See how conservation of municipal-owned lands around Lock Haven are being conserved for people and nature. We will start at the Wayne Township Landfill and their mitigation wetlands constructed in the early 1990s and under conservation easement with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy. Next, we will visit the forest surrounding Lock Haven city’s water supply, where the Lock Haven City Authority has a working forest conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. We will view and discuss forest management successes and challenges while discussing how sustainable forest management operates under a conservation easement. The workshop includes at least ¼ mile walking total, over gently sloping, uneven terrain. The conditions may be wet and muddy.

The seminar consists of at least ¼ mile of walking over gently sloping, uneven terrain. The conditions may be wet and muddy.

HOSTS

Rich Marcinkevage | Lock Haven City Authority
Mike Wolf | Appalachian Forest Consultants, LLC
Thresa Lingenfelter | Clinton County Solid Waste Authority
Renee’ Carey | Executive Director, Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy
Sara Schlessinger | Land Stewards Specialist, Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy
Kevin Yoder | Director of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy

Solar power is becoming more and more a part of the landscape in Pennsylvania. Solar power is critical for the Commonwealth’s plan to address climate change, and solar projects can bring multiple benefits (e.g. jobs, revenue) to rural communities. But there are important questions about how to balance solar with other priorities, including food production, nature conservation, and aesthetics and the rural character of the landscape.

In this tour, we’ll explore farmland solar at three different scales and hear from land managers about their approach for balancing clean energy and conservation. We will visit a (# Ac) array at the University Area Joint Authority wastewater treatment facility that integrates sheep grazing for vegetation management, coproducing meat and fiber. At UAJA, we’ll also hear a presentation from the Centre Solar Group about their plans to build a # Ac array on farmland in nearby Walker Township to power 7 municipal agencies in Centre County through a Power Purchase Agreement. We’ll wrap up the tour with a visit to the University Wine Company (a Centre County preserved farm), where will learn how proprietor Elwin Stewart uses a #kw array on rooftops and carports to help power their farm and business operations. Happy hour to follow the tour at the winery!

This tour will involve some walking on paved roads, gravel farm lanes and some pastures with uneven ground. There with about 0.25-0.5 miles total walking at each stop. Slopes will be moderate (~3-8%) with a few steeper spots.

HOSTS

Jason Brown | Assistant Executive Director, University Area Joint Authority
Elwin Stewart | Owner, University Wine Company
Pamela Adams | Sustainability Planner, Centre Region Council of Governments
Franklin Egan| Trustee, Centre County Farmland Trust
Elizabeth Pirrone-Bruss | Planner-Agricultural Land Preservation, Centre County Planning and Community Development

This educational mobile seminar pairs with the educational session Part 1: The Slab Cabin Run Initiative: Balancing People and Nature Through Land and Water Conservation and Land Use Planning, which begins at 12:00 pm.

The Slab Cabin Run Initiative is a shining example of how proactive conservation can ensure a reliable, high-quality regional water supply, while also conserving the valuable forest and farmland surrounding it. Participants will explore the forests, fields, and streams of Slab Cabin Run, a small watershed surrounding Penn State’s Main Campus. Along the way, ClearWater Conservancy and local partners will discuss the challenges and solutions to conserving land and water resources in a rapidly expanding college town, including initial land conservation efforts to maintain the forested ridgelines, farmland preservation, groundwater protection for clean drinking water, and restoring streamside forests. We will also highlight significant efforts to connect everyone in the local community to the great outdoors just beyond their doorsteps.

Tour stops include:

• Musser Gap Greenway—starting at Whitehall Regional Park, we will walk the greenway trails first through farmlands followed by a hike through Rothrock State Forest. Participants will hear about the land conservation efforts along Tussey Ridge that started it all in 2007 and the more recent Musser Gap to Valleyland Initiative to conserve 355 acres in the Centre Region, provide a memorable and inspiring trail experience from State College to Rothrock State Forest, and create a safe and inclusive environment for the community. Additional discussion at this stop will include individual efforts to conserve nearby farmlands and restore the forested floodplain corridor, including Windy Hill Farm, a recently conserved farm with extensive floodplain where ClearWater is pursuing novel methods for invasive species control, such as prescribed burning.
• Meyer Dairy Buffer—presenters will discuss the Slab Cabin Run Initiative in 2017 to protect 300 acres of farmland containing a major source of the community’s drinking water supply, the Harter-Thomas well fields and how proactive efforts, such as land conservation, can reduce water treatment costs and minimize public health risks, especially in areas like this where limestone geology creates a strong interconnection between surface water and groundwater resources. Participants will also learn about efforts to conserve the water quality in Slab Cabin Run by planting 20 acres of the Meyer Farm’s streamside pasture with trees and shrubs in 2019/2020.
  

Meyer Dairy Store—since 1887, the Meyer family have been providing farm to table offerings in Central Pennsylvania, including 40+ year-round, seasonal and limited-edition ice cream flavors. What better way to end the day and celebrate proactive conservation of rural landscapes and living than this popular agritourism destination!

The walking distance is approximately 2.5 to 3.3 miles. The dirt and gravel trails have a 400 foot elevation gain.

