Wildlands Conservancy Inc

THE MISSION OF WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY IS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE CRITICAL NATURAL AREAS AND WATERWAYS, AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE A LEGACY OF A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

CONSERVATION: WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY'S CONSERVATION STRATEGIES INCLUDE LAND PLANNING AND ACQUISITION, STREAM RESTORATION AND HABITAT STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES. WILDLANDS MADE NOTABLE LAND PROTECTION AND ADVANCEMENTS LAST YEAR. PERMANENTLY PROTECTED MORE THAN 2,800 ACRES WITHIN THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND LEHIGH RIVER WATERSHED. PURCHASED THE 2,736-ACRE PENROSE PROPERTY IN CARBON AND LUZERNE COUNTIES FOR TRANSFER TO THE PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF FORESTRY TO BECOME PART OF WEISER STATE FOREST.ACQUIRED 38 ACRES IN SALISBURY AND UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIPS, LEHIGH COUNTY TO EXPAND SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESERVE. PURCHASED 23 ACRES ALONG THE KITTATINNY RIDGE FOR TRANSFER TO U.S. FISH & WIDLIFE SERVIVE TO BECOME PART OF CHERRY VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.SECURED A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON 45 ACRES IN MOORE TOWNSHIP, NORTHAMPTON COUNTY.ACQUIRED 3 ACRES TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUTY TO EXPAND THOMAS DARLING PRESERVE. AQCUIRED 1.2 ACRES IN SALISBURY TOWNSHIP, LEHIGH COUNTY TO EXPAND BLACK RIVER SANCTUARY. IN THE STEWARDSHIP REALM, WILDLANDS FORWARDED EFFORTS FOCUSED ON STREAM RESTORATION, HABITAT RESTORATION AND WATERSHED PLANNING: COMPLETED RESTORATION OF >5 MILES OF STREAMS AND OPENED AN ADDITIONAL 4 MILES FOR FISH PASSAGE BY COMPLETING THE FOLLOWING RESTORATION PROJECTS:" FRY'S RUN LOCATED IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY " LITTLE BUSHKILL CREEK IN PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP " INDIAN RUN IN BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP" TRIBUTARY OF JORDAN CREEK IN LEHIGH COUNTY (TREXLER NATURE PRESERVE) DAM REMOVAL AND WETLAND RESTORATION ALONG A TRIBUTARY OF THE JORDAN CREEK AT TREXLER NATURE PRESERVECONTINUED TO LEAD THE LEHIGH VALLEY RIPARIAN BUFFER INITIATIVE, PLANTING BUFFER HABITAT AT 15 SITES IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY.CONTINUED WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN THE UPPER LEHIGH RIVER WATERSHED FOR THE ONGOING, LARGE-SCALE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED INITIATIVE. COMPLETED PUBLIC ACCESS ENHANCEMENTS AT THOMAS DARLING PRESERVE. CONTINUED RESTORATION OF RARE HABITAT AT THOMAS DARLING AND MAPLE TRACT PRESERVES.CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP MANAGEMENT OF LEHIGH COUNTY'S 1,800-ACRE TREXLER NATURE PRESERVE.

EDUCATION: IN 2021, COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMP WERE TRANSITIONED BACK TO IN-PERSON PROGRAMS. 8,710 STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12 BENEFITED FROM WILDLANDS' ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE TIED TO PENNSYLVANIA'S STANDARDS FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY, PARTICIPATING IN 282 SCHOOL PORGRAMS. MORE THAN 654 COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONNECTED MORE THAN 14,501 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LOCAL, NATURAL AREAS, INCLUDING POOL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, TREXLER NATURE PRESERVE, THE LEHIGH RIVER AND DESTINATIONS IN CARBON AND MONROE COUNTIES.COMMENCED AN E-MAMMAL RESEARCH EFFORT (A CAMERA TRAPPING PROGRAM) AT THE KLONDIKE PROPERTY, PART OF STATE GAME LANDS 312 IN GOULDSBORO, PA, UPLOADING TO AN INTERNATIONAL DATABASE MANAGED BY THE SMITHSONIAN.KICK-STARTING CONSERVATION CAREERS SCHOOL PROGRAM WAS INTEGRATED INTO BUILDING 21'S (ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT) CURRICULUM, ADVANCING THE ORGANIZATION'S DEI INITIATIVES.