I don't love it.
Maybe I missed something. More trails equals more access? The area below Columbia (Turkey Point) that is now part of that rail trail thing involved a several mile long chain link fence and NO FISHING signs....Previously we accessed that area (including hunting,fishing,hiking,camping, birdwatching...)(for thirty plus years) without any issues. Similar closures to hunting and other lawful activities have happened at properties adjacent to and part of the rail trail all along its course. Perhaps taking some of that $$$$$$ and updating wastewater treatment plants would have actually benefitted the environment instead of creating miles of smooth gravel (and in some places paved)paths for mostly dogwalkers and bicyclists and tourists from out of the area. In addition part of the so called maintenance of these trails involve spraying herbicide which can be clearly seen if you walk on them as the plants on the edges are all dead.
The Lancaster County Conservancy deserves some credit for saving some areas but has also used (in my view) ridiculous and haphazard criteria for posting areas to hunting. What I've seen is an overall huge loss of hunting opportunities when the Conservancy steps in. Many of the areas now managed by them were previously open for ALL hunting and are now either closed or made "Archery Only". The area at Observation Rd in Manor Twp is just one example. Benton Hollow and Fishing Creek are others.Throughout the county they have done similar things and haphazardly posted land. Sad to pull up to a once loved area and see their huge signboard full of rules and regulations, their groomed trails and immense paved parking areas.
