"Nothing like an October weekend at Hawk Mountain"

Hawk Mountain, perched right along the Kittatinny Ridge on the border of Berks and Schuylkill Counties, is one of the best places in northeastern North America to view the annual autumn hawk migration.  The 2,600 acre Sanctuary offers superb hiking in every season and the chance to see large numbers of hawks, eagles and falcons each autumn.  A must see for birders, outdoor enthusiasts and Appalachian Trail hikers visiting the Pennsylvania section.  Click on the image at right to see views of Hawk Mountain in Autumn courtesy of the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary facebook page.  

This post is to remind us of better weather days, but hope all remain safe and sound throughout Hurricane Sandy.

"Climate Change is Not a Spectator Sport!," Conversation with Dr. Diane Husic

Please join Manada Conservancy for a conversation about climate change, its impact in Pennsylvania, and the complexities of developing climate policy at the state, national and international levels. Also discussed will be ways that the public can move from spectators of the media and political debates on this issue to becoming active participants in helping scientists and policy makers better understand the environmental and social issues associated with the challenge of the 21st century.

Manada Conservancy's presenter is Diane Husic, PhD, Professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Moravian College and co-coordinator of the Kittatinny Science Summit. Moravian College is a credentialed civil society observer for the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and Dr. Husic has attended the international U.N. COP meetings as an official delegate for the past three years. She is currently serving as a member of the state Climate Change Adaptation Steering Committee.

November 1, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Hershey Derry Township Historical Society
40 Northeast Drive, Hershey, PA

Fall Festival at Potter's Farm in Pine Grove this Saturday

For fall fun, head out to Potter's Farm near Pine Grove, PA for their Fall Festival this coming Saturday, Oct. 27 -- Hayrides, eco-house tours, free massages, art classes, pumpkin painting, and so much more!  Across the valley from the Kittatinny, Potters Farm is one of Schuylkill County's man farms committed to sustainable agriculture.

Stony Valley Spook Hike scheduled for Halloween

Lebanon Daily News reports:

Ever wonder if there was a catamount lurking in the shadows of Stony Valley, or if the haunting train whistles upon the wind could still be heard? This Halloween night is your chance.

Historian Brandy M. Watts Martin will return as the Stony Valley Spook Hike leader through the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club.  Watts Martin has been studying the mountains between the Susquehanna and Schuylkill rivers in State Game Lands No. 211 for the last 15 years.

The once annual spook hike was temporarily suspended while Watts Martin pursued her degree in American Studies from Penn State Harrisburg.   "For years people have been asking me when I will lead another spook hike," Watts Martin said in a news release. "I thought what a great way to spend Halloween this year telling the ghost stories everyone always loved. After all, it always makes it more interesting when they're true."

The 7-mile hike starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Western Rail-Trail parking lot along Gold Mine Road on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Hikers will travel along the abandoned Schuylkill & Susquehanna Railroad in the dark to the Rausch Gap Cemetery, where the hike breaks to hear tales of ghosts and ghouls, murderers and mischief-makers along the abandoned railroad. Participants should bring a flashlight, extra batteries and a drink.

In case of inclement weather, the hike will be canceled.  For more information about the Stony Valley Spook Hike, check out Watts Martin's website at www.StonyValley.com.

Cumberland County presenting draft Land Partnerships Plan

LandPartnerships is a countywide strategy designed to improve and enhance the quality of life in Cumberland County through: farmland preservation, natural resource protection and parks, trails and greenways.  These plans are important policy statements at the County and local level that reinforce efforts that preserve and enhance significant landscapes such as the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor.

In April 2012, the Cumberland County Planning Department embarked on an 8-10 month effort to update the Plan in order to develop new recommendations for the next 5 years. The planning process includes a variety of opportunities for the public to provide input including a citizen survey and public meetings.  Two upcoming public meetings are planned to review and receive input on the draft Land Partnerships Plan.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 

Southampton Township Municipal Building

200 Airport Road, Shippensburg, PA

Monday, November 5, 2012

Lower Allen Township Municipal Building

2233 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, PA

For more information visit: Cumberland County Land Partnerships Plan 2012

Farms at the base of the Kittatinny participate in Lehigh County Open Gate Farm Tour

This past Sunday various farms in Lehigh County such as Byler's Farm in Slatington and Blue Mountain Vineyards in New Tripoli participated in the Open Gate Farm Tour sponsored by Penn State Extension. The Allentown Morning Call reports that this annual event has been conducted in Lehigh County for over 40 years and invites residents and visitors to learn more about local agriculture. To learn more about farms that participated, view the 2012 Open Gate Farm Tour brochure.

