"Protecting and Preserving Lands and Landmarks" Report to the Membership Volume 14, Issue 3 Summer 2004 NNORTHCENTRAL PPENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY Wilson Property Dedication Held NPC Strategic Plan Moving Forward On Wednesday, May 19, 2004 the Northcentral In the last issue of the newsletter NPC highlighted Pennsylvania Conservancy organized a dedication a grant received from the Williamsport-Lycoming ceremony for a project NPC helped complete. The Foundation to assist with strategic planning. The effort descendents of John and Anna Mason Wilson donated to revise NPC's strategic plan is moving forward at a to the Commonwealth a quarter acre parcel along Marsh pleasing pace. Creek Road near Ansonia in Tioga NPC’s Board of Directors County. NPC facilitated the transfer and “The ultimate test of a selected Marc Smiley to assist in moral society is the kind used funds donated in memory of Arnie of world that it leaves to developing the plan and he is now is busy Hayden to cover the expenses. its children.” providing responses to 60 questions on The property is adjacent to a the organization’s effectiveness, ~Dietrick Bonhoeffer, planned section of the Pine Creek Rail German Theologian organizational functioning, and board Trail and contains an area of wetlands. development processes. This The family’s farmhouse was destroyed by fire in the questionnaire combined with other items, such as by- 1950’s. The garden is now covered in wildflowers and laws, past strategic plans, position descriptions, and non-native cover. In a few years, residents and visitors committee information will help Marc prepare for his first alike will be able to stop at this site to rest and and watch visit with NPC in July. During this brief stay, Marc will the wildlife that call Marsh Creek home. be conducting two focus groups and meeting with the Marsh Creek was once described as flowing, Board and staff. The purpose is to refine his “so slow as to be hardly perceptible.” Today that understanding of the organization and its opportunities. description still applies to many parts of the creek. In September he will return for a daylong education/ Known to some as the Muck, Marsh Creek is one of training session with the board followed by a daylong the largest tributaries to Pine Creek. The watershed that retreat. drains into the Muck is over 80 acres in size and contains One of the key reasons Marc was selected was large areas of wetlands, as well as the flowing water most his philosophy and approach to working with people envision when they hear the word “creek.” organizations. He does not write the strategic plan for Wilson Dedication continued on page 3. Strategic Plan continued on page 3. Buffer to be Restored along Montour County Creek Inside: The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Membership Activity is well on its way to restoring a riparian buffer along parts of Community Conservation Chilisquaque Creek in Montour County. NPC is working with PPL and the Natural Resource Conservation Service to plant 128 acres of forested Partnership Program riparian buffers. Celebrity Waiter Night and This Spring’s wet weather caused a few problems, but most of the 128 acres Annual Dinner Reports was seeded with a mixture of ryes, oats, and wildflowers to stabilize the soil and Kayaking the Susquehanna provide wildlife habitat. Wild rye can be found on the sites and along the banks of the creek, as well as some wildflowers. The seed mixture used will certainly help improve Upcoming Events CREP continued on page 5. ...and more! Membership Activity from 3/1/2004 through 6/7/2004 Steve Stroman Please take note of our CORPORATE MEMBERS who have shown Katherine Durrwachter Susquehanna Longbeards NWTF they care about the future of our communities with their corporate Donald Gephart Jr. Edwin & Merlene Young membership, and show YOUR support to them. Bonita E. Hannis Dr. & Mrs. Ira G. Masemore Chris Young Osprey ($1,000-1,999) Small Business ($100-499) Bob & Donna McCoy Merrill J. & Dorothy F. Dodge PPL Corporation/ Pennsylvania Bureau of Joseph R. Musto Pamela Gass Montour Preserve Forestry (Tiadaghton) George E. Rizzo & Family Jack Kramer Yoas Services Inc. David L. Shollenberger Mark Shuman Osprey ($1,000-1,999) Lamar Advertising James Temple Montour Oil Service Company Bob Chuck & Rich Roan Inc. John & Carol Wagner General Contributions Central PA Auto Auction Inc. Margaret Wettling Anne Brovey American Kestrel Clinton Co. Economic Partnership Harold & Beulah Yerk ($500-749) Mericle Commercial Real Estate Donation to Alfred & Helen Citizens & Northern Bank Staiman Brothers Inc. White Pine ($25-34) Buck Land Acquisition Fund Girton Manufacturing Co. Webb’s Super-Gro Products Inc. Mr. Raymond Chernikovich Alfred Buck Keystone Forging Co. Wheeland Lumber Co. Inc. Mr. & Mrs. William R. Bailey Wayne Twp. Landfill CCSWA Bear Hollow Rod & Gun Club In-Kind Gifts Molly Costello Daly Blair Brothers Goldsmiths Bobcat ($1,000-4,999) Red Oak ($50-99) Frederick S. Crafts DiSalvo’s Pasta Products George & Shirley Durrwachter Joseph H. Radley Jay Wilkinson/ Northcentral Digital Services Joanne Fisher Lloyd Forcey Eagles Mere Village Inc. Slate Run Tackle Shop Rich & Alice Trowbridge Donald Faulkner Black Bear ($500-999) Ronald & Martina Johnson Richard C. Gleockler Memorial Contributions Tom Corbett Stephen E. Jaquith David J. Gregg In memory of Donald & Ann Alsted Henry F. Hartmann Jr. Mr. Steele Hahn Arnold Hayden William B. Heffner III Susan Joshi Rep. & Mrs. Mike Hanna from the Arnold Hayden Memorial Ray & Shelly Mattie Ms. Idell Ludwig Karl A. Herzog Fund Jack & Joann Rishel Mr. & Mrs. Frank Lundy White-tailed Deer Herman & Rita Bocher Mike & Betzi Lyon/ In Memory of ($250-499) Jessica M. Abernathy Lyon Camping & Supply Robert B. Waldeisen and Whistle Pig Fishing Club Andrew Bamford Mark Newruck/ Clarence “Scott” Wilhelm J. Robert & Nancy Bower Patty L. Bowman Esq. Mountain Graphics by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Perciballi Martin & Jean Doughty Peter & Christie Brooks Ed & Tink Reish 2 Jerry & Joy Walls Jonathan & Sally Butterfield Sandy Rife Annual Appeal Gifts Charles & Jane Darrow Michael Casale Becky Sanguedolce Ron Butler Linda Schramm Jack & Michele Davidson Conrad Schlesinger Michael & Mary Wolf ○○○○○○○○○ Richard & Susan Sprout Rebecca Davis ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dr. Marshall Welch Dr. & Mrs. Herbert A. Ecker Sr. New Board Members, Officers Elected Daniel Glunk & Black Cherry ($100-249) Margrit Shoemaker During the business portion of the Annual Dinner Mr. & Mrs. Seth Keller William & Kelly Hastings four people were elected to three-year terms on the David & Sally Craig Skip Heller Thomas & Laurie Burkholder Charles & Fay Lindrooth Board of Directors. Three are new faces to the board: Stephen & Stephanie Budman William Logue Alex Witter, Matt Cramer and Gail Zimmerman. Sue Dr. & Mrs. Robert Burns T. Jug & Mary Jo McKeever Sprout currently serves on the board and was re-elected Bob & Nell Carnein Honorable Malcolm Muir Kay Crisanti Michael P. O’Brien to another term. George Durrwachter, who had served Doug & Frani Doherty Pete & Deb Purcaro on the board before, will return for another term as well. James A. Ely/James A. James & Evelyn Reeder Ely Insurance Agency Inc. Darrel & Elaine Reibson At its first meeting after the election, the Board James Geurts Carl W. Schlappi elected officers for the current year: George Durrwachter, Harvey & Anne Katz Alex & Tracie Witter James P. Lazorka Charles R. Woltz Chairman; John Best, Vice Chairman; Rich Schluter, Edward & Judith Lyon Secretary; Christine Sleboda, Treasurer. In addition, the Robert & Virginia MacIndoe Sugar Maple ($35-49) Board appointed Matthew Cramer to the position of Paul Millinghausen Wayne Laubscher C. Edward S. Mitchell Warren R. & Mary Lou Baldys Assistant Treasurer. Board members appointed to serve David Napoli, M.D. Anthony C. Ferraro on the Executive Committee with the officers include: Peter & Linda Schultz & Family Gladys Lewis R. Bruce & Jeane Smay Don & Jean O’Brien Jay Alexander, Les Noelk and Sue Sprout. Judith E. Styrcula Tom & Marsha Person & family Congratulations to all of our newly elected and Chalmer & Ruth Ann Van Horn Dan & Patti Alters re-elected board members and officers. NPC is deeply Mr. & Mrs. H. W. Wieder Larry R. Bason VMD Mrs. William F. Williams Mike & Donna Bastian grateful for these individuals’ willingness to voluntarily Dale E. & Harriet J. Cooper serve NPC in such a selfless manner. Community Conservation Partnership Wilson Dedication continued from cover. Program At one time the Marsh Creek valley floor was Just a reminder that the Department of covered with forests and wetlands, but this changed Conservation and Natural Resources Community during Pennsylvania’s lumbering era. The forests were Conservation Partnership Program’s (C2P2) application harvested to feed the sawmills in the area and to provide period opens in July. Communities and non-profits who logs for mills down Pine Creek and points farther south. are working on recreation or trail projects should obtain In the 1890s the trees were gone and farms sprung up. an application packet and plan to attend the July Commercial celery and lettuce production began, workshop on how to apply. assisted in part by the rail line running through the valley Don’t forget if the project is an implementation floor. Production for these crops began to drop off in project from the Lower West Branch Susquehanna the 1910s and 1920s and other crops took over. River Conservation Plan, you should contact Reneé Today the Muck has few farms left. Some of Carey, at 570-323-6222 or email [email protected]. the farms have been subdivided into residential homes Projects resulting from River Conservation Plans where and camps. The Department of Conservation and the river segment has been listed on the Pennsylvania Natural Resources is in the process of designing a trail River Registry are eligible for funding through the River for the rail bed which will link Ansonia and the Pine Creek Conservation Program.