Woodbourne Preserve earns Enviro

Woodbourne Preserve Earns Environmental Partnership Award

Seated from left: Paula Pardoe, Chairperson Jeralyn Adams, Joyce Stone. Standing: Bill Kunze (TNC-PA State Director), Bud Cook (TNC-PA Northeastern PA Program Director), Jim Kessler, Ken Ely, Fred Studer, Woodbourne resident naturalist Prof. Jerry Skinner.

Susquehanna Independent 10/25/2006

Stewardship Committee Chairperson Jeralyn Adams accepted the award on behalf of the committee that has spearheaded a year of celebration for Woodbourne's 50th birthday.

On April 10, 1956, Woodbourne Forest and Wildlife Preserve became the first property to be set aside for preservation by The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania, through the donation of the land by Francis R. Cope, Jr. and the forward thinking of The Nature Conservancy.

It contains one of the few remaining tracts of old growth (virgin) forest in the state, and now contains approximately 600 acres of forested and open land and wetlands.

Francis Cope established a local volunteer stewardship committee to manage the use of Woodbourne "for educational, scientific and inspirational activities not interfering with its preservation or completely natural aspect."

According to Adams, "Because Woodbourne Preserve was on the frontier of environmental preservation, early partner organizations were few and far between. From the beginning, however, the stewardship committee, largely through the resident naturalist, offered educational workshops for adults and children.

"Some organizations with which Woodbourne has worked closely include the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Keystone College, Susquehanna County Library, Ducks Unlimited (management of beavers' impact on the wetlands) and local elementary schools.

"Most recently, in June 2006, the stewardship committee partnered with Keystone Trails Association - a statewide association of hiking clubs dedicated to the preservation of foot paths in Pennsylvania - to construct a new trail.

"KTA volunteers, along with stewardship committee members, worked June 20 to 25, to clear a 4.9-mile trail which provides public access to a large portion of the preserve.

"In honor of Francis Cope, Jr., who often wrote in his diary of taking a 'ramble' through the property, the trail has been named 'Cope's Ramble'.

"The stewardship committee members look to the future with the anticipation of attracting, introducing, and educating visitors to the value of environmental conservation," Adams said.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated toward protecting and restoring the natural and built environments to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.