MCI & Heidelberg Township Agricultural Security Area Expansion

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Spring / Summer 2015

Newsletter

752 Willow Street, Suite e

Lebanon, PA 17046

www.lebanonvalleyconservancy.org

717-273-6400

lvconserve@lebanonvalleyconservancy.org

Easy Way to Support the Conservancy

Ms. Katherine J. Bishop, Chief Executive

Officer of Lebanon Seaboard Corporation

has graciously offered to Chair the

Lebanon Valley Conservancy’s Annual

Appeal Fundraising initiative for 2015.

It is your generous and ongoing financial

contributions that support the many

projects of the Conservancy. As a

non-profit, it is you who assure our

success in improving our quality of life in

the beautiful Lebanon Valley.

‘Our Lebanon Valley, Our Life, Our Responsibility’

The Lebanon Valley agricultural and open areas around Miiddle Creek

provide feeding grounds for a large variety of species, particularly the

Tundra Swan. This area has been declared a globally important part of

the Atlantic Flyway.

The Middle Creek Initiative (MCI) is comprised of the Lebanon Valley

Conservancy, PA Game Commission Middle Creek Wildlife Management

Area, Lebanon County Conservation District, Lebanon County Planning

Department, and PA Audubon. This group of dedicated organizations

works toward public education regarding the importance of our area.

MCI has been working with Heidelberg Township over the last year to

provide detailed information to local farm and landowners regarding the

Pennsylvania Agricultural Security Area (ASA) program.

The ASA is a voluntary tool for farmers and land owners to strengthen

and protect quality farmland from urbanization of rural areas. Participat-

ing landowners may receive special consideration regarding: Local

ordinances affecting farming activities, nuisance complaints relating to

farming, and a review of farmland condemnation by state and local

government agencies.

As a result of MCI’s efforts, 18 Heidelberg Township landowners have

submitted applications to be included in the Township ASA expansion

helping keep the land open for agriculture and migrating waterfowl.

Photo by George C. Gress Photo by Nanette Kardaseski

We cannot do it without you !!!

Take a stand for conservation.

Memberships expire at the end of

the calendar year. Our organi-

zation needs your support to

increase the pace of land conser-

vation in the Lebanon Valley.

~ It’s time to get involved !!! ~

Become a member, or renew

your membership today. Bene-

fits of membership include a

semi-annual Newsletter, notice

of free field trips / programs and

advance tickets at reduced price

for Conservancy events.

Memberships are available at the

following levels:

□ Individual $20

□ Family $40

□ Partners in Stewardship

$100

□ Lebanon Valley Leaders

$500

□ Corporate Champions

$1,000

To renew now, clip and complete

this Membership information block.

Send the clip with your name,

address, email address, type of

membership, and payment to:

Lebanon Valley Conservancy

752 Willow Street, Suite e

Lebanon, PA 17046

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To donate by credit card, please go

to our website and click on

DONATE. Our site address is

provided in the title area on Page 1.

Volunteer: Yes No

the Conservancy, please let us

know. We are also interested in

your ideas for field trips, pro-

grams, etc. Give us a call.

LVC Administrative Assistant at

Telephone: 717-273-6400

The LVC is always interested in

folks who would like to volunteer.

If you have an interest in assist-

ing with our tours & events and/

or if you have a specific expertise

you feel may benefit the efforts of

Please, Sign Up For Membership !

We Need You !!!

Austin M. Barry Jacob “Jake” Cramer

Suitable for her

The Glenn and Sally Stoner property is 20.12 acres in Union Township, Lebanon County, PA. in the narrow valley between the Kittatinny Ridge and Second Mountain. This land has been designated as a priority area by the LVC as well as several other conservation organizations. It is partially forested with a small stream. Bird species observed include

eastern bluebirds, red bellied woodpecker and tufted titmouse.

New Conservation Easement

2015 Scholarship Awards

“When we show

our respect for other

living things,

they respond

with respect

for us.”

~

Arapaho

This year the Conservancy has awarded two first

place Scholarships to local students. Both stu-

dents completed exceptional work on projects

and the vote for the awards was a tie.

Austin Barry is recognized through his Eagle

Scout project in the design and construction of a

boat ramp along the Swatara Creek. He worked

with the Swatara Watershed Assoc. to provide a

safer boat access while improving water quality

locally and in the Chesapeake Bay by reducing

sedimentation resulting from streambank erosion.

Jake Cramer’s award was for his contributions

over the last year to the PA Amphibian and

Reptile Survey (PARS). PARS is a citizen-

science project that maps ranges of resident

reptile and amphibian species in the Com-

monwealth to ensure their habitat can be

protected for future generations. Jake is the

Lebanon County Coordinator for PARS.

