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ClearWater Conservancy Reaches Fundraising Goal For Galbraith Gap Purchase
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ClearWater Conservancy has completed its fundraising effort to purchase and permanently conserve as public land 152 mountainside acres in the Galbraith Gap area of Harris Township, Centre County.
“Thanks to the generosity and shared vision of hundreds of individuals and organizations in Central Pennsylvania and beyond, we have reached our fundraising goal and now look forward to closing on the property as soon as possible,” said ClearWater’s conservation biologist Katie Ombalski. “After years of effort, we are in the final stages of permanently protecting this important piece of land.”
Individuals and businesses from throughout the Centre Region donated $25,000 and counting, which was matched by long-time local philanthropist Don Hamer.
ClearWater has an agreement to buy the Tussey Mountain property for $685,440. With closing costs and related expenses, the total cost of acquisition is approximately $717,000. Once the purchase is complete, ClearWater Conservancy will transfer ownership of the property to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry for incorporation into the adjacent Rothrock State Forest.
Funds for the purchase came from the following sources:
-- $340,000 state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant
-- $200,000 state DCNR Bureau of Forestry contribution
-- $94,000 National Fish and Wildlife Federation grant
-- $9,000 Huplits Trust grant
-- $2,500 gift from The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.
-- $10,700 a portion of the proceeds from the 2011 Otto’s Golf Fest
-- $10,200 proceeds from ClearWater’s Fly Fishing Clinic
-- $25,000 matching gift from donor Don Hamer
-- $25,000 in donations from individuals
ClearWater plans to work with DCNR Bureau of Forestry, the Nittany Mountain Biking Association and other partners to create a new 1.1 mile trail from the Galbraith Gap trailhead parking lot on Bear Meadows Road to Laurel Run Road.
“We want to make sure that any trail on this property is routed to ensure the preservation of the land’s features, particularly the tributary of Galbraith Gap Run which runs the length of the parcel, and timber rattlesnake habitat.”
The conservation of the property will benefit residents and visitors to Centre County and the native flora and fauna inhabiting the sensitive habitats of Galbraith Gap.
The gap serves as the main recreational gateway to Rothrock State Forest for hikers, birdwatchers, mountain bikers, hunters and cross country skiers. Conservation of the parcel will provide new and exciting recreational opportunities within a few minutes of State College and its surrounding communities.
The property is within the Greater Tussey Mountain and Stone Mountain Important Bird Areas and Central Mountains Important Mammal Area. Its conservation will also buffer the adjacent Shingletown Gap Biological Diversity Area.
The 2,400- foot long unnamed tributary to Galbraith Gap Run coursing through the center of the land will be fully protected, as will the eastern hemlocks that cool the water of the tributary with their shade before it reaches Galbraith Gap Run, making it possible for native brook trout to thrive there.
Galbraith Gap Run is one of only five remaining in the Spring Creek Watershed with a reproducing wild brook trout population. Threatened by the woody adelgid, an insect transplanted from Asia which feeds on hemlocks and can kill them, the hemlocks in Galbraith Gap will be overseen and managed by professional foresters once the land is transferred to DCNR.
The parcel is home to many wildlife species of interest, some of which are on the decline. Birds listed in the State Wildlife Action Plan that can be found on the property include Acadian flycatcher, Louisiana waterthrush, worm-eating warbler, blue-headed vireo, wood, thrush and scarlet tanager. It is a known foraging habitat and potential critical habitat for timber rattlesnake and likely foraging and breeding habitat for eastern small-footed bats and northern long-eared bats.
ClearWater Conservancy's Land Conservation Program seeks to balance the rapid growth of central Pennsylvania with the conservation of important ecological, cultural, and historic places. We work with interested landowners and managers to determine appropriate and voluntary conservation methods, including land management recommendations, conservation easements, and land acquisition.
For more information, visit Galbraith Gap land acquisition webpage or contact ClearWater Conservancy at 814-237-0400.
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9/19/2011 |
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