"Conserving working farms and forests"

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Volume 17, Issue 4Fall 2007

NNORTHCENTRAL PPENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY

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In 1970 Dr. Charles Bednar and his wife,Beluse, purchased property in northeastern TiogaCounty as a retreat from the increasing urbanizationof the Lehigh Valley where they reside. The Bednarspurchased an adjoining property in 1974 and anotherin 1983. Eventually they came to own 107 acrescontaining both mature and young woodland, old roads,reverting fields, a small wetland and stone wallsbordering long-abandoned fields. Open places on theproperty’s highest point offer views across the gentlehills and valleys of northern Tioga County.

The Bednars converted an old sugar house intoa cabin, constructed a pond and built a writing studiowhere Dr. Bednar worked on his book “Transformingthe Dream.” The book presents an outlook that valuesliving in harmony with the natural environment overunlimited growth, and addresses the ecological andsocial limits of economic growth, as well as the ethicsof human interaction with the natural environment.

In accord with his philosophy, the Bednarsdecided to protect their property with a conservation

easement held by NPC. As part of the process, theproperty was surveyed to resolve several deeddiscrepancies and an appraisal was done.

Recently, a landowner familiar with the Bednarproperty, and two other NPC protected properties, hasbegun working with NPC to conserve his ownproperty.

Fishing Creek continued on page 4...

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The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy worked with the Fishing Creek Sportsmen’s Associationof Benton in Columbia County to conserve and provide public access to three properties along Fishing Creek(see descriptions on page 5). The properties total 92 acres and provide over 6,500 linear feet of creek access.

The Sportsmen and NPC want to provide permanent public access tothe properties and Fishing Creek and ensure that the open space, forests andwater resources would be conserved. The tool used to achieve permanent protectionwas a conservation easement agreement.

There are several Fishing Creeks in Pennsylvania, but the one we’re working onbegins on Sullivan County’s North Mountain and passes through Columbia County and thecommunities of Benton, Lightstreet, and Bloomsburg before it enters the Susquehanna River.

Traditionally, landowners allowed neighbors and visitors to access the Creek, but as landis sub-divided and ownership changes, properties are being closed to the public, resulting in alack of public access to Fishing Creek. The Fishing Creek Sportsmen’s Association’s propertiesare the only public access points on the central portion of the stream.

A view of the Bednar property

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CORPORATE MEMBERS Many thanks to our corporate members. Please show yoursupport of those businesses which have shown they care aboutthe future of our communities.

Osprey ($1,000- 1,999)Montour Home Comfort ServicesMark C. Oberheim DMD

American Kestrel($500- 749)Jersey Shore State BankKeystone Forging CompanyLycoming County Resource Management

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Black Bear ($500- 999)Alan Viani & Jane MorgensternJohn M. ConferCharles & Helen SchwarzWilliam & Kimberly Van CampenDr. Mel & Gail Zimmerman

White-tailed Deer($250- 499)Whistle Pig Fishing ClubDavid & Sally CraigHenry & Michelle FreyMr. & Mrs. Law GronerDave RockeyGeorge I. Rodgers Family

Black Cherry ($100- 249)Doug & Frani DohertyJames & Cheryl RedmondAlex & Tracie WitterJonathan BastianRon & Sondra BeachLarry EntzGarth & Sue Everett

Joe & Jeffrie FiedorSusan JoshiDouglas LoffredoPaul Millinghausen

Robert & Sarah NewcombMr. & Mrs. Charles PlankenhornR. Bruce & Jeane SmayAlvin L. SnowissLinda SteinMr. & Mrs. Harry Webster III

Red Oak ($50- 99)Richard C. GleocklerRonald & Martina JohnsonHeidi Schwarz-HoslerWarren & Mary Lou BaldysJames & Maria CasaleJack & Michele DavidsonAndra DeHart-RobbinsJohn & Nancy DunhamDr. & Mrs. Herbert Ecker Sr.James GeurtsDavid K. GilpinGary and Carolyn GlickHardy HansenRudolph HoltzmanKathie L. HunterScott & Karen KeckWayne Laubscher

Small Business ($100-499)PMF Industries Inc.Ralph S. Alberts Co, Inc.Raup & Wiley, Attorneys at LawWayne Township Landfill / CCSWALarson Design GroupBald Eagle TownshipClinton County Economic PartnershipLamar AdvertisingMericle Commercial Real Estate

Charlie LockardEdward & Judith LyonJohn & Cathy MillerTerry & Dorian MyersJohn B. RaymondMelanie TaorminaD. Richard & Shirley WennerJane B. WilliamsAndrea Young

Sugar Maple ($35- 49)Romey & Heather FagnanoKent & Donna KnisleyDon & Jean O’BrienRobert & Rose Ann WallaceDan & Patti AltersLarry R. Bason, VMDPatty L. Bowman Esq.Mitzi & Jim BurgetMr. & Mrs. John CarpenterWilliam & Cindy FergusonDean W. SelfeJason SmithFred C. Stiner, Jr.James & Penny Vanderlin & FamilyJohn & Carol WagnerCharles & Margaret Wettling

White Pine ($25- 34)Russ & Christine CowlesMichael & Mary DitchfieldDonald DixonTorrance W. Englert, Sr.Donald FaulknerMax GeiseJohn HopkinsHarvey & Anne KatzKen & Jane LightLinda C. MurrayCasey PfitzenmayerBecky SanguedolceJerry & Melinda UpdegraffArmine WodehouseChris Young

HonorariumsRuth Rodeby W. Holmes & Enid Yealy

Joanne Fisherby Anne Rice & Rick Matukonis

MemorialsRobert McCulloughby George & Shirley Durrwachter

All Natural Preserves DonorsDennis J. AultNancy BakerDale & Mary BowerJames W. & Cynthia Mengel BowerGerald BrideAlfred W. BuckReneé CareyRichard & Grace CareyWilliam and Ruth CorrellPatricia Hart & Gene CoxCush’s Retreat, Inc.Fred W. DochterElizabeth Brown DuganGeorge & Shirley DurrwachterLeroy & Marian Fahr, Jr.Joanne FisherRobert & Claramae GlunkSamuel & Darlene GodfreyBonita E. HannisMr. & Mrs. Dennis HazlakWilliam & Sarmite JudsonRaymond E. Kehrer, Jr.Janet KohlerGladys E. LewisJosephine LewisMarc & Diane LewisJoe Logue

Charles & Hallie LuppertBob & Pat McKernanEd Lawrence & Catherine McLaughlinJohn & Charlotte PersonWayne & Elizabeth PetroJoseph H. RadleyJoe & Tina ReighardJames C. RogersMichael & Camille SalvatoriRich & Beth SchluterCharles & Helen SchwarzStephen & Christine SlebodaRichard & Susan SproutLinda SteinHerbert & Blanche StrattonDavid TregeaRich & Alice TrowbridgeWilliam & Kimberly Van CampenJerry & Joy WallsDr. & Mrs. John WayAlex & Tracie WitterBill & Pam WorobecDr. Mel & Gail Zimmerman

FCSA EasementCelebration DonorsGiant Food- Store 287PA Aluminum, Inc.Weis Markets

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DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis,Representative Garth Everett, and Arnie Kriner(representing Senator Roger Madigan) joined NPC incelebrating the inclusion of the former Pine CreekCamper Court in the State Forest system. Thecelebration was held on September 12, 2007 on PineCreek, literally – the water level was so low that a pieceof exposed bedrock was used as the site for the event.

Thanks to our donors for their help in thissuccess! Thanks also to Paul and Nancy Yoder, Geneand Marva Brown, Elizabeth Dugan, Woodlands Bank,Vassallo Engineering and Surveying, McCormick LawFirm, and DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry.

Join NPC this October as we hold our regionaldinners in Wellsboro and Lock Haven.

The Penn Wells Hotel in Wellsboro will againbe the location of the Tioga County Dinner. Join uson October 18 for socializing, dining, and learning.

