Land trusts protected Pennsylvania’s special places and landscapes at an extraordinary pace this last decade. In fact, the past ten years account for 39% of the acreage ever conserved by land trusts. In its most recent biennial census, the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association also found that, between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2013, Pennsylvania land trusts:

• protected 71 acres per day; • protected 406 square miles, equivalent to the combined land mass

of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Delaware County;• increased the acreage protected by conservation easements by

98%;• increased the acreage owned in fee by 136%; and• increased the acreage reconveyed to governments by 37%.

Pennsylvania Land Trusts Expand Conserved Lands by 64% in a Decade

Acres protected in 2004-13 compared to all prior years

Conservation Easement

Ownershipin Fee

Transferred toGovernment

97.2 % of Republicans

96.8 % of Democrats

97.7 % of Independents

Support by Party

Source: 2014 statewide public opinion poll by Center for Research at Penn State Harrisburg

Support for Recreation & Conservation Funding

“Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even

a better land for our descendants than it is for us.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Summer 2014

119,495  

36,638  

250,846  

117,262  

49,775  

93,131  

0  

50,000  

100,000  

150,000  

200,000  

250,000  

300,000  

350,000  

400,000  2004-­‐2013   Through  2003  

ConserveLand Page 2

119,49

5  

36,638

 

250,84

6  

151,46

0  

45,178

 

285,15

0  

179,03

6  

53,015

 

306,18

4  

200,43

4  

80,034

 

314,95

4  

222,06

6  

79,666

 

332,77

2  

236,75

8  

86,413

 

343,97

7  

0  

50,000  

100,000  

150,000  

200,000  

250,000  

300,000  

350,000  

406,980  

481,789  

538,236  

595,423  

634,504  667,148  

200,000  

250,000  

300,000  

350,000  

400,000  

450,000  

500,000  

550,000  

600,000  

650,000  

700,000  

Aggregate acres conserved by Pennsylvania land trusts 64% gain in acres conserved from 2003-2013

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

Base Year

74,809 acres

or 18%gain in2 years

56,447 acres

or 12%gain in2 years

57,187 acres

or 11%gain in2 years

39,081 acres or 7%gain in2 years

32,877 acres or 5%gain in2 years

Aggregate acres conserved by Pennsylvania land trusts (by methodology)

PA Land Trust Accomplishments of the Past Decade

Conservation Easements98% Increase

Ownership in Fee136% Increase

Transferred to Government37% Increase

2003

200

5

2007

2009

2011

2013

2003

200

5

2007

2009

2011

2013

2003

200

5

2007

2009

2011

2013

Summer 2014

2013 Snapshot

Organization #1 Lancaster Farmland Trust 242 Natural Lands Trust 223 French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 104 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 105 Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County 66 Berks Conservancy 57 Brandywine Conservancy 58 Land Conservancy of Adams County 59 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 410 Willistown Conservation Trust 311 Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, The 212 Heritage Conservancy 213 Manada Conservancy 214 North Branch Land Trust 215 Tinicum Conservancy 216 Wildlands Conservancy 217 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 218 Allegheny Land Trust 119 Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy 120 Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, The 121 Chestnut Hill Historical Society 122 Hollow Oak Land Trust 123 Lake Erie Region Conservancy 124 Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. 125 Merrill Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy 126 Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy 127 Wallace Trust, The 1

118 Conservation Easements AcquiredOrganization #

1 Natural Lands Trust 102 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 83 Conservation Fund (Pennsylvania Office), The 54 Wildlands Conservancy 45 Countryside Conservancy 26 French Creek Valley Conservancy 27 Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County 28 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 29 North Branch Land Trust 210 Lancaster County Conservancy 111 Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy 112 Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, The 113 Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association 114 Hollow Oak Land Trust 115 London Britain Land Trust 116 Manada Conservancy 117 Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust 118 Pocono Heritage Land Trust 119 Wallace Trust, The 120 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 1

48 Fee Properties Acquired

Accomplishments in Aggregate• sixty-two land trusts have completed 3,133

conservation easements, protecting a total of 236,758 acres;