HOSTS

Ryan Hamilton | Land Manager, ClearWater Conservancy
Jennifer Dombroskie | Riparian Program Manager, ClearWater Conservancy
Suzy Yetter | Ecologist, ClearWater Conservancy 

If you are new to fundraising or just feel like a refresher in the basis would be helpful, this workshop is for you. We’ll start with four basic paradigms that will help you orient yourself to fundraising success, we’ll review four systems that should be addressed by almost every fundraising program, and we’ll talk about the science (fundraising is also an artform). We’ll cover membership systems, appeal letters, Donor Circles, major gift development, capital campaigns, events, donor strategies, planned giving, and more to give you the tactics you need to better engage with people and raise more money – and all through a 101 lens. This workshop is appropriate for staff and volunteers who want a very basic overview of how to think about fundraising and how to build a program from scratch.

Speaker

David Allen | Fundraising and Organizational Development Consultant, Development for Conservation

Join Lauren Pregmon-Tetreault of Pregmon Law Offices for this comprehensive introduction to the Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants, which has enjoyed 20 years of use and refinement since its debut in 2005.  The workshop will provide participants with understanding of both how the model grant works and how it can apply to a particular conservation organization’s needs.

Speaker

Lauren Pregmon | Principal, Pregmon Law Offices 

This educational session pairs with the educational mobile seminar Part 2: The Slab Cabin Run Initiative: Strategic Planning for Farmland Preservation, Riparian Restoration, Groundwater Protection, and Recreational Access, which begins at 12:45 pm.

This session will cover land and water conservation and strategic planning efforts to balance natural resource conservation with the needs of a growing population in the State College region. We will focus on the history of conservation in the Slab Cabin Run watershed, including streambank fencing to improve trout spawning habitat and other riparian restoration efforts, land transfers, municipal planning to control growth in sensitive areas, and community-based conservation initiatives. An important goal of this session is to help create an understanding of the time and dedication needed for effective conservation in complex landscapes and the advantages of bringing multiple partners and stakeholders to the table. This session will cover land and water conservation and strategic planning efforts to balance natural resource conservation with the needs of a growing population in the State College region. We will focus on the history of conservation in the Slab Cabin Run watershed, including streambank fencing to improve trout spawning habitat and other riparian restoration efforts, land transfers, municipal planning to control growth in sensitive areas, and community-based conservation initiatives. An important goal of this session is to help create an understanding of the time and dedication needed for effective conservation in complex landscapes and the advantages of bringing multiple partners and stakeholders to the table.

Speakers

Suzy Yetter | Ecologist, ClearWater Conservancy
Ryan Hamilton | Land Conservation Manager, ClearWater Conservancy
Jennifer Dombroskie | Riparian Program Manager, ClearWater Conservancy

Major gift fundraising – intentionally cultivating interest in conservation outcomes and asking donors to give money based on that interest – is at once the most difficult and the most important fundraising land trusts can do. Standing in our way are barriers largely of our own creation: intimidation, fear, and competitive distractions. In this seminar, we’ll demystify major gift cultivation and asking for money in person. We’ll talk about what needs to be done before asking and provide tools to help you succeed. We’ll emphasize the need to be human over being “slick,” discovery over selling, and the importance of rehearsal. And we’ll have some fun, too, using a series of interactive exercises to help you practice. Join fundraising expert David Allen, Development for Conservation, in a longer format designed to be more interactive. We won’t eliminate the barriers completely, but we can help you navigate through them more easily.

Speaker

David Allen | Fundraising and Organizational Development Consultant, Development for Conservation

Land trusts defend easements in perpetuity. Occasional violations will occur. This session will review how land trusts proactively prepare for easement violations and then responsibly address and resolve them. It will review the main types of easement violations and important violation trends at national and state levels. It will discuss strategies for building readiness within your land trust, such as securing legal insurance coverage through Terrafirma and implementing appropriate Land Trust Standards & Practices. Participants will learn strategies for responding to different kinds of violations and hear how experienced land trust staff have successfully addressed easement violations on their organizations’ easements. This highly interactive session will enable participants to share their own stories and questions, receive feedback from their peers and discuss easement violation topics as part of a large group.

Speakers

Andrew Szwak | Mid-Atlantic Program Manager, Land Trust Alliance
Justin Hollinger | Director of Conservation Law, WeConservePA

The Wednesday evening reception will be held at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. It includes heavy appetizers that depending on the individual may or may not suffice for dinner. It is included in Wednesday registration fee, or available as an add on for those just arriving.

Breakfast will be held from 8-9AM. The plenary will then run until 10:30AM. Its features include Nancy G.W. Baker’s keynote address and brief remarks by Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Informed Decisions in A Changing World, Lessons in Adaptive Management

KEYNOTE SPEAKER BIO:

Nancy G.W. Baker is a Pennsylvania forest landowner; she owns and manages 163 Northern Tier acres from which her great-grandfather cut the original timber in the 1860s. While her land is used to demonstrate a professionally developed and implemented Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Plan, it also exhibits the array of 21st century forestry challenges which confront most of the Commonwealth.

A graduate of Bucknell University, with a MS in Forest Ecology from the University of Georgia, Mrs. Baker is a writer and communicator with a passion for both the forest and the forest’s landowners. She serves as the chair of the Pennsylvania Forest Stewards, the state’s trained volunteer peer-to-peer woodland educators, and represents it on the advisory council of the James C. Finley Center for Private Forests at Penn State.  She is a long-time member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and co-chair of their education and communications committee, publishers of the quarterly magazine Pennsylvania Forests. She represents Pennsylvania’s forest landowners on DCNR’s Forest Legacy Committee, providing input regarding the management and implementation of the federal Forest Legacy Program in the Commonwealth.

