WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCYThe Western Pennsylvania Conservancy protects and restores exceptional places to provide our region with clean waters and healthy forests, wildlife and natural areas for the benefit of present and future generations. To date, the Conservancy has permanently protected more than 255,000 acres of natural lands. The Conservancy also creates green spaces and gardens, contributing to the vitality of our cities and towns, and preserves Fallingwater, a symbol of people living in harmony with nature. BOARD OF DIRECTORSDavid E. Barensfeld Franklin Blackstone, Jr.*Barbara BottE. Michael BoyleWilliam ConradGeoffrey P. Dunn, M.D.Beverlynn ElliottJames C. Finley, Ph. D.Dan B. FrankelDennis FredericksFelix G. FukuiCaryle R. Glosser, Ph.D.Stephen Guinn, Ph.D.Carolyn Hendricks M.D.H. Lewis LobdellRobert T. McDowellPaul J. MooneyCarolyn Rizza, Ph.D.Jean Robinson*Jennifer ShueySamuel H. SmithAlexander C. Speyer IIIK. William StoutTimothy R. ThyreenMegan TurnbullJoshua C. Whetzel III*Emeritus Directors OFFICERSSusan Fitzsimmons ChairStephen G. Robinson Vice ChairDaniel S. Nydick TreasurerDebra H. Dermody SecretaryON THE COVER: The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Wolf Creek Narrows Natural Area in Butler CountyFor information on WPC and membership | 412-288-27771-866-564-6972 | info@paconserve.org | WaterLandLife.orgPRESIDENT AND CEO Thomas D. Saunders MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTThomas D. Saunders PRESIDENT AND CEOI am pleased to share the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s 2017 Annual Report, which provides an overview of the projects and accomplishments you helped us achieve over the past year. It is so wonderful that the Conservancy is supported by thousands of loyal members, volunteers and partners who work with us to make conservation possible across the region. We could not do the projects we accomplish without all of you.During 2017, our land conservation work resulted in exciting outcomes. The more than 850 acres we protected added lands to state parks, expanded large forested protected acreage, preserved habitat for imperiled species such as native bats and protected a key cultural landscape feature near Fallingwater.We continue bringing our members opportunities to hike and explore via the 13,500 acres of lands we own and steward. Last year, the Conservancy opened a new 85-acre natural area in Somerset County for hiking, fishing and hunting. This beautiful wooded property, the Whites Creek Natural Area, was entrusted into our care so that its mature forest, which hosts 100-year-old trees, is protected from future development. This is just one of the 44 Conservancy-owned properties our stewardship staff cares for with the help of dozens of volunteers. Controlling and eliminating invasive species is an ongoing challenge and priority in order to help keep the various natural communities on our properties healthy and resilient.We also completed many projects to improve the health of our local streams in Western Pennsylvania. We surveyed 31 watersheds in nine counties, utilizing best practices of the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative, for potential removal or upgrades to culverts. This work is part of a multi-partner effort towards improving migration for native brook trout and other aquatic species. Additionally, our watershed staff stabilized nearly 19,500 feet of streambank to improve habitat, using a variety of techniques to increase vegetative cover and strengthen streambanks. We continued work to green communities across the region, planting more than 2,100 new trees, and installing a new garden along Route 65 in Pittsburgh, thanks to funding support from Nelson and Carol Craige, the Garden Club of Allegheny County and Rivers Casino. We also worked on bioswales as natural solutions for stormwater management in flood-prone areas, and provided planters and hanging baskets throughout our downtown. Fallingwater welcomed 175,000 visitors in 2017. From restoration initiatives to educational programs, Fallingwater provides a setting for best practices in preservation and education, and for creative and critical thought on design, preservation and conservation issues. And it provides tangible connections to nature for all who pass through the site.On behalf of the board and staff of the Conservancy, I want to express our gratitude for your support. Our members’ enthusiasm, interest and generosity, in so many ways, have allowed us to undertake tangible and rewarding projects in our beautiful region.Again, thank you to the thousands of you who have generously donated and volunteered your time in 2017. We deeply appreciate your commitment and generosity.2Western Pennsylvania Conservancy2017 BY THE NUMBERS32017 Annual ReportThe Conservancy’s Whites Creek Valley Natural Area in Somerset County