• seventeen land trusts have completed 57 trail easements;

• seventy-one land trusts hold 86,413 acres in fee;

• thirty-two land trusts have reconveyed 343,977 acres to government entities (municipalities, counties and state agencies);

• seventeen land trusts have reconveyed 13,798 acres to other organizations (e.g., land trusts and trail groups);

ConserveLand Page 4

Total Acreages Conserved (as of 12/31/13)Acres Owned

Organization Name Acres1 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 15,0002 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 13,2243 Natural Lands Trust 12,3984 Earth Conservancy 10,2775 Lancaster County Conservancy 4,4386 Wildlands Conservancy 2,5987 Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association 2,5508 Brandywine Conservancy 2,3369 Conservation Fund (Pennsylvania Office) 2,00010 Pocono Heritage Land Trust 1,65011 North Branch Land Trust 1,55012 Heritage Conservancy 1,40313 Allegheny Land Trust 1,35214 Edward L. Rose Conservancy 93515 Mount Nittany Conservancy 76516 Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust 74417 Roaring Run Watershed Association 65318 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 61519 Somerset County Conservancy 57320 Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation 54521 Foundation for Sustainable Forests 52722 French Creek Valley Conservancy 49123 Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, The 48024 Wild Waterways Conservancy 47725 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania 47426 Armstrong Cty Conservancy Charitable Trust 44727 Friends of Salt Springs Park 43728 Countryside Conservancy 42829 Hollow Oak Land Trust 42030 Berks Conservancy 41231 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 40732 Southern Alleghenies Conservancy 40033 Open Land Conservancy of Chester County 38034 Montour Trail Council 34435 Allegheny Valley Trails Association 33536 Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, The 31037 Allegheny Valley Land Trust 63738 Conemaugh Valley Conservancy 29739 Westmoreland Conservancy 26140 Civil War Trust 24441 Mokoma Conservancy 24342 Willistown Conservation Trust 22743 Land Conservancy for Southern Chester Cty 220

44 Allegheny Valley Conservancy 20845 Cumberland Valley Rails to Trails Council 18546 Westmoreland Land Trust 18447 French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 14348 Audubon Pennsylvania 14249 Manada Conservancy 12850 Chartiers Nature Conservancy 12251 Lackawanna Valley Conservancy 12052 Lake Erie Region Conservancy 12053 Scott Conservancy 7754 London Britain Land Trust 7255 Pine Creek Valley Watershed Association 6756 North Fork Conservancy 5657 Independence Conservancy 4758 ClearWater Conservancy 4459 Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust 3860 Fox Chapel Land Conservation Trust 3561 Merrill Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy 3062 Gettysburg Foundation 1963 West Vincent Land Trust 1564 Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy, Inc. 1365 Appalachian Trail Conservancy 1066 Evergreen Conservancy 1067 Neighborhood Gardens Trust 768 Land Conservancy of Adams County 669 Keystone Trails Association 670 Regional Trail Corporation 571 Shenango Conservancy 2

Acres Reconveyed to GovernmentOrganization Name Acres

1 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 175,0002 Conservation Fund (Pennsylvania Office) 88,5003 Wildlands Conservancy 38,0394 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 12,5665 Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy 6,0796 French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 4,0007 Seneca Highlands Conservancy 4,0008 ClearWater Conservancy 3,2089 Trust for Public Land, The 3,03910 Natural Lands Trust 3,01411 Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, The 2,31012 Delaware Highlands Conservancy 1,191

Summer 2014

Total Acreages Conserved (as of 12/31/13)

13 Armstrong Cty Conservancy Charitable Trust 46014 Berks Conservancy 42115 North Branch Land Trust 38016 Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County 36117 Gettysburg Foundation 32018 Pennsbury Land Trust 24819 London Britain Land Trust 16020 French Creek Valley Conservancy 10021 Montour Trail Council 9622 Brandywine Conservancy 6323 Westmoreland Conservancy 5724 Land Conservancy of Adams County 4125 Allegheny Valley Land Trust 4026 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 3727 Countryside Conservancy 3428 Wallace Trust, The 3029 Heritage Conservancy 2830 Allegheny Land Trust 2531 Lackawanna Valley Conservancy 2232 Wild Waterways Conservancy 11

