Recognizing the importance of their land, they entered into a conservation easement to ensure its preservation for future generations.
Little did they know this decision would bring benefits beyond what they imagined.
The easement on the Donmoyers’ property is especially important because of its prime location in the landscape.
Nearby is Fort Indiantown Gap, a 17,000-acre military installation that ranks as the busiest National Guard training center in the U.S. for all branches of the military.
Due to its relatively small footprint, FITG has limited options for relocating high-noise training.
Preserving open space and reducing urban encroachment pressures are vital to sustaining mission readiness and ensuring compatible land use across the broader military landscape (Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape Strategic Implementation Plan).
Additionally, restricting development near the base helps preserve the dark skies necessary for nighttime training activities.
This area, near the National Guard Training Center, known as the Kittatinny Ridge, also has ecological benefits.
The Kittatinny Ridge is among the most biodiverse regions in eastern North America and serves as a vital corridor for wildlife, clean water, and carbon sequestration.
Located within three miles of the Kittatinny Ridge, the Donmoyer parcel buffers the Ridge, which provides migratory habitat to tens of thousands of mammals, raptors, and songbirds as they transition from their breeding range to their wintering range.
It offers a variety of habitats, including forest, grassland, wetlands, and riparian areas. Notable species of greatest conservation need likely to occur there include Bald Eagle, Grasshopper Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Willow Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Gray Catbird, and Baltimore Checkerspot.
The site is also near the only known population of Eastern Regal Fritillary butterfly, a species proposed to be listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
To protect this area of ecological and national defense, important partnerships made up of military, federal, state, and local government, and non-government organizations have been formed.
Together, these groups nominated the Kittatinny Ridge as a sentinel landscape-- a place where preserving the working and rural character of private and public lands is important for both national defense and conservation priorities.
In May 2024, the Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape was officially designated as one of only 18 Sentinel Landscapes nationwide at the time.
To date, over 850,000 acres across 17 states and one territory have been permanently protected through this program.
Through the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, these organizations work with landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use and practices around military installations and ranges.
To secure the easement, the Donmoyers collaborated with several partners, including the Pennsylvania USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, the Ward Burton Foundation, and the Lebanon Valley Conservancy.
Through NRCS, funding was provided through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and Agricultural Land Easement programs.
Additionally, the Department of Veteran Affairs contributed funds from the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program to complete this project.
The Donmoyer family’s dedication to conservation stands as a powerful example of how private landowners can play a pivotal role in protecting both natural resources and national interests.
By working with a diverse group of partners and leveraging federal, state, and local programs, their efforts ensure that their farm will safeguard critical habitats, remain a productive landscape for generations to come, and support military readiness.
As more landowners follow in their footsteps, the collective impact of conservation easements and partnerships like the Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape will continue to grow.
These efforts not only safeguard critical habitats and support military readiness, but also strengthen local communities and preserve the rural heritage of Pennsylvania.
Click Here for NRCS-PA article.
Visit the NRCS-Pennsylvania webpage for more information on assistance available to landowners.
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[Posted: July 25, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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