Ironmaster's Mansion Hostel closes October 31, 2016 for individual overnights.
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Please consider a donation of any amount
to help us continue our critical conservation efforts.
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October 2016 CPC E-News
News about CPC's projects and events
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Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute (GLLI) and "Headwaters to Bay" Highlights
CPC's July 2016 GLLI
was a great success this year. The effective collaboration between our program partners--
PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources/Pine Grove Furnace State Park,
Chesapeake Bay Foundation,
Cumberland County Conservation District, and Yellow Breeches Education Center--gave students a range of perspectives and experiences through leadership training and team-building, volunteer service projects, and hands-on learning about the environment and our region's role within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Some of the highlights of this action-filled week included a trip to the Diakon Wilderness Center for high and low ropes courses, the Letort Spring Run invasive species removal and native planting, a kayak tour of Laurel Lake, a tour of the Garman dairy farm, and, for the first time ever, a trip to the Phillip Merrill Environmental Center on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD. This trip was possible because of o
ur new partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
(CBF).
Lane Whigham, CBF's Student Leadership Project Coordinator, remarks that CBF is looking forward to continuing to work with the GLLI to identify and educate future leaders to advocate for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Olivia Termini, a student at Dickinson College who worked with the program as a counselor and serves as CPC's intern through the school year, comments, "the
most valuable part of my participation was to see the kids' realization that what they were doing upstream on the Letort headwaters could affect the Bay downstream. At the Bay, they were able to piece together the idea of ecological interconnections. This is a very important concept to understand so early in their lives and will help them become lifelong stewards of the environment."
At the Bay, students participated in a work program at the Oyster Restoration Center, shoveling several tons of shells into large flats, shaking oysters clean of debris, and then touring the Center to understand how the cleaned shells would be used to grow native oysters through aquaculture and restored to the Bay by re-establishing oyster reefs. Students learned that oysters
are vital to improving water quality as they naturally
filter algae, sediment, and other pollutants, and their current population is only 1% of historic levels.
Students not only learn about the environment, but learn the value and importance of building friendships between students from different schools and backgrounds and giving back to their community. Michael Brant, a sophomore from Carlisle Christian Academy says, "I would highly recommend this camp to teenagers who want to learn about the environment; it gives you a picture of how drastically our actions can harm our ecosystem. Aside from learning about environmental science, at this camp you get to meet many different people and have the chance to become friends with people you otherwise may have never met."
Because of the leadership, team-building, and stewardship values imparted to students throughout the week, a strong bond developed among students and staff that we hope will stay with them as they pursue similar opportunities and challenges in their lives. Several parents mentioned that this program is a unique summer enrichment opportunity for 8th and 9th graders.
The Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute is generously supported by grants from the Chris Thorpe Foundation, the Katie Svitek Memorial Foundation, and the Friends of Pine Grove Furance State Park. We aim to continue the program each year with the help of these partners. The in-kind support provided by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation added significant value and made for a very successful program. The Central Pa Conservancy would like to th
ank these sponsors for their support and is looking forward to continuing to offer this unique summer program.
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CPC Hosts Letort Spring Run Site Tour for Community Leaders and Elected Officials
The Central PA Conservancy hosted a guided tour of the Letort Spring Run Headwaters Acquisition site on Friday, September 16th. The event brought together 30 of our region's elected officials, community leaders, and partners to demonstrate the significance of protecting this property through acquisition and restoration.
These notable members and employees of our community learned how the Central PA Conservancy plans to partner with other organizations to preserve the headwaters of one of PA's most unique limestone streams, its surrounding wetlands, recreational assets, and its historical legacy. They learned about the anthropogenic factors like industry, agriculture, and infrastructure that pollute the Letort from stormwater runoff. The pollution prevents sustainable spawning of wild brown trout as well as prevents the stream from maintaining optimal health.
Upon acquisition, CPC explained that they will work to restore the optimal health and function of the wetland, meadow, and stream complex. This will help prevent flooding, improve water quality, and provide better habitat for wetland flora and fauna. One representative of Cumberland Valley Trout Unlimited (CVTU) discussed Carlisle's rich history, particularly how in the 1950's and 60's fly fishing legends like Charlie Fox and Vince Marinaro made the stream famous by developing new techniques and writing about the idyllic conditions for wild trout to flourish. The history of this property enhances Carlisle's value at a destination for tourism, which builds community cohesiveness. The site also offers a place to educate our youth and offer citizens a break from structured lifestyles.
This event helped to raise consciousness about the property and its significance to the state and the Carlisle community. CPC is anxious to acquire the property and has already begun plans for restoration. The project depends now on an approval of grant proposals submitted to both the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The CPC has secured a local match of $70,000 toward this project from a grant awarded by Cumberland County and private fundraising. We hope to have further news on the pending acquisition by the end of 2016!
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CPC to host
Your Family's Forest Legacy at 'Mountain Pines'
The Central Pa Conservancy will be hosting a special tour and lunch at the Parrish family's 'Mountain Pines' on Friday, October 21st from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The goal of this gathering is to educate landowners on what options they have to conserve their land to promote wildlife habitat and forest stewardship.
Landowner Josh Parrish, who recorded an easement on his property held by CPC, will guide participants on a walking tour of this beautiful 146-acre property to illustrate the best practices that rehabilitated the forest to promote habitat health. Following the tour, there will be a lunch and forum focused on ways to protect valuable woodland for future generations through conservation easements.
It is not too late to register for this FREE event. If you would like to RSVP or have questions feel free to c
all Ben Mummert or Anna Yelk at the CPC Of
fice at (717) 241-4360 or email Ben at bmummert@centralpaconservancy.org.
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Growing Greener III Leglislation to Support Land Protec
tion
Senator Tom Killion (R-Delaware) and the Pennsylvania Growing Greener Coalition recently introduced S.B. 1374 on September 28th, a bipartisan legislation that creates a Growing Greener III program and provides $315 million in annual investments to protect Pennsylvania's water, land and other natural resources.
Killion, with co sponsors,
Richard Alloway (R-Adams),
David Argall (R-Schuylkill), John Blake (D-Lackawanna), Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh), Thomas McGarrigle (R-Delaware), Chuck McIhinney (R-Bucks), John Gordner (R-Columbia), Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery), Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Rob Teplitz (D-Dauphin), Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny) and John Yudichak (D-Carbon), collaborated to create a
framework to increase funding for Pennsylvania's parks, farms, waterways, and open space. Both political parties understand the importance of conservation. Conserving Pennsylvania's environmental assets also supports the state's economic well being and health.
Pennsylvania is known all over the country for its open spaces, forests, and streams. We have the second largest amount of streams nationally, behind Alaska. This draws tourism to the state and creates recreational opportunities for our residents like hunting, fishing, bird watching, swimming, running, and walking. Access to open space and forestry provide citizens access to clean air and clean water.
The new plan works to provide more funding to aid protection and promotion of open space, clean water, natural areas, wildlife habitats, parks, historic sites, forests, and farms.
To look at the whole copy of the Growing Greener Plan
III click
here.
Pennsylvania's current Growing Greener program was established in 1999. The program has funded hundreds of local parks and trail projects, conserved more than 50,000 acres of threatened open space, and restored hundreds of miles of streams and waterways. Additionally, the program protects over 78,000 acres of farmland, restored more than 1,600 acres of abandoned mine land, and helped reduce flooding and water pollution through 400 watershed protection projects and more than 100 drinking and wastewater treatment improvements. Central Pennsylvania stands to benefit from continued funding for land protection efforts in our region.
The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy proudly supports the newly introduced Growing Greener III legislation and encourages our members and supporters to express their support to their local legislators.
For more information about the Coalition's efforts, visit their website
here and
press release from last month.
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Upcoming Partner Events
- The Nature Conservancy's Weekly Wednesday Walks
- Where: Tannersville Cranberry Bog in Tannersville, Pa
- When: Every Wednesday Spring through Fall at 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- To register: Contact the Kettle Creek Environmental Education center at (570) 629-3061
- Price: $4.00 for Nature Conservancy members, $6.00 for non-members
- Fall Furnace Fest 2016
- Where: Pine Grove Furance State Park
- When: Saturday, October 15th 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 16th from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Price: Free Admission
- Ironmaster's Mansion will host a gourd craft for children and history tours on both days at 1, 2, and 3 p.m.
- Appalachian Audubon Society Birdseed and Feeder Sale
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Where: Camp Hill Shopping Center (next to Boscov's in Camp Hill, PA)
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When: Friday, October 14th from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday October 15th 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Art in the Wild Exhibit
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