In February 2023, this beautiful mountain property straddling two watersheds and Peters Mountain was preserved with a conservation easement. The 97-acre property is predominantly forest covered and is within the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, home of PA’s largest Important Bird Area. It supports breeding songbirds as well as migrating raptors, songbirds, and monarch butterflies.
With steep slopes, rocky outcroppings, and a stretch of the South Fork of Powells Creek, the property contains a wide variety of habitats. The landowners regularly see black bears and bobcats and have also recently witnessed fishers and porcupines. It is also home to native brook trout.
Contiguous with thousands of acres of other protected lands, this addition furthers efforts to safeguard the Appalachian Trail viewshed and trail experience and supports the water quality of both Clarks Creek and Powells Creek, which flow into the Susquehanna River.
This project marks the eighth that Manada Conservancy has completed through Fort Indiantown Gap’s Army Compatible Use Buffer program in partnership with program administrators, the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. Protecting land surrounding the military base has the dual purpose of protecting land of high conservation value as well as the dark skies and flight path necessary for military training operations.