Western PA Conservacy

[JackM]

Here is an article about a wonderful organization, particularly important to us on this side of the state. Is there something similar in other parts of PA?


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10359/1113491-454.stm


I hope Dave doesn't mind the additional plug: http://www.paconserve.org/

1971-74
Conservancy assembles 9,500 acres of wild mountain land along the west slope of Laurel Hill in Westmoreland and Somerset Counties. Known as the "Mountain Streams" Project, this wild area has three sparkling-clear streams and includes the 3,000-acre Roaring Run Natural Area.

 

[RyanR]

There are several land conservancies across the state. One here in Eastern PA would be the Wildlands Conservancy, with offices in Emmaus (Lehigh Valley.) Another group I've heard of is Blue Mountain Preservation.

 

[osprey]

I don't know if they are similar or not but the Stackpole conservancy in Dauphin County on Clarks creek is an Organization that has done much for that area and the Streams , Clarks , Stony , Manada , etc. I became aware of this Organization through the Doc Fritchey chapter of TU , when i lived in Liverpool , Perry county , i belonged to that chapter.

 

[jdaddy]

I know the Berks County Conservancy has purchased over 500 acres in Berks. Lancaster County Conservancy also owns many locations including York County properties.

 

[Fishidiot]

We have an excellent organization in my neck of the woods that has preserved thousands of acres, The Land Conservancy of Adams County.

http://www.lcacnet.org/LCACAboutUs.htm

They have several fund raising events every year, the primary one being a well known art auction in the springtime.

 

[jdaddy]

Wow! That organization is 15 years old and . . . . "The Conservancy holds 106 easements covering 6,747 acres."

 

[JackM]

These are the sorts of organizations that deserve fly anglers' support. No offense, but more than from TU, I have benefitted from the efforts and holdings of the WPC. I bet many of us can say the same regarding your local conservacies.

 

[bikerfish]

I've belonged to WPC for years. they are the folks that were intsrumental in conserving the hemlock creek watershed. there are an aweful lot of state game lands that were acquired because of them as well.

 

[osprey]

I was always aware of them but never checked into what they are all about. Hearing bikerfish and JackM speak so supportive of them though makes me want to know more.

 

[dryflyguy]

I just renewed my WPC membership. And that's one check I gladly write. This group is certainly deserving of support IMO

 

[franklin]

JackM wrote:
These are the sorts of organizations that deserve fly anglers' support. No offense, but more than from TU, I have benefitted from the efforts and holdings of the WPC. I bet many of us can say the same regarding your local conservacies.

Think of what can be accomplished if a conservancy and a local TU chapter work together. We have the beginnings of such an effort here in Bucks County with the BCTU working on the Aquetong Creek watershed in cooperation with other local conservation organizations.

On a national level the Nature Conservancy s deserving of our support. Been a member since the early 1970s.

 

[bikerfish]

I agree, it would be nice to see these groups work together more. around me at least, the TU chapters seem more concerned with stream habitat, riparian habitat, etc, while the WPC focuses more on the entire watershed. nothing wrong with either, but if they could coordinate on projects together, it would be awesome.
actually, it would be awesome if we didn't even need these organizations! but the world is full of idiots, so have them we must.

 

[pcray1231]

The WPC is tops among conservancies that I've found, they seem especially interested in preserving land coveted by sportsmen. They also do some smaller parcels of historic interest, like Falling Water, and I think those "tourist" properties are mainly to raise awareness of the organization and line their pocketbooks, and there ain't nothin wrong with that, considering that they put the money to very good use.

Some of the other conservancies kind of target lands for other use, such as bird watching and hiking. It's still a good thing, just not as focused on hunters and fishermen, though we often still benefit indirectly.

Yes, I think conservancies do more for us sportsmen in some places than some organizations like TU, DU, and the like. For fishermen looking for the best bang for the buck in conservation, they are strong contenders. I think watershed associations should also be seriously looked at. As with any local organization, it's gonna vary place to place. In one place, a conservancy might be the way to go over TU or the watershed association. Somewhere else, the bang for your buck argument might go the other way.

