Hollidaysburg, Pa. – October 1, 2024 – Residents of the Juniata Watershed are invited to review and provide feedback on “Juniata Forward: Building on 25 years of Conservation,” a conservation plan for the Juniata River watershed. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and multiple partners have released the draft of the plan for public comment through October 31.Canoes float on the Juniata River.

Encompassing 3,400 square miles in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Franklin, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder and Somerset counties, the Juniata watershed’s tributaries provide habitat for numerous fish and aquatic species as well as recreational opportunities such as swimming, paddling and fly fishing.

Home to several state forests, state parks and state game lands, much of the land in the watershed is forested, providing abundant habitat for birds, wildlife and plants, including several rare and endangered plant species. The Conservancy has permanently protected more than 29,000 acres of land in the Juniata watershed, contributing to improved water quality by protecting the forests and wetlands that filter pollutants, reduce runoff and erosion, and more.

The plan highlights the resources found within the Juniata River watershed and conservation achievements implemented in the past 25 years. Projects have included planting riparian trees along streams to prevent erosion and decrease pollutant runoff, working with farmers to implement agricultural best management practices to manage nutrients, and removing stream barriers to encourage aquatic organism passage and to support trout populations.

Cows using stream crossing in Juniata WatershedThe plan is building on a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Rivers Conservation plan originally written in 2000. With feedback and suggestions from the community, Juniata Forward: Building on 25 Years of Conservation seeks to build on that work.

The project was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and by a grant from the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.

Anyone wishing to provide public comment can view the plan here and submit comments to Jennifer Farabaugh at jfarabaugh@paconserve.org or 814-696-9356. Deadline for public comment is October 31, 2024.

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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 establish 11 state parks, conserved more than 290,000 acres of natural lands, protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, and assessed thousands of wildlife species and their habitats. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 130 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 7,000 volunteers. The work of the Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 10,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Sumoske
Communications Specialist
412-586-2328
jsumoske@paconserve.org