Western PA Conservancy, Partners Preserve 149 Scenic Acres In Lycoming County

A wooded, 149-acre property with a 10-acre lake will be permanently conserved in Lycoming County through the donation of a voluntary conservation easement to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

Owned by James W. and Cynthia M. Bower, the picturesque property is adjacent to State Game Lands #298 as well as the 389-acre Rose Valley Lake, a popular location for fishing that is managed by the Fish and Boat Commission. The location of the Bowers’ land helps to connect Rose Valley Lake to Commonwealth-owned lands in the south, as well as protect its tributaries.

“We are grateful to the Bowers for taking this important step to permanently conserve their land,” said Greg Socha, WPC’s associate vice president, land conservation and stewardship. “Due to their action, a significant amount of forestland and water will remain untouched, contributing to the health of the environment and giving future generations the opportunity to enjoy this special place.”

The conservation easement that the landowners donated to WPC is a voluntary agreement that keeps their property in private hands while permanently restricting future uses in order to accomplish their conservation goals. In this instance, the Bowers chose to restrict subdivision as well as timbering on their property, in order to preserve the forested land there for old growth.

The location of the property – just nine miles from Williamsport and five miles from the I-99 corridor – places it within an area that has seen an increase in residential development in recent decades. The conservation easement with WPC ensures that this land will remain natural and wooded.

“There is, in this property, a sense of place that transcends human activity and is a source of quieting nourishment,” said Cynthia Bower. “Some things should simply be left alone, to grow as they will grow and be as they will be, apart from the human hand.”

As the holder of the Bowers’ conservation easement, the Conservancy has committed to monitoring the property in perpetuity to ensure that the landowners’ intent and the terms of the easement are upheld.