As the highest bidder at a recent public auction, the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) conserved 112 acres adjacent to the Loyalsock State Forest. The property includes steep, forested hillsides, a trout stream, and a rocky cliff along Loyalsock Creek.
This newly conserved land is almost directly across from where Little Bear Road (and Little Bear Creek) intersects with Route 87, and includes part of Bar Bottom Hollow. Bar Bottom is a Class A, naturally reproducing trout stream. The stream is somewhere between 2.3 and 2.9 miles long (depending on your informational source). The property’s portion of Bar Bottom almost levels out and traverses a flat before entering the ‘Sock. Sharing a boundary with the Loyalsock State Forest, a series of waterfalls can be found on the portion of the stream already on State Forest Land. Eventually, the property will become a part of the State Forest system.
During initial project talks between NPC and the Bureau of Forestry, NPC also discussed the possible acquisition with people involved with the Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association, Lycoming Audubon, and the Loyalsock Creek Men’s Club.
NPC Executive Director, Renee’ Carey, stated, “All those groups were supportive and the Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited threw their support in too. We reached out to individuals familiar with the property’s location who live in the “neighborhood” or spend a lot of time in the “neighborhood.” Everyone we spoke to was hopeful the property could become part of the State Forest system.”
(Photo credit: Ellen Shultzabarger)
Similar to their work on the Cavanaugh Access acquisition, this was another situation where the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy was asked to act quickly. One of the reasons NPC is able to respond to these opportunities so rapidly, is because of the support of their members. Having unrestricted funds allows NPC to do quick legwork to explore ideas as they arise.
NPC would like to thank their members for their ongoing support, and a posthumous thanks to Alfred and Helen Buck, whose donations formed the land acquisition fund that allows NPC to take on these exciting, new projects!
In addition to this 112 acres of newly conserved land, NPC has conserved 6,300 acres across the Northcentral Pennsylvania region, that are now under ownership with the Bureau of Forestry, Pennsylvania Game Commission, local government, or other conservation organizations. NPC also holds 47 conservation easements and 1 facade easement on over 4,735 acres. Learn more about NPC Conserved Lands.
The increasing gas industry footprint in this beautiful region of the Loyalsock Valley makes this 112-acre purchase abundantly welcome.
Those of us who are lucky enough to live along the ‘Sock breathed a collective sigh of relief following NPC’s land purchase.
Thank you …. from the bottom of our collective Loyalsock-lovin’ hearts.
Hi Barb – thank you so much for this message! We are so grateful to the NPC membership, for enabling NPC to react quickly when opportunities like this beautiful property arise! There’s a great article in the Sun Gazette today, and if you get a chance to check it out, you’ll read that we also breathed a sigh of relief when the deal was done! 🙂