provides habitat for a variety of birds and wildflowers.4Western Pennsylvania Conservancyrecreation amenities and resorts, spectacular views and cultural attractions, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. This mountainous region has been a land and water conservation priority for the Conservancy since the 1950s. To date, we’ve protected more than 83,000 acres of the Laurel Highlands’ rivers, forestlands, wild areas and scenic ridges. We continued our efforts with the protection of 220 acres of the Laurel Highlands in 2017, 85 of which have become a new WPC conservation area in Addison Township, Somerset County, known as Whites Creek Valley Natural Area. This forested property hosts eastern hemlock trees, mountain laurel, rhododendrons and number of rare wildflowers. A tributary to the Casselman River, Whites Creek is a popular natural trout-producing stream that is stocked by the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Hikers, anglers and nature lovers can now enjoy this new natural area.EXPANSION OF LAUREL RIDGE STATE PARKMuch of the land protected by the Conservancy over the decades is now public land conveyed to local, state and federal entities as parks, games lands or forests. These lands can be freely enjoyed by millions of Pennsylvanians and visitors. This legacy of land protection continued in 2017 with the protection of two natural areas totaling 135 acres in Somerset and Westmoreland counties that were conveyed to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to be added to Laurel Ridge State Park. These newly conserved acres host interior-nesting songbirds, such as the scarlet tanager and cerulean warbler, and more than 3,000 feet of forested buffers along streams. They also provide sweeping views of the forests and ridges and add to the forest protection in this part of the Laurel Highlands. The Conservancy protected more than 50 properties totaling more than 11,000 acres in the 1960s to establish this park and the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. Working closely with landowners and partners, the Conservancy protected 12 ecologically important properties totaling 866 acres in 2017. These projects permanently protect some of the most significant natural areas across the region, that host rich wildlife habitat, streams, forestland, farmland and other open spaces. Two of these properties were placed under conservation easement, including a 120-acre property in Centre County, that buffers a 3,000-foot section of Elk Creek. The creek is designated as a High-Quality, Coldwater Fishery by the PA Department of Environmental Protection and classified as Class A Wild Trout Waters by the PA Fish and Boat Commission for its naturally reproducing population of native brook trout. Highlights of other properties protected in 2017 follow.PROTECTING HABITAT FOR BATS AND NATIVE BROOK TROUTOpen for decades for commercial use, Indian Caverns and it s 13 surrounding acres will now be a place where native and federally endangered bat species can forage and hibernate, and where the public can have access to a world-famous trout fishing stream. Working closely with the PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservancy purchased this property in Franklin Township, Huntingdon County, to enhance bat habitat and protect Spruce Creek, a tributary to the Little Juniata River, which is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Bats hibernate in caves during winter and require these areas to be cool and humid with stable temperatures between 33-50 degrees Fahrenheit. PGC Wildlife Biologist Greg Turner says cave-dwelling bats’ numbers have been decimated by the deadly fungal disease white-nose syndrome. So, protecting this cave and surrounding land in 2017 was important to the Conservancy and its partners. “We have recently documented that bats that have survived WNS are seeking colder sites to hibernate,” said Greg. “The Indiana, tri-colored and little brown bat species are all declining due to this disease, so improving access to and conditions within this cave are critical.” The property also provides 1,200 feet of free public fishing access along Spruce Creek — one of our region’s renowned and extraordinary native trout fisheries.CONTINUED PROTECTION OF THE LAUREL HIGHLANDSSpanning several counties including Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset, the Laurel Highlands is known for its outdoor WPC protected land for public access to Spruce Creek, a renowned trout fishery in Huntingdon County.52017 Annual ReportWoods, all located in Crawford County. At our 600-acre West Branch French Creek Conservation Area in Venango Township, we replaced 400 feet of boardwalk. Our ongoing work to assess and improve the ecological health of our properties is important to enriching your outdoor experience for nature watching, hiking, fishing or hunting on our