CONSERVING AND PRESERVING A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LANDSCAPE The Highlands.

CONSERVING AND PRESERVING A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LANDSCAPE

The Highlands

What are the PA Highlands?

A modern-day frontier between rural Appalachian mountains and the increasingly urban mid-Atlantic Coastline.

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Highlands Coalition | www.highlandscoalition.org

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What are the PA Highlands?

The Highlands are where we play and get our drinking water. They’re where we live and work. Where we grow our food. They’re the special places we want to protect. It’s a place that gives us the things we need for survival and prosperity.

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By the Numbers

1.4 million acres federally recognized / 1.98 million acres total

<8% or about 150,000 acres protected 12 state parks and 2 state forests 13 counties & 200 municipalities 223,000 acres of preserved farmland (2064 farms) 95 miles of class A trout streams 150 species of special concern 11 conservation landscapes and 33 critical treasures

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Who is the Highlands Coalition?

A group of organizations and individuals dedicated to protecting the valuable resources of the Highlands

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Appalachian Mountain Club Audubon Pennsylvania Berks County Conservancy The Brandywine Conservancy Conservation Fund Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage

Corridor Farm and Lands Trust of York County Green Valleys Association Heritage Conservancy Highlands Environmental Research

Institute Keystone Conservation Trust Lancaster County Conservancy Land Conservancy of Adams County Lebanon County Conservation District Lebanon Valley Conservancy Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Montgomery County Lands Trust Natural Lands Trust Pennsylvania Environmental Council Pennsylvania Game Commission Pa Dept. of Conservation and Nat.

Resources South Central Assembly for Effective

Governance The Trust for Public Land The Wilderness Society Wildlands Conservancy

What do we have here?

Abundant wildlife (birds, bears, trout, turtles)Some of the most fertile farmland in the United

StatesMigration route for migratory song birdsHiking, biking, canoeing, climbing, hunting, fishing

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Who lives here?

People who work the land People who live in cities, boroughs, towns, and villages Commuters to Harrisburg, Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem,

and Philadelphia Outdoor recreationists Birthplace to writers, poets, actors, inventors, scholars,

artists, and statesmen People who work at Fortune 500 companies Families and communities who care deeply about the

environment

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Historical timeline

Farming for food and fiber, forests for building

materials, streams for mills, water and food

Increasingly industrialized, where 50 forges and

furnaces helped fight wars, build skyscrapers and

bridges

1990 NJ/NY study launched, 1992 USFS

report released

2002 USFS NY/NJ study update

released, 2004 HCA passed, 2008 USFS

PA/CT study released

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Where are our valuable resources?


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Highlands Coalition | www.highlandscoalition.org 11

What do our communities think?

• US Forest Survey study identified priority areas by asking folks what areas were most important to them

• Social study data reinforces community value with ecological value.


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Conservation Atlas Landscapes

Northampton Highlands,

Northampton/ Bucks

21,482 Acres

288 Protected

South Mountain,

Lehigh/ Northampton

59,20 Acres

58 Protected

Oley Hills,

Berks County

27, 500 Acres

687 Protected

Unami Hills,

Montgomery/ Bucks

22,867Acres

2,939 Protected

Welsh Mountain,

Lancaster/ Chester

7,369 Acres

342 Protected

Furnace Hills,

Lebanon/ Lancaster

30,985 Acres

13,369 Protected

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Conservation Atlas Landscapes

Sand Hills,

Dauphin County

8,052 Acres

423 Protected

Conewago Mountains,

York County

27,793 Acres

3,684 Protected

Whiskey Springs Uplands,

Cumberland/ York

12,716 Acres

720 Protected

South Mountain Faces,

Adams County

9,308 Acres

0 Protected

Big Woods,

Berks/ Chester

73,000 Acres

14,800 Protected

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LOSS OF FARMLAND, WILDLIFE HABITAT & OPEN SPACE

MORE HOMES, LARGER LOTS, FEWER PEOPLE PER HOME, MORE CARS AND ROADS

COMPROMISED WATER QUALITY AND INCREASED FLOODING EVENTS

Why worry now?


