Hitting the ground running in 2008

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy

rushes to meet its growth challenges in 2008

By SANDY LONG

sandylong@riverreporter.com

UPPER DELAWARE REGION — In 1999, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy set a goal of preserving 10,000 acres in the Upper Delaware River region by the end of 2007. It was a lofty goal, considering that the land trust had protected only 1,000 acres at the time.

When 2007 concluded, the DHC had not only exceeded the goal, closing eight conservation easements (totaling 47 properties to date) and setting a record for the young land trust, but it is currently poised to close on an additional 18 easements already in the works for 2008. Meanwhile, the number of inquiries has grown to more than 80 new contacts from landowners in 2007 alone.

Although the DHC’s main office is based in Hawley, PA, the organization works to conserve land throughout Pike and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania and Sullivan and Delaware counties in New York.

Leaving a growing legacy

With the number of potential easements already doubled for 2008, the leanly staffed organization is going into the new year with a burgeoning slate of work. “It’s really exciting,” said executive director Sue Currier. “Many people are interested in what we do. They are typically people who love their land and want to see it protected. We can’t get to them fast enough. I’ve never seen anything like this, the number of people lining up to do this.”

Another sure sign of the DHC’s phenomenal growth is its expansion of resources into Sullivan County, NY, where the county legislature has approved the establishment of an office to be co-located in the division of community development to accommodate a new staff member the DHC hopes to hire in 2008. “We see so many wonderful things happening in Sullivan County—its Open Space Plan, mapping initiatives and 20/20 plan. The DHC sees the need to have more of a presence in Sullivan County based on the development pressure coming from Sussex and Orange counties,” said Currier.

“The new office and position will allow us to provide better support to landowners in Sullivan County and to help towns understand the tools available to assist them,” added Currier.

Other news of note in 2007 included the DHC’s move into its new office at 508 River Street in Hawley. Volunteers scrubbed, painted and performed a host of related chores to make the move possible in February 2007, then saw the project receive a Wayne County Historical Society Historic Preservation Award for restoration and adaptive reuse. In addition, the DHC partnered with the Pike County Conservation District to produce a four-part educational mailer targeting Pike County landowners and an ongoing series of educational workshops.

The DHC also sponsored the documentary “Nature’s Keepers,” which captures Pike County’s conservation legacy, leadership on land stewardship and smart-growth issues. The film will air on public television stations across the country in 2008.

The primary work of the DHC involves a partnership between the land trust working to preserve a regional landscape, and the individual landowners that comprise that landscape, like pieces in a puzzle. “When we talk to landowners, they just light up when they talk about their land. They know where the wildlife is, the water, the rare plants—and they don’t want to see it change. This is one way they can ensure stewardship and assure that it will be taken care of after they’re gone.”

The DHC also partners with various federal, state and local agencies to provide funding to landowners to protect their land. In 2008, the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission will help the DHC to protect 600 acres of wildlife habitat for species of special concern and a grant application has been submitted to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to protect an 800-acre hunt club. The DHC was also awarded funding through DCNR to purchase an easement on 440 acres of the Camp Speers-Eljabar YMCA property that abuts state lands and is listed on the Pike Natural Areas Inventory for protection.

All of it is accomplished with only two full-time staff members, occasional short-term part-time help and abundant volunteer support from its dedicated members and donors. With no time to waste in one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, the DHC has set a new goal of 10,000 acres to be preserved, this time, by 2010.

Latest on the Alliance to Keep Pike Green (AKPG)

The AKPG, coordinated by the DHC, is a coalition of community residents who are committed to preserving Pike County’s high quality of life through good planning and active conservation. Visit www.keeppikegreen.org for additional information on AKPG.

• In late 2005, the AKPG saw its efforts rewarded by Pike County voters who overwhelmingly approved the $10 million Scenic Rural Character Bond. Since that time, more than $165,000 has been awarded to six townships for zoning ordinance updates, comprehensive and open space plans and multi-municipal plans.

• The Bond Grant Manual was finalized and funds are now available for Pike County residents and municipalities to protect and acquire green space land parcels through conservation easements and acquisitions.

• The passage of the bond facilitated the county’s Agricultural Preservation Easement Purchase Program. County commissioners allotted $500,000 in bond funds as seed money for this program. Since county funds are matched by the state at approximately 10 times the amount of the original seed funds, the seed money from the bond can be leveraged against state funds to maximize the purchasing power of bond funds. The result will be a greater amount of money enabling significantly more farmland protection each year.

• The AKPG collaborates with agencies such as the Pike County Conservation District and other non-profit organizations with shared goals for sustainable communities and citizen involvement in community planning. Visit www.pikeconservation.org/2008_cal.htm for information on upcoming events.