On May 6, WeConservePA announced the launch of a new Conservation Law Program, led by Director of Conservation Law Justin Hollinger, Esq., to deliver several legal services for the benefit of those working to advance conservation in Pennsylvania.

Improving technical guidance for allConservationists in Pennsylvania and nationwide look to WeConservePA’s model legal documents and guides, as well as the WeConservePA Library’s thousands of other documents, to assist with their conservation endeavors and challenges.

Many of these WeConservePA resources are the result of novel (and not-so-novel) questions and issues that emerge from discussions among practitioners and WeConservePA staff.

The Program ensures that users of these resources continue to benefit from up-to-date, reliable, accessible, and legally sound guidance. We want to hear your ideas for future guides and models and feedback on current materials.

The staff and volunteers of land trusts, local government open space programs, environmental advisory councils, and other organizations working to conserve land and provide outdoor recreational opportunities may contact the Program to consult on their issues and obtain general legal information.

Direct representation. For a modest number of qualifying conservation organizations, the Program offers direct client services. Assistance may include direct legal advice, transactional representation, document review and drafting, and help with other project and organizational matters.

WeConservePA does not seek to supplant attorneys assisting organizations in conservation matters but recognizes that gaps can exist in local services and expertise.

The Program also:

-- Brings together legal experts. When new or challenging legal questions affecting conservation emerge in the Commonwealth, the Program provides a forum to air perspectives, build consensus where desirable, and discern best approaches to advance conservation.

-- Delivers educational programs. The Program provides presentations on conservation law for a variety of audiences. WeConservePA is accredited to provide continuing legal education programs in Pennsylvania. Please contact us to discuss possible programs, or to request a particular training or program.

Staff and volunteers with WeConservePA member organizations and those with established relationships may contact Justin Hollinger, Esq., directly at jhollinger@weconservepa.org  for support or to discuss any of these program elements.

However, to obtain optimally informed assistance, you are encouraged to first submit an intake form.

Non-members without a prior relationship must submit the intake form to better ensure efficient assistance for all.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the WeConservePA website, Click Here to sign up for regular updates from WeConservePA, Like them on Facebook, and Follow them on Twitter.  Click Here to support their work.

More than 107,000 Pennsylvanians contribute to local land trusts.

Special Link:

-- We’re Heard This Before: ‘We’re Providing Jobs - Stopping Pollution Threatens Jobs’ - A Brief Review Of Pennsylvania’s Conservation History  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Awards Pennsylvania Sojourn Grants; Schedule/Map Available  [PaEN]

-- WeConservePA Launches Conservation Law Assistance Program With Guidance, Direct Representation  [PaEN]

-- Sustainable Pittsburgh Hosts June 4 Webinar On Cultivating Community Green Spaces - A Practical Approach For Municipalities  [PaEN] 

-- Governor's Invasive Species Council: Celebrate Pennsylvania Native Species Day May 16  [PaEN]

-- Delaware Highlands Conservancy Hosts Volunteer Land Conservation Monitoring Training At The Van Scott Nature Reserve In Wayne County  [PaEN]

-- PA Forest Seminar Series: June 11 - Pollinators In Pennsylvania Forests Webinar [PaEN]

-- Master Watershed Steward Watershed-Friendly Native Plant Kit Sale Thru June 18  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts May 22 In-Person Tap Talk: Deep Dive Into Vernal Pools Workshop In York  [PaEN]

[Posted: May 6, 2024]

5/13/2024