trust Association