Central Pennsylvania Conservancy
In This Issue
Ironmaster's Challenge
Goddard Leadership
Tree Planting at the Letort Preserve
Ironmaster's Mansion Updates
Land Protection
Native Plant Sales
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April 2018 CPC E-News
News about CPC's projects and events

Ironmaster's Challenge Soon Approaching, Volunteers Needed! Sign Up Here to Volunteer Today!
Please consider volunteering at the 9th annual Ironmaster's Challenge coming up on Sunday, April 29th, 2018! You can help out by doing anything from assisting at check-in, checkpoints, timing, water stations, the finishline picnic, or the prep day on the Saturday before the event. Come out and join the team!


CPC's Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute-a conservation leadership camp for youth ages 13 to 15-is accepting applications for July 8-13 program
For the third year in a row, we are continuing the theme "F rom the Headwaters to the Bay: Lessons for Student Action by joining forces again with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and offering stays at both Pine Grove Furnace State Park and the Chesapeake Bay. If you know of any students between the ages of 13 and 15 who have a keen interest in the environment, community leadership, conservation, or simply enjoy the outdoors, please pass on this fulfilling summer opportunity! Students must   Apply Online and  can find more information by viewing the  program brochure  or program website. Several scholarships will be awarded once applications have been submitted. 



Spring Tree Planting at CPC's Letort Preserve

CPC is participating in a Chesapeake Bay Foundation tree planting initiative with a volunteer planting day at the Letort Preserve scheduled for Saturday, April 21st. Please join us for a day to experience CPC's newest land acquisition and get your hands dirty by planting native tree and plant species that aid in buffering and filtering pollution from entering the Letort. To sign up, please email  Ben Mummert . Bring gloves, and wear pants and boots; tools are provided. 

Click here for a recent article in the  Bay Journal providing perspectives on our region's task to increase forested buffers along streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Welcome Hikers and Guests! CPC kicks off season with a newly renovated, private guest suite available now for booking at the Ironmaster's Mansion

Enjoy a spring or summer weekend in style at Pine Grove Furnace State Park! After several months of renovation, the Ironmaster's Mansion presents its newest addition--a private guest suite with private bathroom. We are promoting bookings of the new room with a weekend (or weeknight) special of 2 nights for $300. One overnight is set at $200 (includes breakfast). It may be booked independently or as part of a package for booking the entire Mansion for a group or special event. Bookings are being taken over the phone (717-486-4108), email ( [email protected]), and eventually via online booking from a redesigned website that will launch in a few weeks. 

Grant support for these projects, including the private guest suite renovation and the website redesign, was generously provided by the Cumberland Valley Visitor's Bureau through its Tourism Grant Program.  The Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, park staff, and Central PA Conservancy all provided funds and labor to bring this project to successful completion. We look forward to hosting your next stay!

The Ironmaster's Mansion is ideal for hosting a number of special events including weddings, reunions, anniversaries, youth retreats, corporate planning events, fundraisers, private parties, and much more. Paired with the plentiful recreational opportunities at your finger tips in Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Michaux State Forest, this is an ideal location for special events that make lasting memories. 

The Mansion is now open to AT hikers for the 2018 season, and we look forward to hosting your stay at the halfway milestone of your journey!

Public history tours are being offered again this summer by local historian and president of the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Andre Weltman. Tours will be held on Sundays at 3 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the Mansion is not booked for a special event ( check website). Please meet by the side door on the covered porch.

CPC Completes 2 Major Land Acquisitions in 2018: The Letort Preserve and the Windemaker Tract 
CPC purchased 30 of the 34-acre preserve in February 2018 and will close on the remaining project next month. For more information, please refer to our press release issued last month,  CPC Press Release. Stay tuned for summer tours and a fall public dedication event.
CPC was awarded a grant from PA's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnerhsips Program (C2P2) for the purchase of 78 acres on the Kittatinny Ridge in North Middleton township sandwiched between State Game Lands 230 (Carlisle Springs). An old footpath over the mountain that was made into a road in 1848 but then abandoned in the early 1900s, Cranes Gap Rd. switches back over the property and the ridge at this site, making for excellent hiking and hunting opportunities. This property is a critical for sportsmen as it serves as the only way to access the 210-acre northern tract of SGL #230. It is also adjacent to the Tuscarora Trail, which may now be aligned to the ridge after acquisition. The settlement is scheduled for May 2018, and CPC plans to host a small dedication with funders and members this fall. The purchase will be followed by an eventual transfer to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) with protective deed restrictions in place from DCNR, and incorporated into the managed game lands. 




Plan Ahead for Local Native Plant Sales-4/21 and 4/28

Saturday, April 21, 2018: 

Appalachian Audubon Society is partnering with Diakon Wilderness Nursery to hold a Native Plant Sale from 9 am to 3 pm. The location is the Diakon Wilderness Center, 571 Mountain Rd., Boiling Springs, PA. Proceeds from the sales  will support Audubon's work locally to protect and restore important bird habitat. Click here for the current inventory at the Greenhouse and Nursery.

The Diakon Wilderness Greenhouse & Native Plant Nursery is a unique greenhouse that not only provides regional residents with perrennials native to Pennsylvania, but also serves as a vocational training site for at-risk youths-and helps to fund Diakon Youth Services programs.

The greenhouse typically offers more than 150 species of flowering plants, ferns, grasses, shrubs and trees. The greenhouse is a teaching nursery, offering students the opportunity to learn valuable skills, gain workplace experience, and deepen their understanding of the relationships in the world around them.


Saturday, April 28, 2018:

Mark your calendar for Manada Conservancy's 18th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale on Saturday, April 28, at Schaffner (Boro) Park in Hummelstown. The event will be held 10:00am to 3:00pm, rain or shine. In addition to Manada Conservancy, several other native plant vendors will have perennials, trees, and shrubs available for purchase to spruce up your home landscape. You can also purchase nature-themed art from local vendors, tap your toes to live music, and pick up plants that you pre-ordered from Manada's online sale. You can pre-order plants  before April 15.

Saturday, April 28, 2018:
Friends of Pichchot Wildflower Sale to be held from 10 am-2 pm. The sale will be held at Gifford Pinchot State Park, Conewago Day Use Area, Pavillion #2 on the York side of the lake. For a list of plants and more details, click here.
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax exempt organization as provided by IRS regulations. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free (within PA) 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.