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By the Numbers

Mostly agricultural region – 48% of land area Forests (32%) are mostly on the higher elevations More land lost in last twenty years than since colonial settlement 16% developed 15,000 acres (7.4%) of new development from 1992 – 2001, mostly

coming from agricultural lands Likely another 42,600 acres of new development Estimated loss of 57,000 acres of agricultural land Between 1970 and 2000, Montgomery County developed 30% of its

land, losing 91,000 acres of farmland and open space

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Elk

Tioga

Erie

York

Potter

Centre

Berks

Butler

Bradford

PikeLycoming

Bedford

Clinton

MckeanWarren

Clearfield

Blair

Crawford

Indiana

Somerset

Luzerne

Wayne

Fayette

PerryBucks

Lancaster

Mercer

FranklinChester

Clarion

Schuylkill

Cambria

Monroe

Huntingdon

Greene

Venango

Allegheny

Adams

Washington

Westmoreland

Jefferson

Mifflin

Fulton

Forest

Dauphin

Armstrong

Beaver

Susquehanna

Sullivan

Juniata

Union Carbon

Lehigh

Columbia

Snyder

Cumberland

Wyoming

Cameron

Lebanon

Montgomery

Lawrence

Lackawanna

NorthumberlandNorthampton

Delaware

Montour

Philadelphia

-10% to 0%

0% to 5%

5% to 10%

10% to 15%

> 15%

Regional Boundaries

Population change 1990-200017


Composite CVA and Risk


19Highlands Coalition | www.highlandscoalition.org

Wildlife

THE HIGHLANDS IS HOME TO MANY UNIQUE PLANTS AND ANIMALS, PROTECTING THEM IS

IMPORTANT AND WILL IMPROVE OUR HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

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By conserving wildlife habitats, our children and grandchildren can enjoy nature

There are abundant rivers and streams in the Highlands and many are “exceptional value” because of their clean waters.

The Highlands host more than 14 million recreational visits each year, enabling many families to experience nature and wildlife near their own communities.

There are over 100 miles of trails in the PA Highlands.

Conserving the Highlands protects the water and air and keeps wildlife healthy. Plants and animals and people need clean water from rivers and lakes to survive.

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Bad development threatens places where people & wildlife live

The Highlands are home to over 100 plants and 50 animals listed as endangered, threatened, or species of concern.

Wild animals need unbroken forests and meadows to live.

subdivisions break up land into smaller, dislocated pieces.

Subdivisions are normally far from where people work - ADDED

poorly-planned development now consumes land faster than population growth in PA.

Poor development causes people to spend more on gas and makes people rely on their automobiles

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Conserving wildlife habitat keeps our air and water clean

Trees and plants absorb air pollutants, helping to keep our air clean.

Forests stop erosion, filter pollutants from our water, and reduce flooding.

Polluted run-off is the largest source of water pollution.

Plants filter the pollutants in storm water run-off from farms, roads, and backyards helping keep the water clean for the 25 million-plus people who get drinking water from the Highlands.

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NAI / IBA map24


NATURAL AREAS OFFER SCENIC BEAUTY AND PROVIDE VITAL SERVICES TO COMMUNITIES

Natural Areas25


Natural areas preserve the scenic beauty of the Highlands.

Residents value the scenic vistas in the Highlands.

Natural beauty and scenery are the most important factors for tourists seeking outdoor recreation sites (Trust for Public Land, 2006).

Property values near natural areas are higher and maintain value longer (Crompton, 2007).

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The services that natural areas provide to local communities are priceless

Natural areas and wetlands absorb excess water from heavy rains or melting snow and prevent flooding. Storm water management. Trees help keep soil in place and prevent erosion.

Forests provide shade AND help reduce air temperatures, and help keep the earth cool in summer. Trees provide communities with clean air by filtering air pollution from cars and industry.

