General

“The COVID-19 roundtables are great – that was really helpful to know what people in the state are doing.”
Annie Maloney, Foundation for Sustainable Forests

“I am continuously impressed by the quality of work accomplished by WeConservePA in land conservation policy, providing technical assistance and an important forum for the exchange of ideas.”
Jeff Marshall, Heritage Conservancy

“We are proud of WeConservaPA and its impact on our work in Pennsylvania. We believe that because of WeConservePA, Pennsylvania has one of the most robust and effective land trust communities in the country. WeConservePA’s ability to accomplish what they do with their limited staff and resources is a constant inspiration to us. No other organization does more for us than WeConservePA.”
Sally Zaino, Manada Conservancy

WeConservePA is a national model representing numerous nationally accredited land trusts, and we support all the efforts made by WeConservePA to advance land conservation, protection and stewardship throughout Pennsylvania.”
Christopher Beichner, Allegheny Land Trust

The strong leadership of WeConservePA over the years and to the present time has enabled the organization to be invaluable to those of us working to conserve our lands and rich natural resources in Pennsylvania.”
Thomas Saunders, Western PA Conservancy

WeConservePA has done an outstanding job with the Conservation Easement and Technical Assistance Programs, which have allowed Wildlands Conservancy and other organizations to preserve irreplaceable open space and natural resources.”
Christopher Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy

The information is so good because it covers such a broad array of subjects; it’s clear the amount of work involved ensures your members are well informed.”
Melissa Kreye, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State Extension

Thank you, Andy. I learned something. We should be able to use it to help us work with banks more easily. I still like the idea of WeConservePA being the sponsor of information promulgated to a banking association, if such exists.”
Peter Williamson, Natural Lands 

Conservation Tools

“WeConservePA’s educational resources are invaluable to us as a small land trust.”
Betsy Aiken, Westmoreland Land Trust

“Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) suggests using the WeConservePATools website for best practices when writing ordinances for steep slopes and other environmental hazards. The website offers model ordinance language for regulating development on steep slopes and landslide-prone soils. Information on the website will help municipalities to establish steep slopes categories based on physical conditions in their communities, explains the importance of conducting an inventory and mapping, and discusses in detail different options for regulating development in potentially hazardous areas so that municipalities can decide which approach will work best for their community.”
Kay Pierce, Manager, ACED Planning Division

“The model documents are just invaluable, including the commentary, etc. There is no way that a small land trust like ours would be able to keep up on the latest language, requirements, trends, etc. to develop our own easements and agreements from scratch—so thanks!”
Bill Kern, Countryside Conservancy

“Thanks again for your work and information that WeConservePA makes available.  As a staff person of a small land trust with lots of miles of trails, I am thankful to have a resource such as conserveland.org available.  It makes a difference.”
Ron Steffey, Executive DirectorAllegheny Valley Land Trust 

Two years ago, we had a landowner, who happened to be an attorney and he wanted to place an easement on his property. He mentioned to me that he had an easement on a previous property, but that he totally rewrote it, because the easement was completely unworkable. I thought to myself, “oh no”, he’ll be second guessing everything we propose. Instead, he ended up offering very few changes and remarked what a great improvement the WeConservePA model was over his previous easement. This document was designed for clarity, flowed in a logical manner and addressed many of the pitfalls that he saw in his previous easement.”
Jim Engel, Executive Director, Tinicum Conservancy

“Every member of my staff utilizes the WeConservePA guides, models, and other resources, and we have been proud to contribute some information to the site as well.”
Kim Murphy, Berks Nature

“The WeConservePA guides and models are the go-to resource for Oregon attorneys when they start working on a project.” Nancy Duhnkrack, Pro Bono Program Manager, Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts

The Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference

“I found the WeConservePA (Conference) very worthwhile, many great presenters and a wonderful networking opportunity. I learned a lot and plan to attend next year.”
Trish Carothers, Development Officer, Susquehanna Greenway Partnership

Conservation Easement Assistance Program

“As a staff of one, the CEAP grants are lifesaving. Same with legal support—when a document already exists, it saves tons of time and money.”
Laurie Crawford, Lebanon Valley Conservancy

We have used the CEAP to help preserve over 260 acres of land, including lands along the Kittatinny Ridge in Dauphin County. We believe we would not have been nearly as successful in preserving land in our service area if we had not had CEAP as a resource. ”
Sally Zaino, President, The Manada Conservancy

This grant program is essential to the support of the missions of Pennsylvania land trusts. Without CEAP, the expense to both landowner and land trust of completing conservation easements would be onerous, and would greatly limit the number and quality of completed conservation easement projects.”
William A. Hilshey, Conservation Easement Manager, ClearWater Conservancy

For smaller land preservation organizations like Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County, the Conservation Easement Assistance Program is critical to our success.  It not only helps us offset some of the costs creating strong conservation easements, but also ensures we stay current with model documents created with care by WeConservePA.”
Sean P. Kenny , Executive Director , Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County 

“The Conservation Easement Assistance Program has allowed Wildlands Conservancy to preserve irreplaceable open space and natural resources.”
Chris Kocher, President, Wildlands Conservancy

The Conservation Easement Assistance Program allowed us to obtain a Mineral Assessment Report on a project in Bradford County. The professional geologist we worked with studied the property and existing reports and records. NPC’s Board needed the information to make a fair assessment on our ability to steward and protect the property’s conservation values. Without the funding for the Report, it’s unlikely that this project would have proceeded.”
Renee’ Carey, Executive Director, Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy

As a land trust focused on protecting open space in an urban environment, we work with many individual property owners of different backgrounds in donating conservation easements.  The reimbursement program encourages these generous individuals to participate when otherwise the myriad of legal fees and other costs would be a barrier.”
Jennifer S. Hawk, Executive Director, Chestnut Hill Historical Society

“CEAP makes it possible for LCAC to continue helping landowners meet their goals while keeping up with these otherwise unsustainable spending demands. ”
Sarah Kipp, Executive Director, Land Conservancy of Adams County

Advocacy

“Advocacy and education/alerts regarding issues that will affect us.  I feel like we are constantly under attack in terms of state funding and we really do rely on WeConservePA to take the lead in doing the heavy lifting in terms of direct advocacy, and more importantly keeping us informed about the threats and the issues so that we can do our own advocacy. ”
Elaine Paul Schaefer, Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

“WeConservePA has done a great job in terms of advocacy in Harrisburg.”
Joel Dunn, Chesapeake Conservancy

“If school districts and others can just go around and liquidate lands that have been carefully and thoughtfully conserved, we’re going to impoverish future generations,” Andy Loza, June 17, 2018, The Philadelphia Inquirer

A National Impact

“WeConservePA — Thank you. You are invaluable. You saved our asses with Renewal. Thank you in perpetuity.”
Kristina Ortez de Jones, Executive Director, Taos Land Trust 

“I wanted to tell you and ask you to share with those who contributed that I was absolutely blown away by your Nature Play booklet. It was the most poignant, concise, important and helpful document I’ve ever seen on nature play and the issues we all must grapple with around children, parents, every one of us and the conservation of our planet. I commend the vision and resources devoted to its creation and thank you as someone whose work will benefit from its existence!”
Karen Seidel, Central Ohio Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy