The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and partners have released the draft September 2024 French Creek Watershed Conservation Plan for public comment. Residents of the French Creek watershed are invited to review and provide feedback on the French Creek Watershed Conservation Plan through October 31. The plan is a project of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in partnership with the French Creek Valley Conservancy and other partners and is based on input and voluntary interest from landowners throughout the region. 
Encompassing 1,250 square miles in Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango counties in Pennsylvania and Chautauqua County in New York, the French Creek watershed’s tributaries provide habitat for numerous fish and aquatic species as well as recreational opportunities such as paddling and fishing. Much of the land in the watershed is forested, providing abundant habitat for birds, wildlife and plants.
For approximately 50 years, the Conservancy has partnered with conservation organizations, local government agencies and the public to improve water quality in the watershed. With feedback and suggestions from the community, the new French Creek Watershed Conservation Plan seeks to build on an original plan developed in 2002. Funding for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, through a grant from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
The executive summary can be found here.
The full plan can be found here.
Deadline for public comment is October 31, 2024.
Anyone wishing to provide public comment can submit comments to Kylie Maland at kmaland@paconserve.org or 814-776-1114, and can provide input on the plan anonymously on a short online survey at surveymonkey.com/r/WPC-FCWatershed.
Residents are also invited to attend a public meeting on Tuesday, October 22, at 7 p.m. at the Saegertown American Legion Post 205, 755 South St., Saegertown, Pa., 16433.
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