Natural areas provide products that people use: wood for heating and building; fish and game to eat; wild fruits and vegetables to harvest; plants and herbs used in treating diseases.

They retain water and help prevent water shortages for communities that rely on underground aquifers for their drinking water.

Natural areas keep water supplies clean and help to keep the costs of water treatment low.


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Farming

THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHLANDS CONTAIN PRIME FARMLANDS, PROVIDING LOCAL FOOD, JOBS, AND

RURAL COMMUNITY CHARACTER.

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Highlands farms and soils are world renowned

Some of the most productive farmland in the world within 1 hr drive of Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore

Rodale Institute , leading international efforts towards sustainable agriculture, located in heart of Highlands

>1/2 of Pennsylvania’s apples and peaches are grown in the Highlands, especially Menallen, Franklin and Butler

“Fruitbelt” attracts thousands of tourists each year to apple blossom / festival event

Adams County ranked No. 1 in PA and No. 62 nationwide in market value of fruits, tree nuts, and berries sold, with over $34 million in sales in 2002.

Annually, 150,000+ tons of apples and 11,000+ tons of peaches representing 65.3% of PA’s apple production and 38.5% of PA’s peach production.

Fast emerging areas winery region

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Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s top economic generator

Agriculture is PA’s biggest industry with 58,000 farms

Six of the 13 Highlands Counties have over 1,000 farms (York, Lebanon, Lancaster, Franklin and Cumberland and Berks).

Lancaster and York Counties have the most farms in the state (5,000+ and 2,000+)

Agri-tourism is an increasing economic benefit Ag lands more profitable than residential lands Loss of a critical mass of farmland leads to a

collapse in the local industry and economy

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Working farms are an essential part of an appealing rural landscape

People live near farmland because they enjoy the rural lifestyle

Biggest threat to quality of life is land development

PA ranked 5th highest in the country for land conversion to development from 1992-1997

The Highlands region lost 45,000 acres of farmland between 1997 and 2001

Half of Pennsylvania’s fastest growing counties are located in the Highlands

There are good mechanisms for communities to preserve agricultural-based way of life

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Recreation

THE HIGHLANDS OFFER A WIDE ARRAY OF RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT FUND AND

SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIES

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Recreational activities are good for the economy

The Highlands host more than 14 million recreational visits every year, more than most national parks including Yellowstone

$1.8 billion generated yearly on activities associated with watching, feeding, or photographing wildlife

$236 million generated yearly by out-of-state visitors

$1 billion spent every year yearly on hunting, trapping, or fishing by the 20 percent of Pennsylvanians who enjoy these outdoor activities

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Recreation in the Highlands is exceptionally diverse

Hundreds of miles of trails provide opportunities for people to bike, hike, and ride horses like the Appalachian, Mason Dixon, Trail, and the Schuylkill River trails.

Thousands of acres in 12 state forests, 10 state parks, and 10 state game land preserves provide important wildlife habitat and safe places for hunting, fishing, camping, boating and relaxing.

The Highlands has over 95 miles of Class A trout streams.

20 nature preserves allow people to watch wildlife, go birding, hike, or explore.

Rock and ice climbing at French Creek and Ralph Stover state parks, Nockamixon Cliffs, and Haycock and Neversink Mountains.

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Outdoor recreation is a fun way for people to stay healthy and enjoy time with family and friends

60% of adults are overweight or obese / 25% are physically inactive and twice as likely as physically active people to develop heart disease.

30 minutes of brisk walking or other moderate intensity physical activity five or more days a week can make a big difference.

Children need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday or most days.

Hundreds of miles of rail trails throughout the PA Highlands provide easy access to folks to walk, stay fit, and exercise.

Having access to parks increases the frequency of exercise (American Journal of Pediatric Medicine, 2002).

Adams and Franklin Counties had some the highest percentages of adult obesity in the state (25.5 %).

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37Highlands Coalition | www.highlandscoalition.org

Paddling in the Highlands38


Water

THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHLANDS PROVIDE CLEAN WATER FOR DRINKING, RECREATION, AND SCENIC

BEAUTY.