A recipient of Pennsylvania’s Joseph P. Rothrock Award for Forest Conservation, the John J. “Jack” Murray Leadership Award for Forest Stewardship, and the Mira Lloyd Dock Award for Pennsylvania Women in Forestry, she was also the 2014 Forest Champion for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

This presentation reviews basic steps and the necessary due diligence required of fee-title acquisitions. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss fee-title acquisitions and explore resolving common complications that arise during due diligence.

Speakers

Sarah Costlow | VP of Land Conservation, Allegheny Land Trust
Casey Markle | Conservation Easement Director, Allegheny Land Trust

With the expectation that Pennsylvania will face increased flooding and heavy rainfall events due to climate change, restoring streams and floodplains that were dramatically altered during colonization, provides a mitigation strategy that maximizes environmental resiliency. Restoring these stream and floodplain systems and exposing the buried remnants of the once vibrant, riparian wetland complexes, is resulting in projects with significant water quality, flood reduction, infiltration and groundwater recharge, carbon capture, decreased erosion and deposition, and biodiversity benefits …… the building blocks of climate resiliency. This presentation will share case studies to demonstrate LandStudies’ approach to stream and floodplain restoration that have been implemented over the past 20 years.

Speaker

Kelly Gutshall | President/Landscape Architect, LandStudies, Inc.

Writing good letters is fundamentally different than writing letters that raise more money. Just like writing skills for many other technical purposes, there is a science to writing fundraising letters. Join fundraising and direct mail expert David Allen, Development for Conservation and explore what works and what works better when writing appeal letters. We’ll talk about how letters and email are different. And we’ll work through several helpful examples. The science may be hard to believe but the steps are easy to implement. If you follow them, your appeal letters will raise more money.

Speaker

David Allen | Fundraising and Organizational Development Consultant, Development for Conservation

As a participant in this discussion, your input will help us all to “calibrate” a common language, understand changing conservation and stewardship needs in an ever-changing landscape, and identify the role of geographical variability across the Commonwealth. Together, we will seek to identify opportunities for proactive conservation strategies and partnerships to strengthen our collective impact on the landscape in the years ahead.

Speakers

Ed Marx | Northeast Program Coordinator, Wildlands Network
Stephanie Wein | Clean Water & Conservation Advocate, PennEnvironment
Ron Sutherland, PhD | Chief Scientist, Wildlands Network
Liz Hillard, PhD | Senior Wildlife Biologist, Appalachian Region, Wildlands Network

With 50 nature preserves and 60 plus miles of trails and counting, Lancaster Conservancy offers the region of south central Pennsylvania and visitors to the area a smorgasbord of opportunities to get outside (fit to rival the offerings of PA Dutch food available at Shady Maple Buffet). For many visitors, these permanently protected wild places are a close-to-home first step into the world of outdoor recreation and open a door to a future passion for conservation. But first – they must get home safe.

In 2022, Lancaster Conservancy embarked on a process with Gecko Group, a communication design firm out of West Chester, PA, to create a cohesive, effective, and affordable wayfinding system that would go beyond the traditional 2-inch-by-6-inch painted blaze. Amid ongoing implementation, the Conservancy and Gecko Group will shed light on the process and learnings to date that have gotten the Conservancy one step closer to its goals of creating greater access to nature for all.

Speakers

Kelly Snavely | Vice President of Development and Marketing, Lancaster Conservancy
Avery Van Etten | Marketing and Communications Manager, Lancaster Conservancy
Jill Metzger | Creative Director, Gecko Group
Kathy Hughes | Creative Services Director, Gecko Group

Participants will discover effective strategies for integrating environmental education programming into their organizations. We’ll cover the initial steps for developing educational programs, approaches to securing sustainable funding, and valuable lessons learned from the real-world experiences of Allegheny Land Trust’s highly successful Education Department. Additionally, we’ll explore how to select the most relevant program types and educational topics for your organization, along with foundational strategies for engaging your community and participants in your new educational programs.

Speaker

Julie Travaglini | Senior Director of Education and Curriculum, Allegheny Land Trust

The Halfmoon Creek Watershed Partnership is a multi-agency group that has been working together for over 10 years. The partners collaborate and coordinate to conduct landowner outreach and work with farmers to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs). These BMPs both improve operations for the farmers and improve water quality for the community. On this tour the group will visit several properties to see a variety of BMPs and hear how the partners are working together and working with farmers with a goal of flipping Halfmoon Creek from impaired to attaining.

There will be walking on this trip. The terrain is irregular with stone, dirt, and “field” surfaces being used. Participants should also be able to stand for at least 45 minutes to an hour without needing to sit. Participants will be encouraged to wear rubber boots for biosecurity.

Stops Include: 

• Way Fruit Farm
• Weaver Family Farm

HOSTS

Devyn McPheeters | Nutrient Management Technician, Centre County Conservation District
Renee’ Carey | Executive Director, Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy
Jennifer Dombroskie | Riparian Program Manager, ClearWater Conservancy

Wildlands Conservancy’s education program connects people with nature through comprehensive and engaging offerings. Utilizing a program selection tool, we assess potential programs against objective criteria to maximize educational quality and fit with our key goals. Recently, a pricing model was introduced to ensure financial sustainability, and we also track actual vs. expected attendance to improve forecasting. This systematic approach generates valuable data for decision-making and fosters staff consistency and management consensus, yet it can be maintained with minimal personnel time by utilizing automated spreadsheets and volunteer assistance. The overview will detail the program’s evolution, the insights we gain, and how they have driven changes.

