Central Pennsylvania Conservancy E-News

Central Pennsylvania Conservancy E-News - January

Happy 2024!

Welcome back to our newsletter! We've decided to forego quarterly newsletters packed to the brim with information and switch to a pared down monthly format, which will include links to the new blog we're developing on our website. Next month's newsletter will reflect these changes and we hope you'll enjoy it. In the mean time, read on for some brief updates as to what we've been up to since the leaves have fallen.

Pictured to the left is a gorgeous specimen of Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) growing at our Port Royal Wetlands Preserve in Juniata County. Native bumblebees are the only critters strong enough to open up the closed infloresence, which provides crucial late fall nourishment for them!

Highlights for 2023

2023 was a year of growth and learning for us here at CPC. We're grateful for all of the connections and partnerships we made and look forward to building on those in 2024! Some of our highlights for 2023:

Construction of the ADA accessible and ORAR (Outdoor Recreation Accessible Route) trails at our Letort Spring Garden Preserve (LSGP) began
Being selected for grant funding to replace and improve signage at our Juniata County preserves
Stewardship Specialist Brennan Ka'aihue advocated on Capitol Hill for more conservation funding in the 2023 Farm Bill
Hosted a group of students for supported employment and job skills training at the LSGP
Nearing completion of the permanent protection of our biggest project yet, the Camp Tuckahoe property in York and Cumberland Counties
Updated policies and procedures to submit for reaccreditation
Transferred a 60.8 acre property on Blue Mountain (part of the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape) to DCNR as an addition to the Boyd Big Tree Preserve
Revamped our property monitoring program
Received the Pennsylvania Ornithological Society's Conservation Award for our positive impact on bird conservation
Supported two interns for an immersive summer internship experience
Reinstated public volunteer days at the LSGP, with volunteers contributing 1,142 hours of stewardship
Rediscovered an endangered plant at one of our preserves
Hired the inimitable Jen Henry as Ironmaster's Challenge Race Director

Collecting native seeds at our Port Royal Wetlands Preserve in order to spread them to some spots there that could use a boost of native biodiversity!

Stewardship Specialist Brennan K and Land Protection Specialist Cameron W enjoying a perfect fall day monitoring a property we protect in Franklin County.

Students from Diakon Wilderness Center enhancing the springhouse area at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve with you guessed it.. native plants.

We're making plans and would love your feedback!

What kind of events would you like CPC to plan for this year?

Educational talks

Guided hikes/walks

Collaborative events with local people and businesses

Classes on specific conservation related topics

Gatherings/celebrations/picnics

A foggy scene at our Greg's Woods Preserve in Mexico, Juniata County.

It's only with your support that we can continue to protect and preserve land for future generations in south-central Pennsylvania. We hope that you'll join our conservation mission with a one-time or monthly donation.

Donate Securely Here!

Call for Volunteers

You can help make a difference in the world by conducting hands-on earth care.

Our regular volunteer days will be starting back up as soon as the weather is consistently warm, stay tuned for more details, and sign up to help if you haven't already!

You could find yourself...

Planting native species
Participating in "urban archaeology" cleanups
Building and maintaining trails
Managing invasive species
Learning identification and hands-on stewardship skills
Collecting + propagating native seed
and so much more!

Apply to be a Volunteer Land Steward!

Thank you for reading and supporting our work to protect and preserve land in south-central Pennsylvania!