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Millions of Pennsylvanians rely on the Highlands for clean drinking water

Surface water and ground water provide drinking water for millions of PA residents

Philadelphia gets drinking water from Schuylkill and Delaware

Protecting water resources is important to communities inside and outside of the Highlands

Protecting undisturbed forests protect our drinking water and saves money that would be spent on treatment plants

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Clean water is critical for quality fishing and boating

Fishing and boating together have economic impacts valued at more than $2 billion per year

PA residents age 16 years and older spend hundreds of millions on fishing

Pennsylvania residents age 12 and over spend $1.7 billion on boating annually

Big events like the Delaware River Shad festival and the Tohickon water release draw boaters and anglers from around the region

State designations for exceptional value streams and cold water fisheries help preserve smaller watersheds like Cooks Creek

PA is leading the effort to remove old dams to improve habitat and stream flow

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Aquatic wildlife in the Highlands is special

Our best streams are located within conservation landscapes of the Highlands

At least 6 state and nationally designated scenic rivers

Endangered fish and brook trout habitat present throughout the Highlands

Quakertown Swamp supports one of the largest blue heron rookery in the area

By protecting priority landscapes, we can protect both safe drinking water and aquatic habitat

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Pennsylvania Highlands Regional Water Budget


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Source: US Geological Survey

Percent Impervious Cover


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Source: US Geological Survey

Climate Change

CONSERVING THE HIGHLANDS REDUCES THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

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Smart growth reduces climate change impacts

Most carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings, energy use and auto exhaust.

CO2 from automobile exhaust is one of the top causes of climate change. When new homes are built far from existing communities, offices, and stores, people drive farther and more gases are released.

Smart growth reduces the amount of natural areas used for new buildings and roads and prevent the release of excess carbon into the air.

Smart growth also reduces the number of miles people drive.

With better planned development, fewer natural areas are disturbed, reducing release of CO2 and allowing continued sequestration


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Better land stewardship absorbs greenhouse gasses

Philadelphia could experience 30+ days of 100 degree heat by century’s end /10th highest ozone nationally

PA’s climate will become like southern Georgia by end of century

Expectations for the number of poor air quality days to quadruple

Increased West Nile Virus and Lyme disease Improving forest cover and managing land better

stores more carbon dioxide, reducing impacts of climate change.

No-till farming and organic practices are less carbon-dependent and actually trap carbon dioxide


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New trees can be planted to offset emissions

Trees planted near homes and businesses reduce heating and air conditioning costs

The Highlands has large, intact forests like Hopewell Big Woods. Conserving these forests and planting new trees will help offset carbon dioxide released from cars and energy use.

Trees can be planted in the Highlands to offset emissions from urban and suburban areas

A carbon credit program could pay for reforestation in rural areas.

TreeVitalize program is planting 20,000 shade trees and restoring 1,000 acres of riparian forests

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Economy

CONSERVATION IS A FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND STABILITY

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Natural areas offer a high quality of life that attracts people and businesses to communities

PA has not been successful in attracting new industry and population growth is low while land consumption rises

Green spaces improve the quality of life for communities, making them places where people want to live

Buildings using a “green design” or in green communities attract businesses and employees, improving local economies

People make better environmental choices when the economy is stable

Businesses are attracted to motivated, educated, stable work force

Smart growth helps communities use resources appropriately and is linked to economic diversity and vibrancy

Market values of properties located near natural areas are higher and tend to maintain value

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Natural areas boost local economies by providing opportunities for tourism and recreation

The Highlands host more than 14 million recreational visits every year, more than Yellowstone National Park.

$1.8 billion generated annually to PA’s economy on activities associated with watching, feeding, or photographing wildlife

$236 million generated annually to PA’s economy by out of state visitors.

$1 billion spent annually on hunting, trapping, or fishing by the 20 percent of Pennsylvanians who enjoy these outdoor activities.