An awards ceremony and luncheon was held

in the students’ honor by the LVC on May 7.

Please encourage students to apply in 2016 !

Photo by George C. Gress

Board Member Profile ~ Dr. Alan Wood Alan Wood is one of the newest

Board members, having joined the

LVC in 2014. However, he brings

many years of conservation experi-

ence, primarily as an agricultural/

civil engineer with the former Soil

Conservation Service, which then

became the Natural Resources

Conservation Service. He started

in Maryland while still a student at

Penn State (his original interest in

agriculture started as a 4H’er).

After serving with the US Army in

Korea, and attending graduate

school in Colorado (where he was

also on the National Academy of

Sciences Panel on Waterlifting),

Alan returned to SCS in Maryland,

and then to New Mexico, where he

was both a design engineer and

construction engineer. He returned

to his “birth state” of Pennsylvania

in 1985 at the NRCS state office in

Harrisburg, where he stayed until

his retirement in 2008. He contin-

ues to work for NRCS as a retiree

consultant in the Lebanon Ag Center.

Although most of Alan’s work in his

early career involved structures for

flood control and agricultural waste,

he focused primarily on stream rest-

oration activities in later years. He

enjoyed that area so much that he

went back to Penn State for a PhD

and developed a course, which he

taught there in environmental re-

sources. Alan also served on nation-

al engineering committees for dam

safety and conservation software, as

well as an instructor for soil mechan-

ics, structural design, hydraulics, and

soil bio-engineering. He has written

several professional papers on these

subjects. In 2005-06, he also volun-

teered for a 6-month assignment in

Afghanistan at a Provincial Recon-

struction Team.

Since retirement, Alan and his wife,

Judy, have increased their activities

with NGOs that serve developing

countries. Judy, a registered nurse,

works with Lifewater International to

“train-the-trainer” in hygiene, primarily

in Ethiopia and Kenya. Alan has also

worked with LI in Ethiopia and Laos

doing latrine construction and pump

repair. Since 1996, he has done

engineering design trips with Engi-

neering Ministries International in

India, Tanzania, Kenya, and Niger.

Alan hopes to use his engineering

expertise in the LVC primarily on tech-

nical issues and land easements.

describe the butterfly transformation was to witness

someone truly in awe of a wondrous event.

… Butterfly eggs are laid singly on host plants. Devel-

opment time is variable depending on temperature and

host plant species. Generally the egg stage lasts four

to nine days, the larval stage ten to thirty days, and the

pupal stage nine to eighteen days (except for overwin-

tering pupae).

Habitats of the Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly include open areas of both uplands and wet areas, including wet fields, low lying flat timber land, pine

groves, roadsides, weed covered areas, and gardens.

“ The people have a right to

clean air, pure water, and

to the preservation of the

natural, scenic, historic and

esthetic values of the

environment.

