Delaware Highlands Conservancy Partners With Landowners To Protect 165 Acres Of Forests, Meadows And Wetlands In Wayne County, PA

On February 26, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy announced the permanent protection of 165.54 acres of forests, meadows, and wetlands in Sterling Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, through a conservation easement generously donated by landowners Susan, Robert, and Edward Price.

The largely forested property includes former fields naturally reverting to woodlands, a mature hemlock grove, a pond with a historic stone dam, remnant stone walls, multiple springs and seeps, and a small tributary to the West Branch of Wallenpaupack Creek. 

That tributary is designated “High Quality – Cold Water Fishes” by the Department of Environmental Protection, reflecting its exceptional water quality and importance for aquatic life. 

Wallenpaupack Creek flows into the Lackawaxen River and ultimately the Delaware River, meaning the conservation of this land contributes to the health of the entire watershed.

The conservation easement ensures that this land will continue to provide healthy habitat for wildlife, safeguard clean water, and support the unique rural character of the region while protecting the property from development and subdivision.

“We are deeply grateful to the Price family for their commitment to protecting this special place,” said Diane Rosencrance, Executive Director of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. “From its forests and wetlands to the cold-water stream that feeds into the Delaware River watershed, this property plays an important role in sustaining clean water and connected habitat. Conservation projects like this reflect the powerful impact private landowners can have in protecting the natural resources that define our region.”

The property remains privately owned and is not open to the public. 

A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently protects a property’s natural values while allowing the landowner to continue owning and managing the land in accordance with the terms of the easement.

Funding support was also provided through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, through the Environmental Stewardship Fund, and the WeConservePA Conservation Easement Assistance Program.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the forests, farmland, clean waters, and wildlife habitat of the Upper Delaware River region for present and future generations and to foster environmental stewardship through community engagement.

(Photo: Conservancy Senior Land Protection Coordinator Trey Talley with landowners Robert, Edward, and Susan Price.)

[Posted: February 26, 2026]  PA Environment Digest