properties. Thanks to the support of our dedicated volunteers, staff and partners, we managed, cared for and maintained public access to 44 Conservancy-owned properties, totaling approximately 13,600 acres. We also monitored conservation easements on 197 properties, totaling 36,500 acres. These easements are legal agreements between private landowners and the Conservancy to limit development on natural lands. Plants such as narrow-leaved cattail, honeysuckle and multiflora rose can out compete and kill native plants. That’s why removing these and other invasive plants from our properties remained a top priority of our stewardship staff in 2017. Through habitat improvement agreements with the PA Game Commission, invasive plant control was conducted at three Conservancy-owned properties in Erie County: Lake Pleasant Conservation Area, Lower Elk Creek Nature Reserve and Wattsburg Fen Natural Area. Several plants were targeted, including phragmites, which is a large wetland perennial grass native to the tropics. This tall grass blocks sunlight to native plant species, such as wild orchids and cattails, eventually killing and displacing these natives. Conservancy stewardship staff also began extensive habitat improvement work at our 400-acre Plain Grove Fens Natural Area in Lawrence County. This property hosts a farm that supplies local organic food and a natural area located around the low-lying, marshy sections called fens. The natural area is open to the public for fishing, hiking and hunting, and features a mature forest with large sugar maples, wetlands and a trail through agricultural fields. Through a five-year partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, we treated 25 acres of invasive shrubs at this natural area, including multiflora rose. This dense, thorny shrub aggressively grows in riparian areas and can threaten the habitat of macroinvertebrates, such as crayfish and dragonflies, and weaken trees. Some of our other restoration work included removing dumped items and old tires from the Katz Natural Area, Cussewago Bottom Natural Area and Tryon-Weber MANAGING AND CARING FOR OUR PROPERTIESShowy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae), a rare native wild orchid, blooming on a WPC property.Eagle Scout Andrew Holden helped install a new sign and bench at the Utica Access Recreation Area in Venango County.6Western Pennsylvania Conservancyspecies is known from northwestern West Virginia and eastern Ohio.MUSSEL SURVEYS CONTINUE IN THE OHIO RIVERPennsylvania’s Ohio River has lost many species due to the industrialization and natural resource extraction of the past century. However, the river’s health is slowly improving. To assess where within this extensively dredged system freshwater mussels are surviving, WPC’s watershed and PNHP staff continued to conduct freshwater mussel surveys in the Ohio River last year. In September, SCUBA teams combed the Ohio River, focusing particularly on the New Cumberland and Montgomery pools. The most common species documented were pink heelsplitter and mapleleaf. Our divers also found mussels that had been relocated from the Hunter’s Station Bridge mussel relocation project on the Allegheny River near Tionesta. We plan to complete the Ohio River mussel survey in 2018, weather pending. As a partner in the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy helps to document and assess species across the state, particularly rare, threatened and endangered plant and animal species and natural communities. In 2017, we continued our work to monitor species and natural habitats by conducting more than 400 field surveys, including 21 freshwater mussel surveys. We also entered more than 1,200 species records through this important work. Staff collected field surveys and information from regional partners to update the conservation statuses of more than 20 plant species. Before these updates occurred, these species lacked the necessary information to determine an appropriate state conservation status. PNHP partner agencies include the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC).DISCOVERING RARE PLANTS IN OUR REGIONWhite alumroot (Heuchera alba) is a rare plant species known only in small populations in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. So, you can imagine our scientists’ surprise when they discovered this globally imperiled species on a remote Cliffside in Shikellamy State Park in Union County last year while surveying for a state-endangered species, golden corydalis (Corydalis aurea subsp. aurea Willd., Papaveraceae). “We actually misidentified the species when we first discovered it,” explained Scott Schuette, WPC inventory manager and botanist. “Our partner at Bucknell University, Chris Martine, posted a photo of the specimen on Twitter, and this led to the unexpected and exciting identification of white alumroot.” PNHP Botanist Steve Grund encountered a similarly surprising discovery last year in Greene County. While conducting field surveys on a private property, Grund discovered a small population of running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum), which is a federally endangered species. This WPC’s Director of Aquatic Science Eric Chapman comes to the surface of the Ohio River during last year’s mussel survey.72017 Annual ReportWPC’s Canoe Access Development Fund is making the region’s streams more accessible for paddlers, including on Slippery Rock Creek in Butler County. 