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 / Archives for legislation
15
November

Gov. Wolf Signs Keystone Tree Fund Bill

11/15/2019

On November 15, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 374, which creates the Pennsylvania Keystone Tree Fund and allows citizens to make a voluntary $3 contribution by checking a box on the PennDOT driver’s license application and renewal form. The contributions will be used to fund programs within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that use trees to read more

No Comments
categories: General Interest
19
February

New Pennsylvania Farm Bill Proposal Includes $6 Million for Farm Conservation Practices

02/19/2019

On February 14, Gov. Tom Wolf joined Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding to unveil the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, a proposal to provide support for and continued investments in the state’s agriculture industry. Among other provisions, the plan includes an additional $6 million to support on-farm conservation practices and would help make Pennsylvania a leader in organic read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
25
January

Bill Reintroduced to Designate Eastern Hellbender Official State Amphibian

01/25/2019

On January 23, Sen. Gene Yaw (R–Lycoming) reintroduced legislation—Senate Bill 9—to designate the eastern hellbender the state’s official amphibian and clean water ambassador. Sen. Yaw serves as Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is one of Pennsylvania’s six representatives on the interstate Chesapeake Bay Commission. The bill read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
25
October

Land Trusts, Trail Groups, Local Governments, and Other Landowners Get New Liability Protection

10/25/2018

On October 24, 2018, Governor Wolf signed Act 98 into law. Act 98 amends the Pennsylvania Recreation Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA) to better protect from liability those who open their properties to the public for recreation without charge. Improvements to the law include: Explicitly listing paths, paved and unpaved trails, fishing and boating structures, hunting read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
16
August

Loza Testifies to House Committee on Growing Greener

08/16/2018

At the request of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, PALTA Executive Director Andy Loza (who is also a member of the Growing Greener Coalition Executive Committee) testified at an informational meeting about SB 799 on August 16. As the day’s first speaker, Loza highlighted how Growing Greener investments have made Pennsylvania a better place to live, work, read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
7
August

PA Supreme Court Orders Rehearing Based on Environmental Rights Amendment

08/07/2018

On August 3, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the Commonwealth Court to rehear a challenge to a zoning permit allowing shale gas drilling in Middlesex Township (Butler County) specifically on the grounds of whether it is consistent with that court’s Environmental Rights Amendment decision in 2017. The challenge was brought by the Delaware RiverKeeper Network, Clean Air read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
2
July

Pennsylvania General Assembly Protects Conservation Easements from Irresponsible Exercise of Eminent Domain

07/02/2018

Following votes in the Pennsylvania House (177-15) and Senate (37-12), Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 2468 into law as Act 45 of 2018 on June 24. The bill, which was introduced in early June by Representatives Warren Kampf, Kate Harper, and Marcy Toepel, establishes for conservation easements a crucial new safeguard: school districts, county and local municipal governments, and read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
21
June

July Declared Lake Appreciation Month

06/21/2018

On June 20, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives adopted HR 990 sponsored by Rep. Park Wentling (R–Crawford) to declare July Lake Appreciation Month. “Pennsylvania's landscape is home to more than 1,500 lakes, ponds and reservoirs. These lakes and ponds are critical resources to Pennsylvania's environment and quality of life, providing sources of recreation, scenic beauty read more

No Comments
categories: General Interest
22
May

New Bill Encourages Use of Native Vegetation Along Highways

05/22/2018

The House Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet on May 24 to consider House Bill 2131, which encourages PennDOT to plant native vegetation along highways. “[This legislation encourages] the Department of Transportation to plant vegetation which has been identified by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) as being native to Pennsylvania,” said read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
17
May

PEDF Asks Court to Declare Elimination of Oil and Gas Lease Fund, Recent Money Transfers Unconstitutional

05/17/2018

On May 17, the Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) filed a petition for declaratory relief in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania asking the Court to declare 2017 amendments to the fiscal code eliminating the Department of Conservation and Natural Resource's Oil and Gas Lease Fund and making and proposing $96 million in money transfers from the Fund read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
8
May

House Resolution Recognizes 125th Anniversary of State Forest and Park Systems

05/08/2018

Last week, Representative Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) introduced House Resolution 901 recognizing the 125th anniversary of Pennsylvania's state forest and state park systems. "This resolution commemorates the internationally recognized conservation efforts initiated in the Commonwealth by the General Assembly and Governor Robert Pattison in 1893, and the contributions of read more

No Comments
categories: General Interest
2
May

Coalition Unveils Common Conservation Agenda

05/02/2018

A coalition of environmental organizations held a press conference at the capitol on May 1 to unveil the Pennsylvania Common Conservation Agenda. Saleem Chapman, campaign manager for Green in ’18, explained that 25 organizations helped craft the agenda and said it is aimed at making environmental issues are a top priority for the candidates running to be Pennsylvania’s next read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
3
January

Environmental Defense Foundation Files Petition with Pennsylvania Supreme Court

01/03/2018

The group fighting to conserve Pennsylvania’s public forest and park lands asked the state’s highest court for help again today. The Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation obtained a landmark ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court six months ago. The court declared that money from the sale of natural resources such as natural gas on Pennsylvania’s public forest and read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
21
June

Supreme Court Rules for Parks

06/21/2017

A big win for parks! The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yesterday (June 20) on the Kardon Park case. The Court, in a unanimous decision, adopted the rock-solid, reasonable arguments the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and others made in defense of our parks and rejected those of the developer and municipality who seek to liquidate a portion of a park for a housing read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy
21
June

Supreme Court Rules for Conservation and Constitution

06/21/2017

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled yesterday, June 20, on Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Fund v. Commonwealth. The majority decision is a huge win for the Pennsylvania Constitution, specifically Article 1, Section 27 (the “Environmental Rights Amendment”), and conservation. At the most basic level, the Court said that the Pennsylvania Constitution means what it says: The read more

No Comments
categories: Public Policy

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

People & Projects

  • Part of Brandywine Battlefield Preserved in Westtown Township

    Part of Brandywine Battlefield Preserved in Westtown Township

    Natural Lands announced on October 26, 2020 the permanent protection of nearly 10 acres of land along the fast-developing Route …Read More »
  • Unlikely Partners BalletX and Natural Lands Make Nature Center Stage

    Unlikely Partners BalletX and Natural Lands Make Nature Center Stage

    What does it look like when the regions oldest and largest land conservation organization and Philadelphia’s Premier Contemporary Ballet Company …Read More »
  • Heritage Conservancy Sets Pioneering Example of Partnership and Preservation with Manoff Market Gardens

    Heritage Conservancy Sets Pioneering Example of Partnership and Preservation with Manoff Market Gardens

    Freda R. Savana for Heritage Conservancy It could be said that Gary and Amy Manoff have farming in their blood. …Read More »
  • Berks Nature Closes on a Conservation Easement of Olivet Blue Mountain Camp

    Berks Nature Closes on a Conservation Easement of Olivet Blue Mountain Camp

    On September 30th, 2020, Berks Nature closed on a conservation easement project in the Schuylkill River Watershed, Kittatinny Ridge and …Read More »
  • Fifteen More Acres Protected Forever!

    Fifteen More Acres Protected Forever!

      Article originally published in September 2020 by Willistown Conservation Trust. The final conservation chapter to the 15-acre Stonehedge Farm …Read More »
View more posts >>
  • 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