Protected open spaces provide substantial economic, environmental, and health benefits to surrounding communities, but these benefits are often overlooked or undervalued in policy debates and investment decisions. A better understanding of these benefits can demonstrate how protected open space contributes to economic development and fiscal stability and can reverse the common read more
10
June
3
June
LCAC Preserves 142-Acre Farm Near Gettysburg Battlefield
Ask Barb Wolf about farming, and she goes directly to the heart of the matter: “It’s what we do, and who we are.” The Wolf family has been farming their 142 acres in Cumberland Township for 98 years, and three generations. Phil and Barb are full-time farmers, and they can’t imagine a future in which their hay and wheat fields are paved over to make room for a housing read more
28
May
New PALTA Tool for Review: Find a Trail Group
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has published for public review and feedback the beta version of a tool for finding trail groups across Pennsylvania. The map-based tool allows users to search for groups by county or identify the groups associated with a specific trail. It also allows users to search by trail type and other criteria. The tool’s purpose is to help people read more
18
May
PALTA Honors Stroud Township with Local Government Conservation Leadership Award
On Saturday, the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA) honored Stroud Township with the 2019 Government Conservation Leadership Award. Representatives from the township received the award at the annual Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference, held this year at Skytop Lodge. Many Pennsylvania municipalities are blessed with significant land and water resources. But read more
17
May
PALTA Honors Troy Firth with Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award
On May 17, the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA) honored Troy Firth with the 2019 Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award. Firth received the award at the annual Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference, held this year at Skytop Lodge. For over 45 years, Troy Firth has set himself apart as a responsible and thoughtful pioneer in sustainable forestry. Since 1971, read more
16
May
Brandywine-Christina Watershed Partners Roundtable
On May 10, 2019, regional transportation groups and the Brandywine-Christina Watershed Partners met for a lively roundtable discussion regarding roads and stormwater runoff. Key stakeholders, including state and local government, highway departments and regional transportation groups within the watershed, joined the conversation to address their shared concerns read more
13
May
New Laurel Highlands Study Documents $3.7 Billion in Annual Ecosystem Service Benefits
The steering committee of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape will host public meetings on May 14, 15, and 16 to present the results of the Value of Clean Water study examining the costs and benefits of land use choices in the Laurel Highlands Region. The study estimates the value of ecosystem services in the region, including nutrient and water regulation, water read more
8
May
PALTA Publishes New Stormwater-Management Guide; Updates Other Guides
The most effective tools to reduce the water pollution and flooding caused by stormwater runoff are green infrastructure, land conservation, and best management practices on farms. PALTA’s new three-page guide Working with Nature to Manage Stormwater serves as a gateway to the wealth of web resources that explore these tools. Guides Updated PALTA has updated and revised 10 of read more
8
May
6.04(a) of Model Conservation Easement Updated…Again
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association added six words to §6.04(a) of the Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants to clarify the provision’s intent. Users are encouraged to adopt this change immediately. The revised subsection reads as follows (revisions in red): Notice to Holder. Before Owners begin or allow a Subdivision, Improvement, activity, or read more
6
May
Land Conservancy of Adams County Preserves 17 Acres of Woodland
The Land Conservancy of Adams County's (LCAC) most recent acquisition preserved 17 acres of woodland in Huntington Township, but is part of a much larger project. The wooded easement donated to LCAC by the Sauble and Weaver families is surrounded on both sides by farmland that was simultaneously preserved through the Adams County Farmland Preservation Program. The county's read more
6
May
Wildlands Adds 35 Acres to Thomas Darling Preserve
At the end of April, Wildlands Conservancy acquired an additional 35-acre parcel of land in Tobyhanna Township that has expanded the organization's Thomas Darling Pocono Preserve to over 1,400 acres. The recent acquisition adjoins the 72-acre property Wildlands protected in 2017, which tied together neighboring existing natural areas and helped advance planned public access to read more
1
May
Land Trust Accreditation Commission Extends Accreditation Term
On May 1, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission announced that it has extended the accreditation term from five to seven years. The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has long advocated for an extension of the accreditation term. Per the Commission's new rules, the accreditation term will still begin at five years, but will extend to seven years at an accredited land read more
30
April
Pennsylvania Senate Confirms Dunn for DCNR Secretary, Redding as Agriculture Secretary
On April 30, the Senate voted to reconfirm Cindy Adams Dunn as secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Russell Redding as secretary of Agriculture. Cindy Adams Dunn Dunn has led DCNR since she was nominated as Acting Secretary in January 2015 and was later confirmed by the Senate. She returned to the agency where she worked under three read more
29
April
PEC to Honor Morrison and Harper
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council will hold its 49th Environmental Partnership dinner on June 13 to recognize Molly Morrison and Kate Harper with the Curtin Winsor Award, which honors their accomplishments as conservation leaders in Pennsylvania. Molly Morrison Morrison has been described as “a force of and for nature.” Morrison has built a remarkable conservation read more
26
April
Countryside Conservancy Introduces White Rock Farm Preserve
Countryside Conservancy is thrilled to introduce the White Rock Farm Preserve, the Conservancy's newest and—at 107 acres—largest preserve to date. Located in Dimock Township, it's also the Conservancy's first preserve in Susquehanna County. The Conservancy owns and manages an additional 510 acres in Lackawanna and Wyoming counties, the majority of which is open to the public read more