Plainfield Township web site highlights Conservation Resources

Communities considering a web redesign for their municipal site or expanding on available conservation & recreation information should check out Plainfield Township's web site!   Plainfield Township’s (Northampton County) municipal web site is a great example of a community using their web presence to spread awareness amongst residents and/or visitors of the township's significant natural, cultural and recreational assets.  Site users get an immediate feel for Plainfield Township's "sense of place" through the site design/theme used as well as the resources and images prominently featured.  

The Environmental Advisory Council page also discusses municipal goals of protection, conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources including air, land, and water located within its territorial limits. 

Plainfield Township in
Northampton Co.

Additional links to various additional local and regional conservation resources include area nature centers (Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, etc.), conservation groups (Audubon PA, Heritage Conservancy, etc.), trails (Appalachian Trail hikes in PA), and regional conservation partnerships (Lehigh Valley Greenways, Kittatinny Coalition, etc.). 

Plainfield Township's web site was funded in part by a Lehigh Valley Greenways grant administered by Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Marathon and Half-Marathon, Nov. 4: Register for one of the most scenic races in eastern PA!

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor made history last year by staging a successful first running of the Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Marathon/Half Marathon. Scheduled for Sunday, November 4th on the D&L Trail and two local spur trails, the 2012 races will take runners through some of the prettiest scenery in eastern Pennsylvania, enhanced on race day by autumn's annual show of colors.  

The marathon and half-marathon routes on the D&L pass right through Lehigh Gap at the base of the Kittatinny adjacent to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center.  To register by November 1st, download the Race Brochure or visit D&L's web site. 

Alpine Rose race track opponents denounce tax incentive

Kittatinny Ridge in Monroe Co. (Photo: Blue Mountain
Preservation Association)

A recent Eldred Township (Monroe Co.) Board of Supervisors meeting found members of Blue Mountain Preservation Association and other conservation groups spoke out against the possible use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to help underwrite a private sports car club slated for development on 350 wooded acres on the northern slope of the Kittatinny Ridge.

The Pocono Record reports, "TIF is often used to subsidize redevelopment of blighted urban areas or for new community-improvement projects. It allows developers to defer payment on a portion of local property taxes with the belief that it could spawn further development, and increase surrounding property values and additional tax revenues.

Opponents say the method has the potential to disenfranchise the public it's supposed to serve.

A developer who wants the funding mechanism needs the approval of the township, school district and county where the project is being constructed. Blue Mountain members have been making their rounds to all these entities in recent weeks asking that Alpine be denied the funding mechanism."

Read the full article here: Eldred Township car club opponents denounce tax incentive

Background on proposed Alpine Rose project (from PA Sierra Club)
Alpine Rose Resorts Inc has proposed to place a members-only racetrack/country club for sports car enthusiasts on the north face of the Blue Mountain in Eldred Township, Monroe County. The proposed site borders the Appalachian Trail and State Game lands on its southern border and a high quality cold-water fishery, the Aquashicola Creek and wetlands on its northern boundary. There is a steeply sloped (12-25 %) mountainous terrain that will make development of any kind difficult at best. Public issues include the inability of the road system to support the increased traffic and the noise impact of 50 racing automobiles, some without mufflers, running at speeds of up to 120 mph.

Upcoming events along the Kittatinny Ridge and Appalachian Trail!



 Fishing Derby at Colonel Denning S.P. (Photo: Cumberlink.com)

Mark your calendars for upcoming events along the Kittatinny Ridge and Appalachian trail!   Hikes, interpretive walks, lecturers, workshops and various other outdoor and educational activities are constantly happening at centers like Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Wildwood Park and various State Parks within the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor.  Events for the whole family!  See a photo gallery from the recent Fishing Derby held at Colonel Denning State Park in Doubling Gap!

Oct. 13 ~ Lecture Series: "Pennsylvania Breeding Birds"
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, PA
Thousands of hours of surveys over six years resulted in Pennsylvania's Second Breeding Bird Atlas. Learn more about the surprising changes in our state's wild bird populations, including a dramatic decline in ruffed grouse, a shift of horned larks and the expansion of many big-woods birds. For more information visit, Hawk Mountain's event listing.

Oct. 13 ~ Volunteer Workday at Wildwood Park
Wildwood Park, Harrisburg, PA
Take this opportunity to work outside and help Wildwood’s continued park and habitat enhancement projects. Pre-registration is not required but please let us know if you are bringing a group of six or more. For more information, visit Wildwood Park's event listing.

