Acting Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Thursday  announced the department will add about 48 acres to Codorus State Park with the acquisition of the former Rohrbaugh property along Blooming Grove Road in Manheim Township, York County.

“This property includes a nice mix of habitats -- wetlands, fallow fields that are reverting to forest and a mixed hardwood and evergreen forest,” Dunn said. “At Codorus State Park, as with many of our sites, there is continuing pressure of residential development along park borders.  This acquisition is consistent with our priority of adding lands adjacent to our current properties for protective buffers from this development.”

“As Pennsylvania’s largest land manager, recreation provider and community recreation partner, DCNR is leading outdoor recreation initiatives that invigorate citizens and communities, creating jobs that pay, encouraging healthy lifestyles and promoting environmental stewardship,” Dunn said. “The land we add to our system supports that mission.”

The Rohrbaugh property is located on the southern boundary of Codorus State Park with frontage on Blooming Grove Road (Route 216).

The state invested $219,000 in Growing Greener 2 funds to purchase the land.  The Conservation Fund, a non-profit organization that focuses on creating land and water protection strategies that balance environmental stewardship with economic viability, facilitated the purchase with additional funds from an anonymous donor.

“This property boasts a network of trails, great views and access to Long Run, which expands the tremendous recreational opportunities that attract visitors to Codorus State Park every year,” said Kyle Shenk, Pennsylvania representative for The Conservation Fund. “Enhancing and adding to the park’s natural attractions will ensure public access and support the local economy through tourism.”

DCNR compensates local governments on an annual basis as payment-in-lieu of taxes for public lands.  This is meant to replace taxes that would have been generated if these land holdings were in private ownership. Conservation of these lands also will ensure that municipalities will not have to bear costs associated with development.

Pennsylvania state parks host 38 million visitors annually, support more than 13,000 jobs, and provide more than a billion dollars to the state’s economy.

The 3,490-acre Codorus State Park is in the rolling hills of southern York County. The 1,275-acre Lake Marburg has 26 miles of shoreline. The lake is popular with sail boaters and motor boaters. Anglers love the lake for warm water fishing and also can fish Codorus Creek for trout.

The park has many different habitats, like forests, fields, wetlands, and the large lake, which make it a great place to see wildlife.

For more information, visit DCNR’s State Parks webpage.

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Land Purchase Grows Codorus State Park By 48 Acres

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