NPC was part of the Pine Creek WatershedCouncil that developed the Pine Creek WatershedRivers Conservation Plan. Once the plan was complete,the group began working to implement some of therecommendations and wanted to continue studying thewatershed.

This group got a two-for-one bargain. JasonWeigle, a former Tioga County Watershed Specialist,was looking for a thesis topic for his Masters degree.Jason began work on a thesis that would look at actualand perceived social and economic changes in thewatershed and region over time and the current patternof land ownership within the watershed. Jasontranscribed oral histories and collected additional audiohistories (this is part one of the two-for-one bargain).This information, as well as census information, anddata provided by the counties’ various departmentshelped him research the topic (this is part two, hisresearch and study). So, what did Jason learn? Cometo the dinner to find out!

The cash bar and socializing begins at 5:30pm.Dinner is set for 6:00pm with the program beginningafter dinner. We’ll be having a seared and roastedchicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomato and goat

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Our Board’s organizational meeting is alwaysheld at the first board meeting following the AnnualMembership Dinner. During the organizationalmeeting, the board elects officers – Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Gail Zimmerman was elected Chairman. Gailis a realtor with Fish Real Estate. Her two sons aregrown and living in Arizona and Florida. She and herhusband, Mel, live along Mill Creek near Montoursville.

Matt Cramer was elected Vice-Chairman.Matt is Vice-President at Merrill Lynch’s WilliamsportOffice. He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons and adaughter. They live in Williamsport.

Richard Schluter was elected to continue asthe Secretary. Rich is an attorney at McCormick LawFirm. He and his wife, Beth, have a son and a daughter.They live in Loyalsock Township.

Steve Deitrick was again elected Treasurer.Steve is an accountant with Lori Moore, CPA. He andhis wife, Teri, have a daughter and a son. They alsolive in Loyalsock Township.

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By mid-July thewatershed of the SusquehannaRiver’s West Branch hadn’t received much rain and thewater was low. Even so, 16 NPC members and friendsboarded Canoe Susquehanna’s kayaks for the eight miletrip from Montoursville to Muncy.

The group paddled past Racetrack Island andKing Island, through riffles and beside tree-coveredbanks. They saw an immature bald eagle fly along theriver and perch in a large tree, swallows flying overhead,killdeer calling from gravel bars, and a fishermanlanding a smallmouth bass. They passed a stone wallbuilt in the early 1800s as part of the PennsylvaniaCanal, and extensive river-bottom ledges exposed bythe low water.

This delightful section of the West Branch isalso called “The Wild Reach” since there is no roadbeside the river and the railroad has little traffic. Ifthe river had been higher, the group could have paddledup the long sinuous backwater called “The Gut”which approaches Lycoming County's oldesthouse, the Samuel Wallis house, built in 1769 .

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...Dinners continued on back page .

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This summer NPC coordinated the writing andproduction of “The Pulse of Heartland.” The reporthighlights the various research projects underway bythe Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition forEnvironmental Studies (SRHCES).

The feature article of this report is onabandoned mine drainage and highlights some of theefforts underway to remediate this river-wide impact.This feature article ties together the research of variousprofessors participating in the coalition. On the scienceside, there are tie-ins to both biological studies that areunderway and geological studies in progress. On thehumanities side of the academic aisle, professors arelooking at Centraila, and poets who write about the“orange” water of their waterway. The publication willbe first distributed during WVIA’s premiere of “Hopefor Polluted Water,” a new documentary examining theissue of AMD, abandoned mine drainage.

Molly Clay, a graduate student in Bucknell’sEnglish program, researched and wrote the articles.Molly is originally from the Kutztown area and has aBachelor’s Degree from Bloomsburg University.

...Fishing Creek continued from page 1.

Interested people gather at the dedication ceremonyto learn more about the Fishing Creek access.

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The Pennsylvania Land Trust Associationrecently hosted a pilot course on “ManagingConservation Easements” designed by the Land TrustAlliance. The course is part of an educational programbeing developed by the Land Trust Alliance to assistland trusts in preparing for land trust accreditation.Renee Carey, NPC Executive Director, attended thiscourse.