Speakers

Scott Cope | Retired Vice President of Education, Wildlands Conservancy
Merrill Brenner

It can seem hard to believe that something as small as an acorn can grow into a towering oak yielding season after season of acorns. Some oak trees grow through benign neglect, but given the right soil, the right amount of watering, and protection, while young, they can grow to withstand seasons of drought and damage from other adverse conditions, and pests.

This year, we revisit the Planned Giving program offered at the 2023 conference and dig deeper in the rich soil that is your donor base, hunting for the acorns that may mature into legacy trees that enhance the environments you seek to protect for wildlife and humans alike.

We will also address the seasons of life and how to nurture your saplings through timely messaging and stewardship to ensure a century or more of growth and support.

Speaker

Stephen Link |  Director of Philanthropic Services, Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC

Creating a healthy and resilient forest in the face of changes exacerbated by a changing climate is a struggle for all owners and managers of Penn’s Woods. Here we will introduce the new forest resilience checklist, titled “Keep Penn’s Woods Healthy,” as an assessment tool to understand and guide conversations about risks to ecosystem health and forest resources in a changing climate, as well as holistic forest management strategies to increase resilience in the face of those risks. We will also seek your feedback on the efficacy of this resource as a land trust professional seeking to engage landowners in the stewardship of their conserved lands.

Speakers

Allyson Muth | Director, James C. Finley Center for Private Forests at Penn State
Annie Maloney | Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Forests

Join Lauren Pregmon-Tetreault of Pregmon Law Offices for a highly interactive session using hypothetical situations to highlight issues addressed in each article of the Model Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants, as well as landowner concerns and atypical situations dealt with in the commentary and supplemental materials.

Speaker

Lauren Pregmon-Tetreault | Principal, Pregmon Law Offices

Trails are a great way to connect the public with conservation work, and demand for high quality trail experiences is increasing from users, land managers, and funders, but navigating the design process can pose unique challenges for organizations both big and small. This session will guide you through each step in the design process from initial concept to shovel-ready detail design, sharing real-world challenges and solutions from the field to equip you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the trail design process for your next trail project.

Speakers

Sarah Walter, PLA | Principal, Penn Trails

How do you identify and access those companies in your investment portfolio who operate in a manner where profits, people, and the planet are all considered? There is no shortage of opinions on how to incorporate sustainability into investment portfolios. Perhaps the greatest outcome of the ongoing ESG and sustainable investing debate is attention and awareness–companies operate in a world where they have far-reaching impact–identifying, measuring, and addressing those impacts is being elevated in discussions all over the world. Join us for a conversation on how to balance what may feel like competing objectives to generate returns while protecting and sustaining the environment.

Speakers

John Paul “JP” Cavaliere | Senior Consultant, Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC
Ryan Wood | Principal & Senior Investment Analyst, Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC

Land trusts face myriad choices of how and where to apply their resources for conservation projects. By bridging the gap between conservation and recreation, land trusts have the unique ability to simultaneously expand community support, while also boosting wildlife habitat, water quality, and climate resiliency. The creation of interconnected trail networks achieves both goals by permanently protecting wildlife corridors that link core habitat reserves. Conservation Greenway projects accomplish “everything all at once,” benefitting people and wildlife alike. This workshop will highlight several Greenway projects in western Pennsylvania that demonstrate the conservation value, as well as fiscal value, to land trusts by linking public and private greenspaces via sustainably designed, natural-surface trails. Topics will include land use planning, property and easement acquisition, terrain analysis, land stewardship, sustainable trail design, and community engagement.

Speakers

Sean Brady | Executive Director, Hollow Oak Land Trust
Caren Glotfelty | Director Emeritus, Allegheny County Parks Foundation

The savings from natural system services provided by nature in dollars is qualified and quantified in Berks County Return on the Environment (ROE): Business of Nature. The first-half of this session will present on methodology and study findings from the Berks County ROE. Methods for integrating conservation initiatives and values into land use planning will be presented using geography-based conservation values as are utilized by Berks Nature to evaluate and internally-score properties for future conservation action. The second-half is a practical workshop utilizing the ROE conservation applications. The goal of this session is to demonstrate the value of the ROE study by summarizing the findings followed by integrating conservation initiatives and savings from natural system services. This process is directly applicable to land and water protection, and planning. This workshop is meant to be an interactive exercise which utilizes ROE study findings and applications to demonstrate urgency for action.

Speaker

Andrew Fetterman | Vice President of Land and Stewardship, Berks Nature
Tom West | Greener Planning

This presentation highlights a collaboration between Heritage Conservancy, a local land trust, and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to promote Environmental Literacy and Sustainability. Together, they leverage their assets to develop and host professional development workshops for educators across the 13 school districts in Bucks County. Empowering teachers to provide hands-on local environmental experiences and action projects for their students supports the long-term environmental restoration goals of land trusts. Aligned with the new Pennsylvania Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Academic (STEELS) Standards, the effort empowers teachers to foster real-world environmental solutions. The presentation will feature the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) framework. Attendees will learn how land trusts can develop impactful partnerships with educational institutions to enhance equitable access to environmental education that inspires future environmental stewards.

Speaker

Shannon Fredebaugh-Siller | Community Engagement Programs Manager, Heritage Conservancy
Maryann Molishus | STEAM Teaching and Learning Specialist, Bucks County Intermediate Unit

Ecological forestry describes the management of the timber resource to maintain, restore, or enhance ecosystem health and resilience. It is increasingly recognized as a tool for landowners in the face of myriad stressors such as invasive pests, climate change, and a legacy of harmful land use. There are conserved lands across the Commonwealth that may benefit from this stewardship approach, yet there are challenges to a land trust successfully utilizing this tool where appropriate.

This session is a practical guide to conducting a timber harvest for ecologically beneficial outcomes. We will discuss ecological forestry approaches and how they can help you to address threats to your conserved lands, as well as describe the process of doing a timber harvest – from working with a forester to do the harvest to understanding how the proposed activities will impact the forest that is left behind.

Speakers

Annie Maloney | Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Forests
Emma Thompson | Conservation & Stewardship Director, North Branch Land Trust
Guy Dunkle | Director of Land Management, Foundation for Sustainable Forests

Speaker

Lauren Pregmon-Tetreault| Principal, Pregmon Law Offices

ArcGIS Dashboards are a configurable app that allow you to convey information and key insights at a glance to internal and external audiences. Using spatial data and other data visualization techniques, ArcGIS Dashboards can be tailored to communicate the important work of your organization. In this session, learn more about how to get started with ArcGIS Dashboards, understand common workflows and use cases, and see real-world examples of how ArcGIS Dashboards support conservation work.

Speaker

Rachel Weeden | Regional Manager, Esri

The Thursday evening reception and dinner will be held at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.  Dinner will include presentation of the 2024 Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award. 

The Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to conservation in Pennsylvania over the course of their life.  Since its establishment in 2004, the award has honored both conservation professionals and volunteers for their commitment to and leadership in conservation.

At ClearWater Conservancy, we recognize the crucial role wildlife corridors play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting diverse species. Our Barrens to Bald Eagle Wildlife Corridor (B2BE) in Central PA connects the Scotia Barrens with Bald Eagle Ridge, providing essential habitats for resident and migratory wildlife.
These “green corridors” help wildlife navigate urban landscapes, promote genetic diversity, and prevent habitat fragmentation. As migratory birds embark on their seasonal journeys, they rely on these corridors for vital resources and refuge.

As migratory birds prepare for their seasonal journeys, they rely on these corridors for essential resources and refuge. At ClearWater Conservancy, we are committed to enhancing our local landscapes and educating our community on how to create bird-friendly environments at home. Join us as we explore the significance of wildlife corridors and learn how we can all contribute to preserving our natural heritage. Together, we can preserve and protect our natural heritage for generations to come.

Hiking poles will be available for participants who wish to use them. Binoculars will also be available for viewing birds and other wildlife. The grassy pathway is not accessible for a wheelchair. It is a relatively flat path so people with mobility issues using hiking poles should be supported during the walk.

HOSTS

Jennifer Dombroskie | Riparian Program Manager, ClearWater Conservancy
Ryan Hamilton | Land Conservation Manager, ClearWater Conservancy
Danny Brumbaugh | Land Steward Assistant, ClearWater Conservancy

This is an opportunity for self-discovery at The Arboretum at Penn State and Palmer Museum of Art. Attendees will have an introduction to the newest partnership at Penn State. The Palmer Museum of Art moved to a new site blending of art and nature. Inside the art museum, there are breath-taking views of nature mixed with magnificent and tasteful art displays. The art museum includes works from Andrew Wyeth (painting), Dale Chihuly (glasswork) and other well-known artists in its handicapped accessible facility for all needs – physical, visual and hearing-impaired. There is an elevator to help reach all floors of display. We anticipate having a speaker to orient attendees to the facility. Special displays during our visit include “The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art” with 120 of the finest Art Nouveau treasures that celebrates the beauty of nature while embracing new technologies and international influences. As well as “The Global Majority” that will present a selection of photographs and prints inspired by Frederick Douglass’s 1861 lecture “Pictures and Progress” within which he stressed the power of pictures, namely photographs, to counter racist stereotypes by giving Black Americans the power to control their own image. Portraits and visual representations of figures from underrepresented communities will be on view, championing the humanities of those pictured. Featured artists include Isaac Scott, Donald Camp, Walter Iooss, Carrie Mae Weems, Ruth Morgan, Rashid Johnson, Matika Wilbur, Kristin Capp, and Vincent Valdez. Feel free to visit the Palmer Museum of Art website to whet your appetite.

The Arboretum has paved handicapped accessible trails all around the various garden areas that includes a Pollinator Garden with a potential speaker about the research that is occurring on site. The facility includes a popular Children’s Garden, a Watershed Map of the area as a rock sculpture, a large rock Sundial, and other beautiful displays. Early spring will not have many blooming flower displays but that will not take away from the visit to this beautiful site on the campus that is visited annually by millions of visitors. There is a New Arboretum Explorer Tool is a mobile-friendly tool that aims to provide the post updated plant collections that attendees may want to preview before coming to the Arboretum. Feel free to visit the Arboretum at Penn State’s website.

