Reprinted from the July Water Land Life newsletter from the Western PA Conservancy
On July 2, the Western PA Conservancy announced a recent purchase of 203 acres in Coolspring Township, Mercer County was conveyed to the Game Commission as a new addition to State Game Lands 294. As a result, outdoor lovers can enjoy more hiking, birding, wildlife watching and hunting on additional public land in Mercer County.
Native plants and animals will benefit from the permanent protection of this property, which includes the Otter Creek Swamp, a complex of swamps and marshes through which the Otter Creek flows to Neshannock Creek.
Several vulnerable and threatened species, and species of special concern, inhabit the area. The property also now provides a much-needed connection to a smaller parcel of the game land, offering important contiguous protected habitat for birds and other wildlife. Now under the Game Commission’s ownership and management, the property is open to the public for low-impact recreational activities and is a popular destination for duck hunting and fishing for many Mercer County residents.
About Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has been dedicated to protecting and restoring the region’s exceptional natural places since 1932. As a member-based nonprofit organization, we work in cities and towns across Western Pennsylvania and rely on the help of thousands of members, partners and volunteers. We are making a difference in our region’s water, land and life. We do this work for the benefit of wildlife and people who call Western Pennsylvania home, and for future generations.
We have permanently protected more than 265,000 acres of land–forests, streams, meadows, farmlands and more–in Western Pennsylvania. You might have visited a place we’ve protected! Ohiopyle, McConnells Mill, Raccoon Creek, and Erie Bluffs are just a few of the 11 state parks we helped create. We also own and manage more than 14,000 acres of land in 16 counties across the region, including nature reserves, forests and natural areas, for you to hike, fish, walk, nature watch, hunt and explore. Our preserves are open to everyone, free of charge. Of the total land protected by land trust organizations in Pennsylvania, nearly 50% has been conserved by WPC.