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Conserving natural areas is often less expensive than development

“Saving land saves money” The cost to provide community services to new

residential development is often more than the revenues from new residential taxes

The long-term costs of development (e.g., new schools, improved roads, more water treatment) are borne by taxpayers, not developers

Farms and open space give more than they take in terms of governmental services

Costs of a bond initiative can be less than the increased burden on municipal services

Costs of Community services can calculate best options (financially) for a particular development

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NATURAL AREAS, WORKING FARMLAND AND PRISTINE WATERWAYS CREATE RURAL LANDSCAPES AND COMMUNITY CHARACTER IN THE HIGHLANDS

Community Character


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People choose to live in rural communities because of a desirable lifestyle

People are moving out of the cities to the rural townships in pursuit of the good life

Life in the country is beautiful, scenic, healthy, and safe

Rural life is knowing your neighbors You can see Milky Way in the country Stronger connection and closeness to the

land

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Rural character is disappearing at a rapid pace

PA is 5th among states in converting rural lands to developed lands.

People are moving into rural areas to escape the threats of urban life. This has rapidly increased the rate of land conversion.

Overall disappearance of agricultural lands is increasing

No one knows the farmer’s face anymore (food travels 1,500 miles on average)

The Highlands is a major target for development because it is close enough to urban areas to allow commuting, but away far enough to be safe.

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Working farms and forests are an essential part of an appealing rural landscape

Rural landscapes remind us of our heritage

Working farms and forests are rural development

Small towns and villages are unique and attractive

Rural landscapes are relaxing and wholesome

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Health

PROTECTING THE HIGHLANDS PROMOTES HEALTHY KIDS, WHOLESOME COMMUNITIES AND A

NOURISHING ENVIRONMENT

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Natural areas offer families fun ways to stay physically active

Physical inactivity causes obesity and Type II diabetes in children; both skyrocketing in the U.S.

For the first time in a century kids have a shorter life expectancy than their parents

People in poorly designed communities walk less and weigh more than people who live in compact communities

Highlands trails near communities provide many easy opportunities for exercise, walking and biking

Protecting the Highlands will: protect farmland which grow fruits and vegetables, healthy foods that

combat obesity. maintain open spaces in communities for kids to play, bike, hike, or

swim – activities that will keep them physically fit.

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Natural areas are places where people can relax, reflect, and enjoy life

Anxiety, depression, and stress are dramatically increasing in the U.S.

Use of antidepressants have skyrocketed While 2 million children suffer from ADD,

studies show these kids can concentrate on schoolwork better after playing in a park or being in “green” settings

Many studies have shown that contact with the natural world improves psychological health and overall quality of life

After spending time in natural areas, people feel peaceful, tranquil, and relaxed

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Trees and plants in the Highlands clean our air and drinking water

Lung diseases like asthma are on the rise due to poor air quality.

Energy consumption, pollution and smog are expected to rise with continued development

Plants filter polluted water and keep it from reaching the streams and lakes that provide clean drinking water for millions of people in the Highlands.

Protecting the Highlands will conserve the forests that filter pollution from the air.

Smart growth in the Highlands will mean strategically planned roads and less commuting to work and schools, resulting in less air pollution from auto exhaust.

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What are people doing about it?


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Municipalities with good ordinances62


What can public officials do?

Open space bonds and EITs Create an EACs Review comprehensive plan Revise SALDO and ordinances Update greenways, open

space and recreation plans Support revitalization of older

communities

Support local food production Conduct local workshops to

improve development design Cost of Community Services

analyses Participate in the Highlands

Coalition Good choices when it matters

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What can people do?

Talk to your local elected official Buy local, buy fresh Smaller, green housing Locate home closer to your office Use mass transportation whenever possible Reduce, reuse, recycle Get outside / spend a day in the outside


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Closing thoughts and questions


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CONSERVING AND PRESERVING A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LANDSCAPE The Highlands.

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Transcript of CONSERVING AND PRESERVING A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LANDSCAPE The Highlands.