On October 30, 2024, WeConservePA Advocacy Manager Brad Barkdoll, along with staff from the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, hosted a tour of the Conservancy’s 144-acre Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, PA. Attendees of the visit included staff from Senator Lisa Baker’s office, Senator Rosemary Brown’s office, Wayne County Commissioners Brian Smith, Jocelyn Cramer, and James Shook, and Honesdale Mayor Derek Williams.

Home to Conservancy’s headquarters, the Van Scott Nature Reserve features unique facilities for hosting various educational programing events and three miles of publicly accessible walking trails that serve to connect people of all ages to learn about, explore and enjoy nature. The tour began with a brief educational session, where WeConservePA and Conservancy Staff provided information to attendees on statewide conservation, special funding sources, and ongoing work that the conservancy is engaged in. Following the session, attendees were invited to take a brief hike to the top of the Reserve, where on a clear day, guests can see as far as the Catskill mountains in New York. There, Conservancy staff provided a brief history of the newly constructed pavilion atop the Reserve and continued conversation regarding the need for increased funding for land conservation in the Northeast Pennsylvania Region.