The Nature Conservancy - PA/DE Adds 509 Acres To Protected Land Along Susquehanna River Water Gaps In Dauphin County

On April 3, The Nature Conservation PA-DE announced it has closed on the purchase of 509 acres in Dauphin County and transferred the parcel to the Game Commission for addition to State Game Lands 211.

The newly acquired acreage, located adjacent to State Game Lands 211 and Fort Hunter Conservancy, adds to a protected wildlife corridor that spans more than 30 miles. 

This property is nested on the steep slopes of Second Mountain, part of the Susquehanna Water Gaps, a National Natural Landmark. 

It is located within the Kittatinny Ridge, a U.S. Sentinel Landscape and critical link in the 1,500-mile-long Appalachian Mountain range. 

The Kittatinny Ridge is part of an important migratory superhighway for wildlife in North America including broad-wing hawks, kestrels, ruby-throated hummingbirds, eastern bluebirds, monarch butterflies and cerulean warblers.

“These protected acres strengthen the resiliency of the Kittatinny Ridge, which is essential to maintaining the long-term health of lands and waters here in the Central Appalachians,” said Lori Brennan, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware. “TNC is pleased to have been able to expand the connectivity of this chain of forests, supporting migratory corridors and safeguarding biodiversity. We are grateful to our partners for their support in making this possible.”

The Central Appalachians represent one of the world's foremost examples of intact, diverse forests and well-connected freshwater systems. 

Scientists have identified the unbroken Appalachian corridor as a globally significant landscape that is crucial to the future of hundreds of mammal and bird species amid a changing climate, including Pennsylvania’s threatened Allegheny woodrat, as well as black bear and bobcats.

Located just outside the City of Harrisburg, the property sits directly across the Susquehanna River from TNC’s Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain Preserve. 

This acquisition protects the iconic viewshed of the nearby Fort Hunter Mansion and Park.

“This property is a tremendous addition to State Game Lands 211, providing access to a currently land locked 342-acre piece of the game lands and adding 509 acres of publicly accessible land in proximity to almost 300,000 people living within a 10 mile radius of the property,” said Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “Working with The Nature Conservancy, we are able to further conserve and protect the forested Second Mountain, located on the Kittatinny Ridge Landscape which is a globally recognized Important Bird Area.”

This project was made possible with funding from the Hamer Foundation and Game Commission, as well as financial assistance from a Community Conservation Partnership Program grant by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“The conservation of this land helps protect critical wildlife habitat and protects open space in the quickly developing capital region,” Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Initiatives of this kind require strong partnership and shared vision. I am grateful to the Game Commission and The Nature Conservancy for the ongoing support to protecting natural spaces.”

In Pennsylvania and Delaware, TNC is leading large-scale conservation programs that protect the lands and waters that are critical to the health and well-being of both people and nature.

In Pennsylvania, TNC is also working to reduce stormwater runoff in cities, protect vital migration corridors, and engage farmers and landowners in supporting the adoption of conservation practices. 

TNC’s work in Delaware focuses on building resilience against climate change, including along the state’s vulnerable coastlines—to protect human communities and habitats. 

Visit TNC’s The Nature Conservation PA webpage to learn more about initiatives, programs and upcoming events.

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-- Western PA Conservancy Now Accepting Grant Applications For Canoe, Kayak Access Projects In Western PA [PaEN] 

-- DCNR Grants Update: Fmr Golf Course Remade Into Public Park; Kids Introduced To Mountain Biking; Route 6 Advances To Final 4 Scenic Byways Contest; Grant Opportunities 

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-- April 4 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN] 

-- The Nature Conservancy - PA/DE Adds 509 Acres To Protected Land Along Susquehanna River Water Gaps In Dauphin County  [PaEN] 

-- Volunteers Needed!  PA Forestry Assn. Sproul State Forest Tree Planting Ramble April 12 In Centre County  [PaEN] 

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In March Now Available  [PaEN]

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-- The Nature Conservancy PA: Celebrate Earth Month With A Trash-Tastice Cleanup!  Meet Nature Renaissance Man George Gress; Celebrate Migratory Bird Day May 10 With TNC

-- WHYY: Want To Help Make Philly Greener? Big Spring Tree Planting Is Coming Up April 11-14

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Allegheny National Forest Could See More Logging Under President’s Policies, Local Officials Hope 

-- Reading Eagle: Registration Open For 2025 Schuylkill River Sojourn

-- WNEP: Gearing Up For Whitewater Rafting Season In The Poconos

-- Pike Conservation District: April 26 Hikes In Pike Spring Hike On Fossil Trail At Pocono Environmental Education Center

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: The Allegheny Riverfront In Pittsburgh Is A Good Resource, And Could Be Great

-- WHYY: Delaware County Woods Set To Get A Loop Trail, Formal BMX Arrangement, Pavilion As County’s Largest Public Park

-- Erie Times: City Of Erie Developing Multimillion Dollar Plan To Improve City Parks

-- WTAE: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Announces New 5-Year Strategic Plan Ahead Of 30th Anniversary

-- Discover NE PA: Spotting Spring Wildflowers With PA Environmental Council

[Posted: April 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest