Have you noticed any changes happening in the world around you?

Around here, skunk cabbage has started to peek through the wetland soils, the distinctive 'peent' breeding call of the American Woodcock can be heard as dusk fades to night like the photo above, and the sap of maples flows into collection buckets when the nights are cold and the days are warm. With less than three weeks to go until the equinox on March 20, the signs that spring is gearing up for its seasonal show of abundance are undeniable. We're looking forward to watching the world reveal its magic and hope you'll join us in protecting and stewarding the special places where it does!

Bears hibernate in the winter, CPC doesn't! We've been busy conducting all manner of land-saving and tending operations during these chilly months, which has resulted in efforts we can all be proud of.

On the financial front, CPC was awarded $25,000 by PPL Foundation for activities at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve and $25,000 by Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Wild East Action Fund for the protection of Camp Tuckahoe in South Mountain. We released our 2021 Annual Report at the end of last year, and finished the 2021 property monitoring season. The restoration of the springhouse and barn is almost complete, thanks to the hard work of Sam and Patrick McKinney. The final steps of painting and gutter installation are scheduled for May 2022. The Letort Spring Garden Preserve has received a lot of love thanks to the efforts of committed volunteers. Together, they recently removed nearly the last of the invasive cattail seedheads, supported prescribed burning efforts to prepare land for native wildflower plantings, collected many pounds of trash, and continued to build a strong community of conservationists! If you're interested in gaining new skills, meeting caring new folks, and doing right by our planet, we'd love for you to join us.

Fill out this form here if volunteering with CPC appeals to you; we have opportunities for everyone!

The protected ecological corridor that is the Kittatinny Ridge is about to get 92 acres bigger! CPC was awarded a grant in January from PA DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program for the purchase of a forest easement in the Amerberson Valley of the Kittatinny Ridge that includes the Tuscarora Trail, the intersection with Catholic Path, and adjoins state forest land in Franklin County. In our second ever purchased conservation easement, CPC has recently applied for the remaining easement value from our partners at NRCS through the RCPP-Kittatinny-forest easements program. We are excited to complete this first of three easements that CPC has committed to as a participating land trust partner within this program. Several other priority properties on the Kittatinny Ridge in our service area are being considered as prospective projects by CPC's Land Protection Committee.

CPC and Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters are partnering on a fun springtime plein air painting event at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve! Please save the date to attend on Sunday, June 12th from 12-3 pm. Further details on registration fees and event logistics are forthcoming! All CPC members and volunteers are invited to attend to enjoy a lovely spring walk to view artists in action, followed by a gallery show, food trucks, and entertainment. We look forward to bringing folks together for this fundraising event, and we especially thank participating artists for donating sale proceeds to support CPC's mission of land protection and stewardship.

CPC Congratulates Halifax Township the Friends of Fort Halifax Park for a successful grant application to the Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board. Dauphin County recently announced grant awards, which can be viewed in an article from The Burg: Article

Soils are warming up and becoming workable, which means if you haven't already, it's time to make a plan to plant! This season, consider the benefits of planting native species. According to Penn State Extension, they are well-adapted to our climate, are easy to care for, and help preserve crucial biodiversity. Development of land with natural resource value continues to eliminate crucial habitat for native species, which creates a devastating domino effect on the stability and well-being of our ecosystems.