NEWS RELEASE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gretchen Leslie
DCNR Press Secretary
(717) 772-9101
GOV. SCHWEIKER ANNOUNCES $4.3 MILLION TO PROTECT OPEN SPACE AND CRITICAL HABITAT AREAS
HARRISBURG (April 4, 2002) — Gov. Mark Schweiker today announced 19 grants totaling $4.35 million to help protect more than 2,900 acres of critical habitat and open space across Pennsylvania.
“The loss of open space is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing us this century,” Gov. Schweiker said. “When we lose our green spaces, we lose a part of our natural heritage.
“These grants help save critical natural areas where the need for protection is immediate. Many of the grants help protect our watersheds, which supply us with drinking water, natural beauty and recreation. Others help provide much-needed open space in an already crowded suburban environment.”
The two largest grants—$750,000 each—will help the Willistown Conservation Trust and the Natural Lands Trust acquire 55 and 117 acres, respectively, in Chester County.
The Land Trust grants are part of the Schweiker Administration’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The program helps communities and nonprofit organizations conserve natural and cultural resources; provide outdoor recreation; enhance tourism; and foster community and economic development.
In addition to open space protection, grants are awarded for community recreation, greenways and trails, rivers conservation, and heritage tourism.
Since the Land Trust Grant program began in 1995, more than $35 million in funding has been approved to assist with acquisition of almost 45,000 acres.
“Growing Greener” funds supplement the existing revenue source for the Land Trust Grant program
provided by the Keystone Park, Recreation and Conservation Fund.
More information on the Community Conservation Partnerships Program is available through the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword, “DCNR grants.”
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2002
EDITOR’S NOTE: Attached is a list of grant recipients, listed by county.
2002 LAND TRUST GRANTS
Allegheny County
Allegheny Land Trust, $260,000, to acquire 34 acres adjacent to Sewickley Heights Park along Fern Hollow Road in Sewickley Heights for natural area protection and recreational trails;
Armstrong County
Armstrong County Conservancy, $30,000, to acquire about 98 acres in West Franklin and Sugar Creek townships along Buffalo Creek for preservation of natural areas;
Bucks County
Heritage Conservancy, $31,000, to acquire a conservation easement of 16 acres on Rich Hill Road in Richland Township known as the Matz Property for wetland and natural habitat preservation;
Chester County
Natural Lands Trust Inc., $750,000, to acquire 117 acres adjacent to Willisbrook Preserve on Township Line Road in Willistown Township known as the Sugartown Barrens for natural area protection and recreation; and $298,000, to acquire 37 acres along Penn Green Road in New Garden Township for natural areas and greenways;
Pennsbury Land Trust, $190,000, to acquire a conservation easement on approximately 76 acres off Cossart Road in Pennsbury Township for open space and natural areas preservation;
The Wallace Trust, $100,000, to acquire 22 acres on Fairview Road in Wallace Township for natural area preservation;
Willistown Conservation Trust, $750,000, to acquire 55 acres along Upper Ridley Creek and Strasburg Road in East Goshen Township known as the Ashbridge Preserve for greenway development;
Cumberland County
The Appalachian Trail Conference, $99,000, to acquire 176 acres off Whiskey Springs Road in South Middleton Township for natural habitat and watershed protection;
Dauphin County
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, $74,000, to acquire 80 acres off Parkway West on Blue Mountain in Lower Paxton Township for natural areas and trails;
Monroe County
Pocono Heritage Land Trust, $100,000, to acquire land or easement on two properties totaling about 95 acres along Cherry Valley Road and Cherry Creek in Hamilton Township for natural areas;
Montgomery County
Natural Lands Trust Inc., $145,000, to acquire a conservation easement on 129 acres along Swamp Creek Road in Marlborough Township for open space and natural resource preservation;
Perry County
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, $89,000, to acquire 79 acres on Millers Gap Road in Rye Township for open space and natural habitat protection;
Pike County
Delaware Highlands Conservancy, $450,000, to acquire three parcels totaling 771 acres in Lackawaxen Township on PA 590 and Blooming Grove Township on PA 390 for preservation of natural areas and greenways;
Somerset County
Somerset County Conservancy, $7,500, to develop a Conservation Plan for the 260-acre Kimberly Run Preserve in Somerset Township;
Sullivan County
Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy, $375,000, to acquire 244 acres near Lake Mokoma in Laporte Township for natural areas and watershed protection;
Wayne County
Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation, $150,000, to acquire 19 acres along Lake Wallenpaupack in Paupack Township adjacent to Lacawac Sanctuary for woodland and habitat protection;
Natural Lands Trust Inc., $250,000, to acquire a conservation easement on 542 acres north of Interstate 84 in Paupack Township to protect natural lakes and wetlands; and
Westmoreland County
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, $205,000, to acquire approximately 390 acres along Gray Station Road in Derry Township to protect the natural areas of Chestnut Ridge.
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