Land trust accreditation is a new program. Thegoal is to ensure that land trusts understand variousaspects of land transactions and organizationalsustainability. Accreditation will also provide landowners with an assurance that the land trust they areworking with is well-prepared to handle transactions.

While NPC has never had to defend aconservation easement, the organization knows it isinevitable. Presenters discussed what, when and howto document it. Another topic was how to managechanging conditions with conservation easements. Thegroup also learned more about the range of options

available to address enforcement and amendmentoptions.

NPC is going to begin preparing foraccreditation this fall. Look for more updates on thisprocess in upcoming newsletters.

NPC received financial assistance from theColumbia County Commissioners, DCNR, theColumbia-Montour Visitor’s Bureau, ColumbiaCounty Trout Unlimited, the Wal-Mart at Buckhornand numerous individuals to complete easementson the three properties (see descriptions on page 5). Awell attended dedication ceremony and picnic washeld adjacent to the Sportsmen’s fish hatchery inBenton on July 10. Several Columbia CountyCommissioners spoke to express their appreciationfor the efforts to retain public access to FishingCreek.

Now, thanks to the Fishing CreekSportsmen’s Association, NPC and our otherpartners, fishermen rich and poor, old and young,novice and expert are assured that portions ofFishing Creek will always be open to them.

NPC is part of SRHCES, a watershed organization whosegeographic focus is the entire Susquehanna River West Branch andthe lower North Branch watersheds in Pennsylvania.

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Power Dam –located about two miles north ofBenton on both sides of Fishing Creek along PARoute 487. The protected property’s 19 acres containover 2,900 feet of the stream as well as the remainsof a concrete dam that once provided water to amillrace which, in turn, fed an electric generatingstation. Dense forest on both sides of the streamshades the water, helping to maintain the cooltemperatures required by trout. A parking area(which will remain unpaved) just off Route 487facilitates public access.

Overlook – located one mile from Benton onPennsylvania Route 239; with over 2,600 feet offrontage on Fishing Creek. This 42 acre propertyalso has a beautiful vista along Route 239 providingmotorists with views of the Fishing Creekvalley. The creek frontage is on the east side ofthe stream and may be accessed by parking atthe roadside vista.

Zaner – 2 ½ miles south of Stillwater on the eastside of Fishing Creek; the unpaved parking area isaccessed from a township road near Zaners Bridge.The protected property contains 31 acres with over1,000 feet of frontage on the stream; its woodland,which has a management plan written by a forester,shades the stream. The abandoned grade of thehistoric Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad bordersthe property for approximately 2,500 feet. Therailroad carried passengers and freight betweenBloomsburg and the village of Jamison City at thebase of North Mountain.

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Northcentral Pennsylvania ConservancyPO Box 2083Williamsport, PA 17703570-323-6222http://www.npcweb.org/

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Regional Dinners Reservation FormName: ___________________________________Daytime Phone: ____________________________E-mail: ___________________________________

Tioga County Dinner - October 18________ Number of attendees x $20 = ________Reservations are due by October 15Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________

Clinton County Dinner - October 30________ Number of attendees x $17 = ________Reservations are due by October 23Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________Guest Name:____________________________________

...Dinners continued from page 3cheese. The cost is $20.00 per person. Reservationsare due by October 15.

The Clinton County Dinner is planned forTuesday, October 30 in the Lock Haven University'sParsons Union Building. The cost is $17 per personand reservations must be received by October 23.Dinner is at 6pm with the program beginning at 7pm.

The program this year will be on the effortsbeing coordinated by national Trout Unlimited torestore the West Branch Susquehanna River byremediating abandoned mine drainage (AMD). Astrategy for remediation is being developed now, andan economic assessment is being done.

Amy Wolfe, Director of Abandoned MinePrograms with Trout Unlimited, will be the speaker.Amy is a graduate of Lock Haven University and hasbeen with national Trout Unlimited for over 8 years.Amy and her family live in Mill Hall.

Please mail reservation form and payment to:NPC, PO Box 2083, Williamsport, PA 17703Checks should be made payable to NPC. You can use VISA orMastercard by calling the NPC office at 323-6222 (M-Th).