Acres Protected by Conservation Easement

Organization Name Acres

1 Brandywine Conservancy 35,6272 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 34,0003 Lancaster Farmland Trust 26,7254 Natural Lands Trust 20,6075 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 17,5286 North Branch Land Trust 10,1007 Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County 9,2398 Land Conservancy of Adams County 8,2389 Delaware Highlands Conservancy 7,67110 Wildlands Conservancy 7,47011 Berks Conservancy 7,06612 Heritage Conservancy 6,93213 French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 5,37014 Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy 4,72915 Tinicum Conservancy 4,57416 Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy 4,53517 North American Land Trust 3,29618 Pocono Heritage Land Trust 2,41719 Willistown Conservation Trust 2,209

20 Norcross Wildlife Foundation 2,00021 Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, The 1,81022 ClearWater Conservancy 1,64723 Merrill Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy 1,14024 Centre County Farmland Trust 1,00925 Lancaster County Conservancy 91626 Countryside Conservancy 91527 French Creek Valley Conservancy 86228 Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. 74229 Manada Conservancy 74130 Civil War Trust 69631 Allegheny Valley Conservancy 63232 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 60233 Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, The 52334 Land Conservancy for Southern Chester Cty 45835 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 45336 Pine Creek Valley Watershed Association 41937 Edward L. Rose Conservancy 36138 Gettysburg Foundation 28939 Eden Hill Conservancy 21740 Pennsbury Land Trust 20041 Allegheny Land Trust 18742 Wallace Trust, The 17443 Lake Erie Region Conservancy 14444 Allegheny Valley Trails Association 13045 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania 12646 Lower Merion Conservancy 9747 Hollow Oak Land Trust 9748 Open Land Conservancy of Chester County 9349 Schuylkill County Conservancy 9050 Chestnut Hill Historical Society 7651 Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust 6852 Appalachian Trail Conservancy 5753 Independence Conservancy 4654 Lackawanna Valley Conservancy 4055 London Britain Land Trust 3756 Sandy Creek Conservancy 3557 Fox Chapel Land Conservation Trust 3258 West Pikeland Land Trust 2559 Montour Trail Council 2060 Radnor Conservancy 1361 Southern Alleghenies Conservancy 562 Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust 1

ConserveLand Page 6

Spotlight on Easements

Organization #1 Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art 4492 Lancaster Farmland Trust 4333 Natural Lands Trust 3484 Heritage Conservancy 1965 Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 1846 French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 1557 Land Conservancy of Adams County 1278 Berks Conservancy 1189 Tinicum Conservancy 10910 Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy 10611 Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County 10512 Wildlands Conservancy 6813 North American Land Trust 6414 Willistown Conservation Trust 6315 Delaware Highlands Conservancy 5416 Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy, Inc. 5017 North Branch Land Trust 4618 Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy 4419 Chestnut Hill Historical Society 3620 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 3021 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 2922 Lancaster County Conservancy 2723 Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, The 2124 Wallace Trust, The 2125 Countryside Conservancy 2026 Lower Merion Conservancy 1827 Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County 1628 Merrill Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy 1529 Open Land Conservancy of Chester County 1530 ClearWater Conservancy 1431 Manada Conservancy 1332 Centre County Farmland Trust 1133 French Creek Valley Conservancy 1034 Pennsbury Land Trust 1035 West Vincent Land Trust 1036 Allegheny Land Trust 937 Gettysburg Foundation 938 Pocono Heritage Land Trust 939 Civil War Trust 840 Lake Erie Region Conservancy 841 Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. 842 Allegheny Valley Conservancy 6

43 Pine Creek Valley Watershed Association 644 Edward L. Rose Conservancy 545 Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust 546 Radnor Conservancy 347 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania 248 Eden Hill Conservancy 249 Hollow Oak Land Trust 250 Independence Conservancy 251 London Britain Land Trust 252 West Pikeland Land Trust 253 Allegheny Valley Trails Association 154 Appalachian Trail Conservancy 155 Buck Hill Conservation Foundation, The 156 Fox Chapel Land Conservation Trust 157 Lackawanna Valley Conservancy 158 Montour Trail Council 159 Pine Creek Land Conservation Trust 160 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 161 Sandy Creek Conservancy 162 Schuylkill County Conservancy 1

Total # of Conservation Easements

Total # of Trail EasementsOrganization #

1 French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust 102 Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association 93 Countryside Conservancy 74 Lancaster County Conservancy 65 ClearWater Conservancy 56 Wildlands Conservancy 57 Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art 28 Eden Hill Conservancy 29 Pennsbury Land Trust 210 Westmoreland Conservancy 211 Allegheny Valley Land Trust 112 Hollow Oak Land Trust 113 Lackawanna Valley Conservancy 114 Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County 115 Nature Conservancy - PA Chapter, The 116 Open Land Conservancy of Chester County 117 Somerset County Conservancy 1

Summer 2014

As noted in the introduc-tion to the model, a land trust would want to adapt the model to match its organizational culture. For some, the model may contain too much detail and a land trust may want to delete all or parts of some sections before adopting it as official policy. (The deleted material may still serve as a useful guide to the land trust, just not as official policy.) For others, the level of detail may be entirely appropriate and de-sirable. An organization also may want to customize particular provisions of the model to better reflect its views on various amendment matters. Alternatively, it may want to incorporate elements of the model into an already existing policy.

Spotlight on Easements

PALTA has released for public review a draft Model Conservation Easement Amendment Policy. The model is intended to assist Pennsylvania land trusts in establishing policies regarding amendments. Sug-gestions for improvements and other comments are appreciated. Please forward your comments to Andy Loza at aloza@conserveland.org or 717-230-8560 as soon as possible.

The present draft was revised in response to help-ful comments provided by members of PALTA’s Policy Committee. A guide to Legal Considerations for Amending Conservation Easements in Pennsyl-vania is being developed as a companion piece to the model. The model is informed by the preliminary findings of the guide but may be refined to reflect the final findings.

Draft Model Conservation Easement Amendment Policy Available for Public Review

Download at

New Guidance on Riparian Buffer Protection at ConservationTools.orgThree Guides and a Model Land Use Ordinance

Riparian Buffer Protection Via Local Regulation: A Guide and Model Ordi-nance

PALTA developed this guide in partnership with the Brandywine Conservancy. Pennsylvania municipalities may ensure the protection and restoration of ripar-ian buffers with their land use regulations. This guide reviews the legal context for regulation, the regulatory options for local governments and the key elements to include in any regulation.

Model Riparian Buffer Protection Overlay District: Proposed Regulations For Use In A Municipal Zon-ing Ordinance

Included in the guide above is a model ordinance for local governments to adapt to their particular circum-stances. It is accompanied by a letter, commissioned

by PALTA, from attorney Frone Crawford attesting to the model’s legal defen-sibility and reasonableness vis-a-vis private property rights.

A Scientific Foundation for Shaping Riparian Buffer Protection Regulations.

This guide, developed in partnership with the Bran-dywine Conservancy, re-

views the key ecological matters any riparian protec-tion ordinance should address and how.

The Science Behind the Need for Riparian Buffer Protection.

This guide reviews extensive scientific research which documents how vegetated strips of land along wa-terways provide extensive water quality and other environmental and economic benefits.

ConserveLand Page 8

This chart indicates the organization’s incorporation date, not the date on which it began land conservation efforts; organizations may not have actually protected land until many years after being formed.

Land Trusts Operating in Pennsylvania# of Active Land Trusts by Year of Incorporation

Land trusts have over 128,500members/financial supporters

• 63% of Pennsylvania land trusts reported 100 or more members/financial supporters.

