In early January of 2025, Berks Nature permanently protected the 607-acre Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation in Schuylkill County.

The camp property has offered recreational activities for scouting groups for decades, and hosts both a vast tract of woodland and the headwaters of the Lower Little Swatara Creek.

The easement will allow camp  activities to continue uninterrupted while also prohibiting all future development on the property’s 504 acres of woodland, balancing the recreational and ecological value of this special place.

The Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation property is situated within the Kittatinny Ridge, a breathtaking stretch of mountainous forest expanding over 185 miles.

The importance of this landscape is nationally and locally recognized and considered Pennsylvania’s most climate resilient landscape.

The Ridge supports activities like hiking, fishing, and hunting; purifies and safeguards regional drinking water; and sustains biodiversity with its varied mosaic of habitats and as a critical migratory corridor for birds.

Despite these extensive assets, the area still faces the pressure of residential and commercial development.

Establishing perpetual conservation easements across this landscape helps to safeguard these precious resources.

The Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation is part of a trifecta for recreation as well. The recently protected property is bordered by the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and PA State Game Lands, creating an exceptional nexus of outdoor exploration for the community.

The Scout Reserve serves over 2,000 scouts each summer from Berks and Schuylkill Counties during their 7-week camp.

Along with their traditional summer camps, groups may reserve campsites on weekends year-round.

National Youth and Adult Leadership trainings are also offered at the Scout Reserve.

Attendees can enjoy archery, the ropes course, hiking, fishing, and non-motorized boating on top of the more structured programming.

Places like the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation inspire and celebrate an appreciation for the natural world that our global community so sorely needs; its protection is a huge win for both the community and wildlife, now and forever.

Financial support for this project was provided by the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources through their Community Conservation Partnership Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

Visit the Berks Nature website to learn more about land conservation.

(Reprinted from the WeConservePA website.)

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[Posted: January 21, 2025]

1/27/2025