On July 16, Murray and Rhonda Laudenslager were awarded the 2023 Conservation Award by Manada Conservancy, the nonprofit land trust that serves Dauphin County. 

Over the past fifteen years, the Laudenslagers have preserved more than 360 acres of their land in upper Dauphin County.  Their farmland, woodland, and unique mountain wetlands of Peters Mountain and Powells Valley are now permanently protected.

The Laudenslagers, of Wayne Township, have worked with Manada Conservancy to protect multiple properties with the use of conservation easements.

A conservation easement is a legal document used to permanently restrict subdivision and development and to ensure special protections for areas of high conservation value such as agricultural land, creek sides, and forests. 

The Laudenslagers’ generosity exemplifies their commitment and vision for protected land to benefit future generations.

These protected properties are located within the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, a forested corridor of the Appalachian Mountains that is home to a portion of the Appalachian Trail and provides habitat for a wide variety of species including tens of thousands of migratory birds with recognition as a Global Important Bird Area.

To learn more about land preservation options available to you as a landowner or to get involved with Manada Conservancy, please visit Conservancy website or contact us at 717-566-4122.

With nearly 3,000 acres protected, Manada Conservancy is a land trust dedicated to preserving the natural, historic, agricultural and scenic resources of Dauphin County through land conservation, environmental education, and community engagement. 

(Photo: front- Murray and Rhonda Laudenslager, landowners and award recipients; back- Hummelstown Mayor David Roeting, Miss Hummelstown Sage McKeever, Manada Conservancy Executive Director Will Dingman, Manada Conservancy Board Member Sally Zaino.) 

NewsClips:

-- NextPittsburgh: Pittsburgh Hiking Meetup Group Finds Camaraderie On The Trails

-- Observer-Reporter: Beaver County Boy Scouts Make 100-Mile Trek To Fayette County Camp

-- TribLive: Hays Woods Officially Designated A Pittsburgh Park

-- LancasterOnline: Completed Long’s Park Wetlands Project Will Improve Water Quality, Expand Nature Areas

-- Beaver County Times: Summer Views In Buttermilk Falls Natural Area

-- Keep PA BeautifuL July Newsletter: Seeking High School Young Ambassadors; Land & Water Stewards; Community Pride Award Winner; Healing The Planet Grant Awards; More!

-- NextPittsburgh: Ohiopyle Offers Every Level Of Laurel Highlands Adventure

-- NextPittsburgh: What’s In The Basement At Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater?

Related Articles:

-- DCNR Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council Meets July 26 On State Forest Strategic Plan; Update From Fish & Boat Commission; Seeking New Council Members  [PaEN]

-- DCNR: PA First Lady Lori Shapiro Joins DCNR Secretary For PA Outdoor Corps Visit At French Creek State Park [Berks, Chester Counties]

-- US Dept. Of Interior Announces $8.8 Million Grant To PA For Land & Water Conservation Fund Recreation Projects

-- DCNR Blog: Creating A New Toolkit To Create Outdoor Connections For Older Adults

-- DCNR Opens Survey For Public Input On Plans For New Big Elk Creek State Park In Chester County  [PaEN]

-- Charity Checkout For Conservation Raises Funds For PA Wilds State Parks, Forests From PA Wilds Conservation Shop, Online Sales  [PaEN]

-- Fish & Boat Commission Awards $187,625 Grants To Support Education Program To Retain, Recruit, Reactivate Interest In Fishing & Boating

-- Stroud Water Research Center: Family Day Engages Latino Community; Denlinger Farm Tour Focuses On Stewardship; Profiles Of Delaware Watershed Community Scientists; Laura Turner Seidel Freshwater Excellence Award Winner [PaEN]

-- WeConservePA: Federal, State, And Local Officials, Land Conservancy Of Adams County Celebrate Preservation Of Over 1,700 Acres  [PaEN]

-- Manada Conservancy Recognizes Laudenslager Family With Conservation Award In Dauphin County  [PaEN]

-- Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Two Susquehanna River Islands Preserved Off Harrisburg Shoreline

-- Winners Named In Susquehanna Greenway Partnership 12th Annual Photo Contest; Vote For People's Choice  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 19, 2023]

7/24/2023