• 31% of Pennsylvania land trusts reported 500 or more financial supporters.

• 20% of Pennsylvania land trusts reported 1000 or more financial supporters.

• 10% of Pennsylvania land trusts reported 2000 or more financial supporters.

• Pennsylvania land trusts have a median average of 250 financial supporters.

Source: Land Trust Census Data (2010), PALTA Research (2012)Notes:Determining what characteristics define a “land trust” is tricky as was determining what organizations to include and exclude from this analysis. Some level of subjectivity is unavoidable. PALTA endeavored to exclude from the analysis on this page:

• organizations that have not yet acquired a parcel of land or easement;• organizations for which ownership of one or a few property interests

appears to be an aberration -- a situation largely unrelated to present purposes;

• organizations that in the past acquired one or more property interests but do not appear to now have conserving additional lands, if they were to become available, as part of their mission; and

• organizations that appear to own land only to advance a specific pur-pose and the purpose appears to be satisfied (for example, a private nature center that has no plans to conserve additional lands).

0  

10  

20  

30  

40  

50  

60  

70  

80  

90  

100  

1960  1965  1970  1975  1980  1985  1990  1995  2000  2005  2010  2015  

Model Grant of Purchase Option with Commentary

A purchase option assures the option holder of the right to purchase property at a certain price within a certain time period but without an obligation to do so. In grant-ing an option, the landowner gives up the right to sell freely during the option period.

PALTA recently published the first edition of this model after completing a one-year public review process. Download the model at ConservationTools.org.

For those currently working with or in-terested in establishing an Environmen-tal Advisory Council, the Pennsylvania

Land Trust Association invites you to join the new EAC Network Listserv

and download the EAC Handbook.

Learn more at EACnetwork.org.

Summer 2014

servancy’s work. He established a Master Naturalist program in the county, com-bined efforts with urban stakeholders to increase aware-ness regarding sus-tainable living and sought to foster a love of nature in the community’s youth.

He had hoped, before becoming ill, to continue protecting land and streams in Lancaster County as a volunteer well into his retirement.

On June 7, 2014, the Lancaster County Conservancy announced the naming of a scenic trail at Turkey Hill Nature Preserve as the “Ralph H. Goodno Trail” and the naming of the “Ralph H. Goodno Susquehanna Riverlands Endowment Fund.”

Dennis G. Collins, a founder of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, passed away in March.

Dennis had many passions and interests in life, but the one dearest to his heart was land protection. His involvement in this field, as an avocation or a voca-tion, spanned more than three decades. In that time, he crafted deals for the protection of many thousands of acres of precious open space. Whether partnering with or mentoring various organizations and indi-viduals, or helping found organizations, or navigat-ing government bureaucracy, or helping landowners to find the most advantageous arrangement, Dennis was a proactive, creative agent for the protection of special places.

Dennis first became involved in land management professionally as executive director of the Berks County Conservancy and then as director of land preservation for the Wildlands Conservancy.

Dennis received the Lifetime Conservation Lead-

Dennis G. Collins

Remembering Two Conservation Champions

ership Award from PALTA in 2005 for his decades of leader-ship and dedication in conserving our special places and landscapes.

When he retired, Dennis and his wife, Pam, returned to Norfolk CT and he continued his enthu-siastic pursuit of land protection, actively engaging with the Norfolk Land Trust and other conservation organizations.

“We can’t let an opportunity pass, because it won’t come back,” Dennis was always fond of saying.

Thank you Dennis for not letting those opportuni-ties pass.

Ralph H. Goodno

Photo courtesty of North Folk Land Trust

Ralph Goodno passed away on June 13, 2014 after a hard fought battle with leukemia. He was the former President and CEO of the Lancaster County Conser-vancy and board member of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association.

Ralph was raised in the woods of Andover, MA where he discovered his love of the outdoors. In his youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts.

Ralph earned a degree in Environmental Design; af-ter 5 years in professional design work, he made the transition to professional land and river conservation work. He decided he wanted to help protect and save natural lands, not help develop them.