8Western Pennsylvania Conservancywaterways across our region, including on Sewickley, Connoquenessing and Bald Eagle creeks and the Genesee River. These new sites were installed in 2017 through the Conservancy’s Canoe Access Development Fund, which provides grants to local watershed groups to build new or improve existing access sites. To date, nearly 60 sites have been created to make our waterways more accessible for recreation. This fund was established by the generosity of longtime Conservancy members and outdoor enthusiasts, Roy Weil and Mary Shaw, who strongly believe in the importance of connecting people to nature through hands-on experiences.WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS TO BROKENSTRAW CREEKLeading an extensive two-year effort at Brokenstraw Creek in Warren County, the Conservancy completed remediation and stabilization efforts in 2017 to improve water quality in this stream. From tree plantings to soil bioengineering, the Conservancy employed a variety of conservation and restoration methods resulting in the stabilization of 3,192 feet of streambank and installation of 57 in-stream structures to improve habitat. Soil bioengineering efforts included more than 8,000 cut tree and live shrub stems that will eventually take root to support the soil and create habitat for fish and wildlife. An additional 750 trees and 33 different types of native shrubs were planted at the sites to further enhance the aesthetic beauty and ecosystem health. Together, these practices are expected to reduce soil loss by an estimated 177 tons per year to help keep the Brokenstraw Creek, its tributaries and the aquatic communities relying on them, clean and healthy. From conducting freshwater mussel surveys in the Ohio River to providing canoe access on Hicks Run in Elk State Forest, the Conservancy’s watershed conservation team continued efforts to restore the region’s waterways, improve aquatic habitats and provide access to waterways for paddling and fishing. Done in partnership with local watershed groups, various agencies and private landowners, we protected or improved 6.21 stream miles throughout the region in 2017. Through a combination of riparian plantings and vegetative and structural support enhancements, we stabilized more than 19,400 feet of streambank and improved the habitat in those areas. We also conducted hellbender salamander surveys in seven new streams, performed mussel assessments at 10 locations, and collected data on hundreds of bridges and culverts.MAKING STRIDES TO IMPROVE AQUATIC CONNECTIVITYA widespread problem within local watersheds, many culverts and dams are impeding the movement of fish and other aquatic species within a stream for feeding and reproducing. Conservancy staff worked to assess approximately 700 culverts and stream crossings in 31 watersheds in Potter, Erie, Clearfield, McKean, Cameron, Clinton, Indiana, Forest and Elk counties. Two dams were removed in Dunbar Creek, a popular trout fishery in Fayette County near Connellsville. We partnered with American Rivers and the PA Game Commission on this project. There are 2,714 known culverts and bridges in Indiana County, many of which have never been surveyed to understand their effects on habitat connectivity and fish passage. So, we partnered with the Indiana County Conservation District to check for a variety of stream conditions such as channel constriction, streambank conditions adjacent to these road-stream intersections and the total width of a stream during low and high water-flow periods. Utilizing a standardized protocol from the North Atlantic Connectivity Collaborative, the Indiana County NAACC Project prioritizes these assessments to high-quality watersheds in the county, such as Little Mahoning Creek and South Branch Two Lick Creek. Assessments conducted on approximately 100 stream crossings in the county revealed that 70 percent of the culverts either reduced or did not allow aquatic organism passage within associated streams. These crossings could be candidates for future replacement projects. Assessments and data collection will continue through the end of 2018.13 NEW ACCESS SITES FOR PADDLERSArea paddling enthusiasts now have 13 new canoe and kayak access sites to use on local Bennett Branch Sinnemahoning Creek in Elk County92017 Annual ReportNext >