Pennsylvania’s public

natural resources are the

common property of all the

people, including genera-

tions yet to come. As

trustee of these resources, the

Commonwealth shall

conserve and maintain them

for the benefit of all the

people.”

~~~

The Pennsylvania

Constitution

Article 1, Section 27

“I had never seen this before. The butterfly was

emerging from the chrysalis so I sat and watched

until it had fully emerged. It’s wings were crumpled

at first from being compressed but the butterfly kept

moving the wings until they spread open. It was

really fascinating to behold.”

This process may be something most of us have

never witnessed in nature. We know it occurs but

have not been able to actually view the transfor-

mation as it is happening. Bobbi Becker is an artist

by profession and she is keenly aware of nature and

life changes, colors, textures, etc. To listen to her

E-Mail Addresses,

Please !

Please send in your

email address with any

correspondence. We

don’t disseminate email

lists to others. Email

allows us notify you of

upcoming events and

important issues.

Like Us on

FACEBOOK !

“All life is

sacred, and all

creation related.”

~

Smiling Bear

Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Moment and Photos from Bobbi Becker

Migration

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Photo by George C. Gress

If you visited the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area during this

past spring’s migration season, it seemed even more spectacular than

usual. The volume in numbers of the various migratory birds, … the

Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, Canada Geese was just incredible to

watch. This was probably because it was such a “long winter” season

and the migration seemed to begin all at once bringing in high numbers

to the degree that was just amazing to observe.

Jim Binder, Middle Creek Game Commission Manager has provided an

informative “Waterfowl Migration Update” log on their website indicating

the highest numbers of Snow Geese and Tundra Swans at the Area

was between March 12—March 23 with numbers tapering off rapidly

over the following week. The highest numbers were logged on March

16 with 110,000 Snow Geese and 2,300 Tundra Swans reported.

Availability of open water on the lakes and ponds and reduced snow

cover on the fields affects the migration season. It was reported

Snow Geese Photo by Nanette Kardaseski

Tundra Swans & Snow Geese Photos by Nanette Kardaseski

this year it was unusual to see the birds roosting on the lake ice sheet

at the beginning of migration when normally they will opt for the open

water areas. This year the cold temperatures extended later into March

and the lake thaw did not occur until later into the month. Migration

season generally begins late in February through early to mid-March.

About the Tundra Swan … They are formerly known as the “Whistling

Swan” and among the largest of waterfowl. They can range in size up

to 60 inches in length, with a wingspan between 65-85 inches and can

weigh up to 20 lbs. Tundra Swans feed on seeds and grains from

harvested agricultural fields as well as consuming aquatic plants in

bodies of water.

Tundra Swans make one of the longest migrations of any waterfowl

approaching 4,000 miles. They journey two to three months between

their nesting areas in northeastern Alaska, northern Yukon, Nunavut

and the Northwest Territories in Canada and warmer wintering areas.

In April, the Conservancy hosted our first, “Spring In The Valley” fundraising event at the Hebron Event Center. Our special guest presenter was Jack Hubley, well known for his advocacy for the natural world for more than 30 years and program director of The Falconry Experience for Hershey Enter-tainment & Resorts. He is also featured on WGAL TV, Channel 8, A Wild Moment. It was a fantastic program featuring a Great Horned Owl, Red Tail Hawk, Kestral, a Skunk, Meadow Voles, Garter Snake and Black Rat Snake all of whom Mr. Hubley brought along for the guests to get acquainted. Jack provided a wealth of information about the birds, animals and reptiles

who are all local to our region.

The Event was attended by 144 guests. In addition to the special presenta-tion by Mr. Hubley we offered exhibits and a Silent Auction featuring approxi-mately fifty items for sale including original art pieces, signed / numbered

artist prints, craft pieces, donated products and other assorted items.

The Conservancy presented the 2015 Advocacy Award to local business woman and resident, Ms. Margie Yohn of BeYohnd Mail and Marketing and this past year’s Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Board. The Award was for Margie’s ongoing and tireless commitment to the preser-

vation of our natural, cultural and historical heritage in the Lebanon Valley.

“Spring in the Valley”

Combined Efforts Toward Great Goals !

752 Willow Street, Suite e

Lebanon, PA 17046

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Stewards of 2015 The Lebanon Valley Conservancy

would like to thank our

generous sponsors !!!

The Kittatinny Ridge area of concern runs from the Mason-Dixon line to the

Delaware Water Gap. This project is aiming to protect this threatened,

linear landscape and important bird flyway. The land owner outreach will

offer information on the significance of their land habitat and options for

preserving / protecting it. The Ridge area is of particular concern more

recently as segmenting the forested areas have serious consequences

relating to bird feeding grounds and maintaining food sources and nesting

areas that sustain the wildlife.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Conservancy is reaching out to the Lebanon Valley for interested and

motivated individuals who want to contribute through volunteering for our

varied projects and / or may be interested in Board Membership.

The Conservancy attempts to develop and implement projects that benefit

all Lebanon Valley residents and visitors through not only maintaining our

beautiful rural vistas through farm and natural area preservation but also by

generating interest in our history through appreciation of local architecture

and anecdotal recollection of our many area historians and by supporting

local cultural programs.

Please, … Get Involved … Join Us !

The Lebanon Valley Conservancy works with many partners toward achieving our mission … “the preservation of the unique cultural, historical, and environmental heritage of our region for the benefit of present and future generations.” The Conservancy is currently working with a number of projects involving partnering organizations and other agencies:

~ The Quittapahilla Stream Bank Restoration project involving the Quittapahilla Watershed Association, and grants awarded by the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection and the PA Fish & Boat Commission. ~ The Lebanon Valley Heritage Trail, Walking Trail Brochure mapping expansion to include three more walking trail maps to include: Myerstown, Schaefferstown and Mt. Gretna. This grant related project is in cooperation with the Lebanon County Commissioners and County Planning. ~ Fort Indiantown Gap and Army Compatible Use Buffers (ACUB). ACUB is to limit encroachment and other pressures on military training which may arise from development in surrounding communities. ACUB may assist with funding prioritized land preservation protecting the military, land owners and the environment. ~ The Conservancy is a sub-grantee with The Nature Conservancy and is one of approximately nine other organizations who, over a three year period will coordinate efforts to provide educational events and land owner outreach

involving preservation efforts along the Kittatinny Ridge.

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