HOSTS

Donnan Stoicovy | Volunteer, ClearWater Conservancy
Jennifer Shuey | Director of Development, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) works with a wide variety of federal, state, and local partner groups to accomplish diverse conservation projects across the Commonwealth. These projects range from improving boating access and habitat along local waterways to securing public fishing access. The PFBC relies on willing landowners and partnerships to accomplish these projects. This presentation will review the different resources that the PFBC has available to accomplish these projects from our Boating Facilities Grant Program and our implementation of the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program to the many technical assistance services that our Division of Habitat Management provides for willing landowners. Our three presenters will spend time covering: (1) fishing, boating, and conservation easement programs, such as State-wide access and VPA HIP; (2) boating facilities grants; and (3) technical habitat assistance programs.The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) works with a wide variety of federal, state, and local partner groups to accomplish diverse conservation projects across the Commonwealth. These projects range from improving boating access and habitat along local waterways to securing public fishing access. The PFBC relies on willing landowners and partnerships to accomplish these projects. This presentation will review the different resources that the PFBC has available to accomplish these projects from our Boating Facilities Grant Program and our implementation of the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program to the many technical assistance services that our Division of Habitat Management provides for willing landowners. Our three presenters will spend time covering: (1) fishing, boating, and conservation easement programs, such as State-wide access and VPA HIP; (2) boating facilities grants; and (3) technical habitat assistance programs.

Approximately 80% of land in Pennsylvania is privately owned, making private landowners key stakeholders in managing our Commonwealth’s wildlife resources. The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) has several programs that assist private landowners with wildlife and wildlife habitat issues on their property. The PGC made significant changes to it’s Hunter Access Program, which first started in 1936, to provide much needed clarity and transparency to improve satisfaction of enrolled landowners as well as prospective hunters. The Hunter Access Program assists landowners with wildlife control, such as deer, through legal hunting seasons. The PGC also has partnerships that provide landowners with technical and financial assistance to improve wildlife habitat. The PGC has two additional programs that help landowners with deer control, the Deer Management Assistance Program and the Agricultural Deer Control Program.

Speakers

Penny Ayers | Chief, Division of Property Services and Public Access, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Tyler Neimond | Chief, Division of Habitat Management, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Mark Morrison | Statewide Public Access Program Manager, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Join fellow GIS staff to discuss current topics in conservation mapping and fieldwork. This informal session will be an opportunity for GIS users to “talk shop” with their colleagues. Discussion topics can be communicated to roundtable facilitators prior to the conference, or suggested during the roundtable session.

Speakers

Megan Boatright | GIS Program Director, Natural Lands Trust, Inc.
Irina Beal | GIS Analyst, WeConservePA

While federal regulations have helped by improving access to basic facilities for people with disabilities, other gaps and barriers still prevent them from benefiting from the many different kinds of experiences offered by outdoor spaces. We break down a visit for someone living with a disability to illustrate the stressors they might experience. After briefly reviewing federal guidelines related to accessibility, we propose other standards to address other gaps and barriers that will help people with disabilities tap all of the potential benefits related to health, education, and quality of life. We present a self-assessment tool for managers to identify gaps and barriers in facilities, information, and programming, and case studies that illustrate its application. We describe how implementation of such a tool at a regional level can not only help to set priorities for improvement, but create maps and guides to help people with disabilities successfully plan their outings.

Speaker

Peter Doehring | Founder, Kennett Outdoors
Sarah Walter | Owner, Penn Trails

Wildlands Conservancy has had the pleasure of influencing quite a few landowners toward a lasting commitment and actions to improve the conservation value of their property. These landowners may not have planned, nor even understood, such actions when they implemented the easement. Through engagement, education, active management, and relationships, we achieve increased conservation value with minimal organizational resources and developed key supporters of the Conservancy.

We will hear from landowners about how they moved beyond the initial goal of not violating the easement to become the stewards who are increasing the conservation value of their properties. We will employ a roundtable format with pre-planned topics.

Speakers

Carl Martin | Director of Property Stewardship, Wildlands Conservancy
Merrill Brenner
Jim Apgar | Assistant General Manager, Pocono Lake Preserve
Edith Stevens

What can mountain paths, fly fishing, a fire drill, and grilled cheese sandwiches teach us about effective storytelling? Just about everything.

Storytelling is the foundation of effective communications. Telling great stories in meaningful ways is how we break through the noise and build lasting connections with our donors, volunteers, and communities. And putting them front and center on the two communication channels over which we have nearly full control – website and email – is where the magic happens.

Learn to use three flexible storytelling frameworks to elevate your stories while highlighting the people, projects, and potential of your organization.

1. Stories that Convince | Using data to build trust and garner support
2. Stories that Convert | Highlighting key actions to encourage & motivate others
3. Stories that Connect | Making things that matter make sense to your readers

Speaker

Kelly McGinley | Principal, Function & Flow

Please join us to learn more about on-going Conservation Based Estate Planning (CBEP) programming at the James C. Finley Center for Private Forests at Penn State. For the past two decades, the Center has been engaging with private forest landowners, and the estate planning professionals that serve them, seeking to understand motivations and pathways for conserving forestland through ownership transitions. In this session, we will delve into a research based applied model developed to illustrate the conservation based estate planning process and additional resources to support the CBEP process. The qualitative model was developed from interviews with estate attorneys and financial planners, and their perceptions of the process and working with their clients.

Speakers

Paul Roth | CBEP Coordinator, Finely Center for Private Forests at Penn State
Allyson Muth | Director, Finley Center for Private Forests at Penn State

How do we broaden awareness of our work? Join two communication professionals from Lancaster Farmland Trust as they share creative marketing tricks to expand your audience of supporters and increase engagement. Specific topics highlighted will include awareness marketing strategies and implementation, the importance of simplifying your message, and digital tips and tools for social engagement. Attendees will leave the session with a better understanding of the impact of a variety of promotions and some tips for engaging the next generation.

Speakers

Mikaela Bender | Communication Manager, Lancaster Farmland Trust
Chandra Crosson | Communication Associate, Lancaster Farmland Trust

Most land managers rely on field surveys and infrared counters to document visitation, but advanced tools now allow us to track visitation and visitor characteristics using aggregated cell phone data. This session will introduce participants to Placer.ai, a leading visitor analytics tool, and the types of visitor data and economic insights land managers can extract from its use, including total visitation trends; average duration of visit; home zip code of visitors; visitor socio-demographics and much more. This type of data can empower land managers to make the case for funding; enhance their land management approaches; and better articulate the economic relationship between preserved land and local businesses. This session will help participants understands the strengths and weaknesses of using cell phone data and help evaluate whether these tools make sense for your organization from a financial, technical and staff capacity perspective.

Speaker

Silas Chamberlin | Founder and Principal, Firefly Outdoor + Economics

Trust for Public Land (TPL) worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) on a multi-faceted, 2-year project that propelled the Commonwealth from outdoor recreation planning to implementation. TPL analyzed map-based data on economic need, climate resilience, outdoor recreation access, federal funding availability, and more to identify communities where impact, need, and opportunity best align.

TPL staff also provided technical assistance to PA communities expanding their outdoor recreation economy, including supporting the City of Bethlehem’s application for Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) funding. In 2024, Bethlehem was awarded nearly $750,000 to be used to rehabilitate Friendship Park, which will improve and increase access to outdoor recreation.

In this session, TPL and the City of Bethlehem will discuss key findings and lessons learned from the prioritization mapping project, technical assistance offerings, and ORLP process.

Speakers

Owen Franklin | Pennsylvania State Director/Vice President of the Great Lakes Region, Trust for Public Land
Jennifer Clinton | Senior Parks and Conservation Economist, Trust for Public Land
Celina Daddario | Northside Alive Neighborhood Coordinator, Bethlehem Department of Community and Economic Development
Sara Satullo | Deputy Director of Community Development Bethlehem Department of Community and Economic Development

Land trusts seek to conserve land for a variety of objectives, and how those lands are cared for can vary accordingly. In a changing ecological landscape and climate, this session seeks to foster thoughtful discussion on concepts such as “preservation,” “working lands conservation”, and “conservation intent” as a guide for stewardship decisions on both fee simple and easement properties, and the increasing need for stewardship resources and capacity on our conserved lands.

Speakers

Annie Maloney | Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Forests
Emma Thompson | Conservation & Stewardship Director, North Branch Land Trust
Ellen Ferretti | Executive Director, North Branch Land Trust

In this session, learn more about how USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works. We will review briefly who we are, what we do and how we can support your organization’s mission through both the acquisition and stewardship process. When land trusts have worked diligently with a landowner to place a conservation easement on their land, they often realize they have someone who is also a conservation-minded steward of that land. They may need to supplement local, county or state funds to get to the easement parcel value, or to help the landowner with technical assistance needs. After the parcel is preserved, they may want to help the landowner find funding for habitat stewardship, such as forest management, invasive species control, or riparian plantings. NRCS is a great partner in helping entities and their landowner clients through the acquisition and stewardship phases of Pennsylvania’s important land conservation work.

Speakers

Susan Parry | Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships (PA), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Melissa Hanner | Pennsylvania Easement Program Manager, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Michael Albert | Pennsylvania Easement Stewardship Specialist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Climate driven changes in weather means we need to be thinking about how we steward land differently to accommodate these changes. Shifts in hydrology can change trail design. Invasive plants that benefit from increased carbon in the atmosphere demand more aggressive invasive plant control tactics. Increased temperatures and shifts in humidity mean a changing fire regime and changing decisions in the species we plant as part of restoration efforts. We as land protectors and stewards have opportunity to play significant roles in creating climate resilience. This presentation will look at climate predictions for our region and will discuss what that means from a land management and climate resilience perspective.

Speakers

Justin Ulanoski | President, Native Creations Landscaping Services
Jennifer Dombroskie | Riparian Program Manager, ClearWater Conservancy

Join us for an engaging session on how Centred Outdoors is making the natural world accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background, or ability. Learn how this mission-based, conservation outreach initiative offers barrier-free opportunities to explore unique outdoor destinations in Central Pennsylvania. Since its launch in 2017, Centred Outdoors has hosted over 7,000 individual adventures across 50 unique destinations, inviting people to connect with nature, their senses, and each other.

Discover how partnerships, free resources, and programs like the Community Gear Library, Junior Naturalist Program and the Outdoor Leadership Cohort are creating pathways for broader participation in conservation.