Oct. 18 ~ Flat Rock Overlook/Warner Trail Loop Hike
Colonel Denning State Park, Doubling Gap, PA
This is a 4-5 mile loop hike that follows the Flat Rock Trail to the "Wagon Wheel" of trails. We will then continue on to the Overlook which is a natural rock outcrop that affords a view of the great Cumberland Valley. For more information, visit the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club hike listing.

Oct. 18 ~ "Nature Detectives" Hike at Cowan's Gap
Cowan's Gap State Park, Fort Loudon, PA
Who lives at the park? Join the naturalist as we look for clues! Start at the park office for a walk around the park looking for evidence left behind by some the local residents. For more information, visit the DCNR event listing.

Oct. 20-21 ~ "The Kittatinny Ridge" at Jacobsburg Env. Ed. Center
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, Wind Gap, PA
Join in for this two day workshop focusing on the Kittatinny Ridge. Presenters will include Little Gap Bird Observatory, Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Moravian College, Wildlands Conservancy, Audubon Pennsylvania and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. For more information visit the DCNR event listing.

Upper Mt. Bethel Supervisors support land preservation effort

The Nature Conservancy is looking to preserve another
70 acres of property along the Kittatinny Ridge.
(Source: WFMZ.com)

Upper Mt. Bethel Township Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to formally support The Nature Conservancy's efforts to preserve 70 acres of forested land along the Kittatinny Ridge in Northampton County.  Upper Mt. Bethel sets a great example for municipalities along the Appalachian Trail and Kittatinny Ridge in their resolution.  See the full WFMZ article here.

Municipalities can play an important supporting role in backing funding proposals for land preservation and can even go as far as to hold conservation easements.  In this particular case, The Nature Conservancy is applying to Northampton County's Open Space Program to purchase this easement along Blue Mountain Drive.

WFMZ reports: "Ellen Lott, project manager with The Nature Conservancy, said the additional 80 acres would tie into 229 acres already preserved along the Kittatinny Ridge.  Lott said the ridge has both 'ecological and social importance to the residents of the area' by providing critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife, while offering breath-taking scenic views.

It's important to keep the ridge forested for the wildlife and the people because it's such a visible landmark,' she said."

Izaak Walton League and Lebanon Valley Conservancy celebrate permanent protection of land within the Kittatinny Corridor

Click on image to view more photos!

Members of the Izaak Walton League, Lebanon Valley Conservancy and the Kittatinny Coalition as well as elected officials and various landowners within the Kittatinny Corridor gathered last evening to celebrate the permanent protection of the forested 39.96-acre Izaak Walton League property.  Now under conservation easement through the work of the Lebanon Valley Conservancy, this parcel at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge within a few miles of the Appalachian Trail crossing at Swatara Gap includes significant ecological and recreational resources: wildlife habitat, riparian area, vernal ponds, serves as a buffer to canoe recreational access to the Swatara Creek and facilitates protection of the planned Lebanon Valley Rail Trail Corridor through to Swatara State Park.

Audubon PA presents Galen Kleinfelter of Izaak Walton League 
with Kittatinny Ridge print

See article in the Lebanon Daily News here: Environmental groups preserve land in Union Township and more photos of the celebration here on Facebook.  About 50 invited attendees learned more about the history and conservation values of the property, conservation efforts in Lebanon County and within the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor.  Audubon PA and Appalachian Trail Conservancy reps made a brief presentation about the conservation values of the Kittatinny and its significance to the Appalachian Trail experience.  Multiple landowners signed up with the Kittatinny Ridge land registry, a program by Audubon PA to increase awareness of conservation options amongst landowners with high conservation-value properties. 

Elk Chili from nearby Woods Creek Grill was enjoyed by all.  Congratulations to the Lebanon Valley Conservancy and the Izaak Walton League for their continued efforts to preserve the Kittatinny Ridge landscape in Lebanon County!

The celebration took place under IWL's pavilion next to Swatara Creek.

Groundbreaking on new Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center building

Artist's rendering of new facility.  Source: Allentown Morning Call.

Construction has begun on a new building to house the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, located at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge near Wind Gap, PA.  The new 9,300 facility will include a "green" roof planted with vegetation, solar panels for power, geothermal heating and cooling, on-site stormwater filtration, water-conserving plumbing, and recycled materials purchased locally according to a recent article in Allentown's Morning Call.  PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Allan noted that new center will be a keystone of public outreach and education efforts related to Lehigh Valley Greenways landscape conservation work.

While it will come in advance of completion of the new center, be sure to register for Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center's upcoming two-day workshop focused on The Kittatinny Ridge!  Presenters will include Little Gap Bird Observatory, Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Moravian College, Wildlands Conservancy, AUdubon Pennsylvania and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.  Visit the DCNR event listing for more information.