Haines Township, Pa. – Nov. 6, 2019–The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy today announced the protection of 265 acres of forests and steep mountain ridgeline in Haines Township, Centre County. The property was immediately transferred to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry to become an addition to the 193,000-acre Bald Eagle State Forest.

WPC Protects 265 Acres for Bald Eagle State Forest _Penns Creek 1_webLocated an hour northeast of State College near Ingleby, Pa., this land is a key property adjacent to existing state forest and adds to the public lands in the area that include Bald Eagle State Forest and Poe Valley and Poe Paddy state parks.

The property includes nearly a mile of forested frontage on Penns Creek, a cold-water limestone wilderness stream and a tributary to the Susquehanna River. The creek is also designated a Class A Wild Trout Stream that provides anglers the opportunity to fish wild trout. In addition, a one-mile section of abandoned railroad grade running along the creek is located on this property.

Tom Saunders, president and CEO of the Conservancy, says that the Conservancy is fortunate to be able to do land protection work in Centre County, with its extensive forested ridges, beautiful farming valleys and abundant ecological resources.

“We are glad to protect this exceptional property for its scenic and conservation values, and that that it is now available for hiking, hunting and fishing,” he adds.

“Bald Eagle State Forest has emerged as a true treasure chest of valued natural resources in central Pennsylvania, and the wild, clean-flowing Penns Creek is the gem that shines brightest,” says DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “This transfer of land by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to Bald Eagle should be valued by all who hike its trails, fish its waters and hunt its woodlands.”

This project was financed by grants from DCNR and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority. Grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Hamer Foundation also supported the project’s due diligence and land acquisition costs.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands in Western Pennsylvania since 1932, of which 4,368 acres are located in Centre County. Of the Conservancy’s total acreage, more than 200,000 acres have been protected and conveyed to state parks, forests and game lands.

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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, now on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 11,000 volunteers. The work of WPC is accomplished through the support of more than 9,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.

Media Contact:
Carmen Bray
Director of Communications
412-586-2358
cbray@paconserve.org