His leadership as President and CEO of the Lan-caster County Conservancy can not be understated. Under his leadership, the conservancy increased its protected lands by over 3500 acres, increased its orga-nizational capacity from two to 12 staff members and achieved accreditation. He incorporated a successful educational and stewardship component to the con-

ConserveLand Page 10

PALTA Honors George ‘Frolic’ WeymouthThe Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has honored George

A. ‘Frolic’ Weymouth of Delaware County, with the Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award. Frolic is the 11th recipient of this award.

Artist and conservationist, Frolic has had a tremendous impact on land preservation, cultural and historic resources, and American art. In 1967, he persuaded friends, F.I. du Pont and William Prickett, to help him buy two parcels of land along the Brandywine that were proposed for industrial development. This purchase led to the founding of what is known today as the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art (originally named the Tri-County Conservancy). He became the Chairman of the Board of that new organization, a title he still holds.

A trailblazer, Frolic has advocated and tirelessly raised funds for water and land preservation for nearly five decades. In 1984, he initiated the task of preserving more than 5,300 acres of land near Unionville, Pennsylvania, known as the Buck and Doe Run Valley Farm, part of the renowned King Ranch of Texas.

He continues to promote the preservation of the Brandywine Valley’s natural, historic and artistic heritage. For him, the significant connection between land and water is paramount. The positive impact he has had on the region’s landscape is undeniable and, thankfully, permanent.

The award was presented in conjunction with the 12th Annual Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference held in Wyomissing, PA. Ginny Logan, Executive Director of the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art and Sherri Evans-Stanton, Director of the Brandywine Conservancy accepted the award on behalf of Frolic. Andy Loza, Pennsylvania Land Trust Association Executive Director presented the award.

PALTA Honors Lancaster CountyThe Pennsylvania Land Trust Association honored

Lancaster County with the 2014 Government Conserva-tion Leadership Award for demonstrated leadership in the conservation of our special landscapes.

As a result of a long history of leadership, innovation and cooperation, Lancaster County ranks number one in the nation in farmland preservation with over 100,000 acres of protected farmland.

Through the continued leadership of Lancaster Coun-ty’s Commissioners, farmland preservation has been a priority of the county budget. This dedication to provid-ing county funding has enabled the Lancaster County Ag-ricultural Preserve Board and Lancaster Farmland Trust to leverage their resources with those of the federal government, state, local municipalities and with corporate and individual donors. Through the use of innovative funding and incentives, the County has been able to maxi-mize the use of farmland preservation dollars and further the impact of preservation throughout the County.

The award was presented Saturday, May 3rd in conjunction with the 12th Annual Pennsylvania Land Conser-vation Conference. Chairman Dennis Stuckey, Commissioner Craig Lehman and Matt Knepper, Director of the County’s Agricultural Preservation Program, accepted the award on behalf of the County.

From left to right: Matt Knepper, Commissioner Craig Lehman, Chairman Dennis Stuckey and PALTA Executive Director, Andy Loza.

Summer 2014

OfficersPaul Lumia, PresidentJeffrey Marshall, Vice-PresidentJohn Conner, TreasurerMolly Morrison, SecretaryAndrew Loza, Assistant Secretary

DirectorsRenee’ CareyThomas DanielsSherri Evans-StantonD. Andrew Pitz RLAJennifer Shuey