Participants will leave with actionable strategies to promote inclusivity in their own conservation efforts, helping them inspire awe and connectivity in their communities.

Speakers

Bridget Whyte | Centred Outdoors Program Coordinator, ClearWater Conservancy
Olivia Stas | Centred Outdoors Events Coordinator, ClearWater Conservancy

Effective conservation is built on strong and sustainable partnerships. From boards to cooperatives to regional coalitions, it’s all about bringing people together. And what happens next, when everyone has carved space out of their calendars, is every bit as important as the common interests and shared goals that bring you together.

In this workshop, we’ll explore how to cultivate collaboration by adjusting how we design and lead meetings. When combined with thoughtful structuring, constructive norms, and realistic meeting math, good design has the power to shift the energy and thinking in a room so more voices are heard, more ideas are shared, and more progress is made. You’ll come away with practical tactics you can start using right away, as well as a functional understanding of common habits that derail collaboration so you can steer clear of them.

Speaker

Kelly McGinley | Principal, Function & Flow 

This session features tips and techniques on helping volunteers and land conservation practitioners select appropriate seed mixes and proper seeding and staking methods. The complete restoration project timeline, from pre-project workup to post-project maintenance, will be discussed.

Speaker

Greg Kedzierski | Plant Materials Specialist, Ernst Seeds

This presentation will raise awareness about the work of the Philly Peace Park, an African-American environmental justice project that utilizes land stewardship, community-driven regenerative design, and coalition building to empower historically marginalized communities. The Philly Peace Park is responsible for the preservation of over two dozen city parcels through the Peacetown Commons Land Trust (PCLT).

Speakers

Tommy Joshua Caison | Brother, Peacetown Commons Land Trust
Nyasha Felder
Jackson Plumlee

The Land Trust Alliance, through a partnership with the NRCS Easement Programs Division, launched its NRCS Conservation Acquisition Team (NCAT) in June 2024. NCAT provides direct support to land trusts interested in NRCS’ Agricultural Land Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) programs. The team assists land trusts and other entities across the country (especially those which are new, understaffed, or inexperienced) from early application planning all the way to closing. As part of its mandate, NCAT will also track metrics and report bottlenecks to NRCS. Another component of NCAT’s work is prioritizing assistance to entities working with historically underserved producers. This presentation introduces the NCAT and talks about ACEP-ALE and RCPP, including the resources provided by the team.

Speakers

Dyan Holt | Project Specialist, NRCS Conservation Acquisition Team, Land Trust Alliance

With the expansion of diverse outdoor recreation opportunities across our region and state, a growing community of visitors with varying levels of experience are participating in outdoor activities. This increase in users creates challenges for both first responders and visitors. These challenges arise not only in emergency situations but also in wayfinding as visitors seek to recreate in some of the most remote areas of the state and region. With the introduction of reservable “motorized campsites”, which are scattered across Susquehannock State Forest, Potter County partnered with the District Forester to address these sites following Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency addressing requirements. This effort ensures our visitors have the confidence to navigate to their destinations and the peace of mind that they can be reached in a timely manner during an emergency.

Speaker

Will Hunt | Director of Planning, GIS, & Community Development, Potter County
Pete DiBiase | GIS Technician, Potter County

This session presents the need for and successful models of local land conservation funding programs at the county and municipal level. The goal is to disseminate knowledge on this topic and to energize the conservation community to pursue more of these initiatives. With the historically-high funding levels for land conservation, some areas of Pennsylvania are achieving great success by leveraging dedicated county and municipal open space funds. WeConservePA reports that fewer than 8% of PA local governments have held open space referendums and that success has been concentrated in the Delaware River Basin. Given development pressures across PA, the conservation community and PA residents could benefit from additional dedicated local open space funding. This session will cover the benefits of local land conservation funding and the viability of enacting more such programs by presenting observations of successful models from county, municipal, and land trust perspectives in PA.

Speakers

Ryan Szuch | Founder and President, Grow Conservation LLC
Todd Sampsell | Vice President of Conservation, Natural Lands
Sean Kenny | Executive Director, Farm and Natural Lands Trust of York County
Laura Brown | Township Supervisor and Land Preservation Program Coordinator, Silver Spring Township
Dennis DeMara | Conservation Outreach Coordinator, Wildlands Conservancy
Christine Dettore | Regional Advisor, PA DCNR, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation
Dave Stauffer | Director of Parks and Preservation, County of Chester Pennsylvania

There are many reasons a timber harvest may occur on protected lands such as to create young forest by establishing seedlings and saplings, to address forest health concerns, and to derive income. Erosion and sedimentation from the harvesting activities can be concerning for many landowners. Attend this session to learn about erosion and sedimentation regulations and best management practices that you can include in your timber harvesting requirements.

Speaker

Chuck Coup | Program Manager, Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee

Join Penn State Extension for a comprehensive discussion covering the broad scope of large-scale solar, including siting, zoning considerations, common concerns, and current/proposed legislative and policy initiatives.

Speakers

Joseph Conklin | Senior Extension Educator, Penn State University – Extension Energy Team
Daniel Brockett | Assistant State Director of Programs – Extension Energy, Business, and Community Vitality, Penn State University – Extension Energy Team
Thomas Beresnyak | Extension Educator, Penn State University – Extension Energy Team
Matthew Svetz | Extension Educator, Penn State University – Extension Energy Team