Photo: Dorothy Campagna

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the Fund preserves the state's historic areas and threatened landscapes—from Gettysburg National Military Park to the shores of Lake Erie. With a record of nearly 85,000 acres protected in Pennsylvania since 1985, the Fund seeks solutions that blend environmental protection and economic development.

 

Recent Projects

Gettysburg National Military Park

Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

In 2011, the Fund helped the National Park Service acquire a 95-acre property, historically known as the Harman Farm, that was the site of significant fighting during the first day of the battle. The National Park Service had tried for nearly 20 years to acquire the property—the second-largest privately held parcel inside the boundaries of the park—for preservation purposes. Earlier this year, the Fund successfully purchased the 95-acre site and subsequently conveyed it to the National Park Service for inclusion in Gettysburg National Military Park. This protected land had been the location of the former Gettysburg Country Club, which had a 9-hole golf course, swimming pool and tennis courts. The National Park Service intends to restore the landscape to its historic 1863 setting. Read more about our work at Gettysburg >>

 

Lackawanna State Forest

Lackawanna State Forest, PennsylvaniaIn northeast Pennsylvania, Lackawanna State Forest shelters wildlife and gives communities clean water and colorful places to hike, hunt, fish and paddle. In the fall of 2010, we worked with public and private partners to acquire a 2,650-acre tract of land that we will transfer to DCNR as a permanent addition to the forest, expanding it to more than 30,000 acres. Read more about this project or click here for the press release.

 

 

Michaux State Forest

The 2,500-acre expanse of forest, streams and open fields known as Tree Farm #1 provides Adams County residents with clean water and places to hike, fish and hunt. Just over an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., this critical property was once a prime target for development. When the land went up for sale, concerned residents and local organizations needed to quickly raise funds to protect it. We provided bridge financing for the purchase and are now working with the Land Conservancy of Adams County, U.S. Forest Service, Adams County, The Nature Conservancy and other partners to raise full funding. We will then add the property to Michaux State Forest, to be managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for everyone to use and enjoy. The Richard King Mellon Foundation has provided key support for this effort.

For more details click here.

Past Projects

Panoramic view of Bald Eagle Mountain, PennsylvaniaPanoramic view of Bald Eagle Mountain. Photo: Ruhrfisch/Wikimedia

Bald Eagle Mountain

Bald Eagle Mountain, a forested ridge near State College, is one of the best sites in the eastern United States for viewing the migration of the golden eagle. Protected by the Fund in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation, and the Game Commission, the 2,510-acre area adjoins Bald Eagle State Park and also offers prime habitat for deer, bear, and wild turkey.


 

Brandywine Battlefield

Brandywine Battlefield, PennsylvaniaOn September 11, 1777, American and British troops clashed outside Philadelphia in one of the Revolutionary War's biggest battles. Most of the action took place on roughly 100 acres near the Brandywine River. Read about the history of this land and our efforts to save the last unprotected piece of the battlefield. 

Read the story >>

 

 


Pennsylvania State Gamelands

Rolling grasslands, endless mountains, and water-carved ravines characterize the diverse landscape of Pennsylvania’s gamelands. Working with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Fund acquired more than 1,000 acres of gamelands in Huntingdon County, in the central part of the state, to support diverse wildlife populations and recreation activities.


Sproul State Forest

Six world-class trout streams, outstanding scenic views, productive timberlands, and popular recreation areas are now part of the Sproul State Forest because of the acquisition of an 11,900-acre inholding. With assistance from the Fund, the Richard King Mellon Foundation worked with Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to provide matching monies for this forestland purchase, one of the largest in the state’s history.


Read about the following projects in detail:

Civil War Battlefield Conservation in Pennsylvania

The Conservation Fund's Civil War Battlefield Campaign works in partnerships to protect our nation's hallowed ground, to provide comprehensive information on the 384 principal Civil War battlefields, designated by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission, and to honor those that fought and died in the war.   Read more>

Lackawanna State Forest, PA

In the fall of 2010, we worked with a group of partners to expand Lackawanna State Forest to more than 30,000 acres. The 2,650-acre addition had been slated for development, but the community wanted it saved.   Read more>

Michaux State Forest

Working for two years, we added the Tree Farm #1, or Mount Hope, property–from Glatfelter Pulp Wood Company to the Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania.   Read more>

Protecting Forever Our Fields of Honor

Patrick F. Noonan, Chairman Emeritus, The Conservation Fund, shares his thoughts on saving the land for Flight 93 on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  Read more>

Schuylkill River Initiative

In 1996, the Schuylkill River Watershed Initiative was formed to increase communication and collaboration among nonprofit organizations and to promote a long-term vision for the watershed.

  Read more>

State Game Lands 93: Honoring the Heroes of Flight 93

The Fund and its partners are ensuring that these lands are preserved in solemn tribute to the 40 brave Americans who lost their lives near rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.  Read more>
Scorecard: Mid-Atlantic
Acres Protected: 356,960
Fair Market Value: $801,144,286
Acquisition Cost: $625,048,482
Single Frog.

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In 2007, the PA Wilds Team attended the National Balancing Nature and Commerce Course offered by our Conservation Leadership Network and then held a regional place-based workshop. The result? A snowball effect of change and progress that is nothing short of impressive! Watch and learn more:

 

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Land Trust Loan Program

Connecticut River Valley

The Conservation Fund has made more than 150 loans to nearly 100 local land trusts since 1993. More than 1,700 local and regional land trusts protect open space, historic lands and the quality of life in their communities. Click here to learn more about our Land Trust Loan Program.

Forestry

North Coast Forest

Over the next two decades as many as 20 million acres of America's forests will go up for sale. Even as our effort to protect forest land continues, we face an enormous challenge. That’s why we’ve launched creative new efforts to help save these treasured landscapes.

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What Is Green Infrastructure?

Green Infrastructure Illustration
We need green infrastructure to balance the gray. The term "green infrastructure" has been used to refer to everything from green roofs to more ecologically friendly stormwater management systems. But what is it really?

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