Voting MembersAllegheny Land TrustAllegheny Valley ConservancyAllegheny Valley Land TrustAllegheny Valley Trails AssociationArmstrong Cty Conservancy Charitable TrustAudubon Society of Western PennsylvaniaBedminster Regional Land ConservancyBerks County ConservancyBrandywine ConservancyBuck Hill Conservation FoundationCentral Pennsylvania ConservancyCentre County Farmland TrustChestnut Hill Historical SocietyClearWater ConservancyConservancy of Montgomery CountyThe Conservation Fund, Pennsylvania OfficeCountryside ConservancyDelaware Highlands ConservancyE.L. Rose Conservancy of Susquehanna CtyEast Nantmeal Land TrustEden Hill ConservancyEvergreen ConservancyFarm and Natural Lands Trust of York CtyFoundation for Sustainable ForestsFox Chapel Land Conservation TrustFrench & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust French Creek Valley ConservancyGreen Space AllianceHawk Mountain Sanctuary AssociationHeritage ConservancyHollow Oak Land TrustIndependence ConservancyKeystone Conservation TrustLackawanna Valley ConservancyLancaster County ConservancyLancaster Farmland TrustLand Conservancy of Adams CountyLand Conservancy for Southern Chester CtyLebanon Valley ConservancyLondon Britain Land TrustManada ConservancyMerrill Linn Land & Waterways ConservancyMid-Atlantic Karst ConservancyMokoma ConservancyMontgomery County Lands TrustMontour Trail CouncilMount Nittany ConservancyNatural Lands TrustThe Nature ConservancyNorth American Land TrustNorth Branch Land TrustNorthcentral PA ConservancyOpen Land Conservancy of Chester CountyPennsbury Land TrustPennsylvania Recreation & Park SocietyPennypack Ecological Restoration TrustPine Creek Land Conservation TrustPine Creek Valley Watershed AssociationPocono Heritage Land TrustThe Radnor ConservancyRails-to-Trails ConservancyRegional Trail CorporationSchuylkill County ConservancySomerset County ConservancySusquehanna Greenways PartnershipThe Trust for Public LandTinicum ConservancyTricounty Rails to TrailsThe Wallace TrustWest Pikeland Land TrustWestern Pennsylvania ConservancyWestmoreland Land TrustWild Waterways Conservancy Inc.Wildlands ConservancyWillistown Conservation TrustWissahickon Valley Watershed Association

This publication was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships

Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania

Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation & Conservation.

Thanks to 2014 Conference Sponsors

Audubon PABerks ConservancyBerks County Conservation DistrictBrandywine Conservancy & Museum of ArtChesapeake Conservancy and National Park Service, Chesapeake Bay OfficeThe Conservation Equity Fund of Berks County Community FoundationThe Conservation Fund, PA OfficeDevelopment for ConservationFrench & PIckering Creeks Conservation TrustHawk Mountain SanctuaryLand Trust Alliance

MidAtlantic Farm CreditNatural Lands TrustThe Nature Conservancy, PA ChapterPennsylvania Farmland Preservation AssnPennsylvania Game CommissionPenn Trails LLCSaul Ewing LLPSnyder Appraisal AssociatesSSM GroupThe Trust for Public LandWestern Pennsylvania ConservancyWildlands Conservancy

To learn about 2015 conference sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nicole Faraguna at 717.909.1298.

Get Outdoors PA: Go Land Trusts!The Pennsylvania

Land Trust Association is a flagship partner for the Get Outdoors PA initiative, an effort to help people become better connected to the outdoors and to help them grow their ap-preciation for the protection of our special natural places.

Land trusts are an important partner in getting Pennsylvanians outdoors. The ini-tiative officially launched this spring, and to date, twelve land trusts have become community partners.

Get Outdoors PA can complement your organization’s mission. Learn how your organization can become a partner at Get-OutdoorsPA.org.

Get Outdoors PA Land Trust Community Partners:

Allegheny Land TrustAppalachian Trail Conservancy

Berks ConservancyCentral Pennsylvania Conservancy

ClearWater ConservancyDelaware Highlands Conservancy

Hawk Mountain SanctuaryManada Conservancy

Merrill Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy

Natural Lands TrustNorth Branch Land Trust

Northcentral PA ConservancyWildlands Conservancy

ConserveLand Page 12

119 Pine Street, 1st floorHarrisburg, PA 17101-1453ConserveLand.org

NonProfit OrgUS POSTAGE

PAIDHarrisburg

Permit No. ??Nicole Faraguna, Editornfaraguna@conserveland.org