Alexander Boyd, 87, who donated a thousand acres that is now Boyd Big Tree Conservation Area in the Pennsylvania State Park system, passed away February 19 at his home in Arizona.

He served in Burma during World War II with the British Army.  A real estate developer and chairman of Union Deposit Corp., Boyd also was a philanthropist known for his generosity and love of nature. He donated the land for Boyd Big Tree in Dauphin County in 1999.

The large mature trees and thick woods of the conservation area make it an ideal habitat for a large variety of woodland creatures. Bluebirds and warblers also can be observed at Boyd Big Tree. There is an observation area on Blue Mountain where bird watchers can see the annual migration of hawks. The area features about 12 miles of trails.

(Reprinted from DCNR’s March 6 Resource newsletter.)

3/11/2013