But, just off the top of my head, I know we owe the existence of the following conserved lands to the WPC.

Hemlock Creek watershed preserve
Oil Creek State Park
Hickory Creek wilderness area
McConnell's Mills State Park
Moraine State Park
Loyalhanna Gorge
Connemaugh Gorge
Blue Knob SP
Laurel Ridge SP
Clarion River
Parker Dam SP

In addition to:

large %'s of Tuscarora, Moshannon, Sproul, Tioga, Susquehannock, and Gallitzen State Forests, and portions of the Allegheny National Forest as well.

numerous State Game Lands

a large # of conservation agreements with local landowners, including large tracts of land owned by timber companies, gas companies, etc.

Thank you WPC!

 

[greenghost]

Amazing.

And the thing is, in order to accomplish all those wonderful things they need a monster operating budget... $17 million. Most of which comes from Fallingwater admissions, government grants and the "foundation" (whatever that is).

Their investment into conservation is about $5 million annually... all directly affecting our region. Whew. That's some serious conservation.

A very powerful organization that's on our side. We are very fortunate indeed.

 

[RyanR]

JackM wrote:
These are the sorts of organizations that deserve fly anglers' support. No offense, but more than from TU, I have benefitted from the efforts and holdings of the WPC. I bet many of us can say the same regarding your local conservacies.

Absolutely, which is why many TU chapters and councils tout the importance of conservancies and supporting them and even working together with them as partners. The head of a prominent PA land conservancy (it may have been the Western PA Conservancy) was a sheduled speaker at one of PATU's Fall Membership meeting and leadership training weekends. I think it was the 2009 meeting. I'm puzzled why you felt compelled to even appear to pit one conservation organization against the other to garner support though?

 

[JackM]

Volunteerism and monetary contributions to TU and other like organizations are often featured on this website. I thought it worthy to highlight the accomplishments of these other organizations which are not primarily concerned with enhancing members' angling experience. Charitable dollars will be more scarce this year than most and I wanted to draw people's attention to a category of charitable organizations that are very important in case a decision has to be made to limit the number of year end gifts people might be making.

I'm wondering why you would want to detract from my message by claiming TU cooperates with these conservacies.

 

[RyanR]

Hardly, no detraction on my part. I don't want to take away from the message about the importance of supporting conservancies, sent you a pm instead.

 

[troutbert]

greenghost wrote:
Most of which comes from Fallingwater admissions, government grants and the "foundation" (whatever that is).

Western PA Conservancy has done far more than any other PA conservancy, for very simple reason: money.

They have serious cash, and the other groups don't. There's some serious big time old money in Pittsburgh. It's great that some of that money has been used in this way.

 

[troutbert]

RyanR wrote:

JackM wrote:
These are the sorts of organizations that deserve fly anglers' support. No offense, but more than from TU, I have benefitted from the efforts and holdings of the WPC. I bet many of us can say the same regarding your local conservacies.

Absolutely, which is why many TU chapters and councils tout the importance of conservancies and supporting them and even working together with them as partners. The head of a prominent PA land conservancy (it may have been the Western PA Conservancy) was a sheduled speaker at one of PATU's Fall Membership meeting and leadership training weekends. I think it was the 2009 meeting. I'm puzzled why you felt compelled to even appear to pit one conservation organization against the other to garner support though?

The pitting of one conservation organization against another was very clear in Jack's post. Very disappointing.

 

[osprey]

The thing that must be looked for is common ground. To just leave it the way it is is ignoring it. For JackM to point out that often groups oppose each other is not wrong , it drags it out from under the table and into the light. TU and T.A.P are about as polarized as you can get , yet , common ground there is clean water. After you tear away all the garbage and drag it into the light the issue is CLEAN WATER.