When his dear wife died, Warren “Mickey” Miller became the owner of 142 acres of land her family had assembled, acre by acre, over generations.
It is a beautiful place, at the heart of Barrett Township in Monroe County-- a gleaming marsh with rivulets that flow to Mill Run, cloaked in woodlands that protect the pure, clean water of the creek.
There was no doubt in Mickey’s mind that his wife Mary Ann’s wish was for the land to be conserved, protected from development, and never allowed to be sold.
Part of the land was in “Clean and Green.” But Mickey knew that this was not the permanent protection he wanted.
With his daughter Pam to help and guide him, Mickey soon met with Pocono Heritage Land Trust to discuss what the options were.
They laid out plans and possible ways to accomplish his goal. At the end of the meeting, Pam expressed her wish that nothing be changed during Mickey’s lifetime.
There would be plenty of time to create the dreamed-of nature preserve in years to come.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
In the prime of life, Pam became ill, very ill. Treatment didn’t work.
On a warm spring day in 2024 the beloved daughter, wife, mother and grandmother was laid to rest in Mountainhome.
Deeply grieving the loss of his only child, and now in his 90s, Mickey was determined to follow through on the plan to protect the property.
Now, he had a new motivation: to name the property in his daughter’s memory. Within months, he met again with Pocono Heritage Land Trust.
The simplest way forward was to transfer ownership of the land to PHLT by donating it.
The director of the land trust, Louise Troutman, explained the steps. Legal documents had to be drawn up.
A survey of the property was necessary. A carveout had to be created for the existing farmhouse, to allow a long-time tenant and friend to stay in the home he loved.
Mickey worked through every objection and overcame every obstacle to achieve his goal.
On March 10, 2025, the documents were signed.
And soon a sign will rise on Sand Spring Road marking the “Pamela Miller Weinberg Nature Preserve” — the land protected forever.
People conserve their land for many different reasons. Farmers who don’t want their family fields turned into warehouses. Landowners who care about the scenic beauty of our area. Families who value their heritage. Heirs who want to memorialize a loved one.
By protecting Mill Creek, the preserved land protects scenic views, drinking water, fish habitat, wildlife, and property values throughout the area.
Barrett Township Supervisors contributed funding from the Township’s Open Space account toward survey costs for the project.
For Mickey Miller, creating this preserve was about loyalty to his principles, to his wife, and to generations past.
And love for a daughter, gone too soon.
Visit the Pocono Heritage Land Trust website to learn more about land conservation.
[Posted: April 29, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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