07/08/24 - 115 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/ype6tnrj
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Connecting Communities To Creeks Conference Attracts 395 Attendees In State College
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The PA Land Trust Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Pennsylvania "Connecting Communities To Creeks" Conference attracted 395 participants in State College last week.
With the theme, “Working Together to Protect Our Land, Water & Communities,” conference goers were treated to presentations, awards programs and lots of opportunities for networking.
So far this year over 600 people have attended conferences devoted to land and watershed issues, including a record turnout at the Schuylkilll Watershed Congress in March.
Awards Program
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation honored U.S. Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Congressman Tim Holden (D-Schuylkill) with its Federal Legislator of the Year Award. Both Sen. Casey and Congressman Holden are being honored for their work securing funding to protect water quality through last year’s federal Farm Bill.
The PA Land Trust Association honored Ralph “Bud” Cook of The Nature Conservancy with its prestigious Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award and former DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinisPALTA also honored two municipalities with the Government Leadership Award: Middletown Township (Delaware County) and Oley Township (Berks County). A description of their awards follows.
Ralph "Bud" Cook: Over the past 29 years, Ralph “Bud” Cook of The Nature Conservancy has protected special places from Great Marsh to Goat Hill in Pennsylvania to the Chilean grasslands and the Ecuadoran cloud forest.
Beneficiaries of his work include the golden-winged warbler, the river otter, the spectacled bear, the bog turtle, and of course people. Bud’s work exemplifies what can be done and how individuals cn effect positive change for conservation with integrity and intelligence.
In Pennsylvania, the old-growth forests of Woodbourne Preserve, the cascading waters of Seven Tubs Natural Area, the dragonfly haven of Shelly Preserve and the boreal bog at Tannersville Cranberry Bog are just of the few of the places Bud has worked to protect.
One of Bud’s strengths is his ability to create and pursue huge conservation opportunities. In 1998, he initiated the Monroe County Citizens for Open Space and led a successful open space campaign that garnered $25 million for land protection in Monroe County. That program has leveraged an additional $50 million in matching funds and protected more than 12,000 acres.
Altogether, he has leveraged more than $100 million in public funding for open space preservation in those areas. These funds have helped protect extraordinary places like the Thomas Darling Nature Preserve, one of the largest undisturbed peatland complexes in Pennsylvania; and Hartman Cave in Cherry Valley, a winter sanctuary for hibernating bats.
Bud’s work extends far beyond Pennsylvania. He has provided guidance to conservation partners in Panama, Paraguay, Ecuador and Chile, initiating protection for more than 3.5 million acres.
“Bud has been a tremendous asset to the conservation movement and an inspiration to us all,” said Andy Loza, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association. “On behalf of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the land conservation community, we thank Bud Cook for his remarkable life of service to the environment and for being an exemplary contributor to land conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.”
Oley Township: Oley Township is located in Berks County, just outside Philadelphia, and has experienced its share of development pressures. Yet, through proactive zoning and leadership, the township has retained its scenic rural landscape and has made it a place of destination.
Oley’s preservation statistics are impressive: In a township that consists of 15,500 acres, 12,216 of these are enrolled in its Agricultural Security Area; over 9,900 acres are protected with effective agricultural zoning, and 6,722 acres are permanently preserved with Agricultural Conservation Easements.
The township has worked hard to protect its natural and historical integrity through comprehensive planning and the adoption of strong zoning regulations. With a proactive citizenry and enthusiastic leadership, in the last few decades, Oley was able to resolve a number of major environmental concerns.
These issues were not only instrumental to land conservation but also in protecting the water quality of the Upper Manatawny Creek, which ranks highest in water quality of all major tributaries of the Schuylkill River.
Oley Township is continuing its preservation efforts, working actively to partner with adjacent communities in implementing the county’s planning recommendations, and has made great strides in partnering with developers in promoting smart land use policies.
We honor Oley township leadership for their hard work in safeguarding the exceptional resources of this special community, and sparing no effort in making land conservation in Oley a way of life," said Andy Loza.
Attending the award ceremony on behalf of Middletown Township are Township Chairman and Rep. David R. Kessler (D-Berks) and fellow supervisors, James R. Coker and Jeffrey A. Spatz.
Middletown Township: On the heels of rapid growth during the previous three decades, land conservation had become a priority for Middletown Township, located in Delaware County.
Since 1987, Middletown has utilized several proactive conservation methods in an effort to continue strategically preserving selected land to retain an open and natural feeling in the community. These strategic land acquisitions by the Township over the past twenty years reinforce the preservation of land and the conservation of critical resources. In Middletown Township, it is apparent that leaders promote a view of the future where development is balanced with the natural character of the land.
All told, the Township now owns nearly 646 acres of ground, some of which is used for active recreation, some for passive recreation, and some which is simply kept as natural buffer that protects precious resources and contributes to the community’s viewshed.
Middletown has taken great strides in ensuring the protection of its natural resources. The Association is pleased to honor Middletown Township for their hard work and commitment to preservation.
Attending the award ceremony on behalf of Middletown Township is Township Supervisor, Lorraine Bradshaw.
“As we strive to increase land conservation in Pennsylvania, it is so exciting to have strong partners at the local level, actively reinforcing and promoting the protection of their natural resources,” said Andy Loza. “On behalf of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the land conservation community, we thank the elected and appointed officials of Oley and Middletown Townships for their remarkable leadership and commitment to land preservation efforts in Pennsylvania.”
Michael DiBerardinis, former Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Secretary, was also honored by the PA Land Trust Association. Secretary DiBerardinis served as DCNR secretary for the past six years and was recently appointed as the City of Philadelphia’s Recreation Commissioner. He will receive a special Conservation Leadership Award, which was presented by Association President Molly Morrison.
Presentations
The conference keynote headliner was Janisse Ray, an environmental activist and poet, and the award-winning author of “Ecology of a Cracker Childhood,” a highly praised book that combines elements of ecology and autobiography into a multifaceted work.
As activist and memoirist, Ray conveys through her books and storytelling the delicate symbiotic nature of the landscape and the people who are irrevocably connected with the land. Her presentation was entitled “Nature, Community and the Life We Dream” and explored how we can individually and collectively lead whole and sustainable lives. Janisse will meet with attendees and sign books the night before at the Friday evening reception.
The Saturday morning conference program included a welcome by Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger, who discussed efforts and steps that the department and the state has taken and continue to take to protect our water and land resources
For more information regarding this event, please contact Nicole Faraguna at 717-909-1298 or send email to: nfaraguna@conserveland.org. |
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5/15/2009 |
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