Thanks to ongoing open space preservation efforts, Emmaus-based Wildlands Conservancy was able to announce last week that 187 acres in Salisbury and Upper Saucon townships, Lehigh County, are now permanently protected from development.
The Emmaus-based Wildlands Conservancy scored a major win for the protection of local animal and plant habitat last month when it announced the permanent preservation of 187 acres of open space in Salisbury and Upper Saucon townships.
According to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the Lehigh Valley has lost an average of 2,000 acres of open space each year over the past decade. Open space preservation helps to maintain healthy and unfragmented forests within an ever-urbanizing landscape, the conservancy said in a press release.
“This latest acquisition furthers our commitment to protect the fast-disappearing wonderful natural areas and open spaces our Lehigh Valley has to offer,” said Christopher Kocher, president of Wildlands Conservancy. “Successes on this scale are the result of years of work, visionary investments and legacy partnerships.”
The acquisition was more than two years in the making, and will have a positive impact on local species as well as water supply, the conservancy said. The land is home to mature forests containing tulip poplar, red and white oak, hickory and important woodland habitat which houses scarlet tanager, wood thrush and other bird species.
The land also contains critical amphibian habitat, including wetlands, vernal pools and the Black River headwaters.
Its acquisition will help to protect the sensitive species which rely on those habitats.
The addition of 187 acres to Lehigh County’s open space registry represents the third the conservancy has made in the area of South Mountain in about a year. More than 43 acres were secured in the summer of 2019, and another 34 acres were protected in the spring.
While all three properties are now permanently protected, the conservancy said there is work still to be done in order to make the areas accessible for public use and enjoyment.
“We are thrilled with the acquisition of our fourteenth nature preserve, and I am sure the community will celebrate this new addition with us,” Kocher said. “But it’s also important to use these celebratory moments to remind the community that Wildlands is in the forever business. We need continued and committed contributions to ensure our open spaces are not just protected, but thrive with nature and through trails and public access, giving the community the opportunity to witness the beauty and awe of the natural world first-hand.”
The conservancy is currently participating in a matching gift campaign with corporate partners PPL, Embassy Bank and Nestle Waters North America. The campaign allows members of the community to make direct contributions towards conservation efforts.
The effort is called Preserve our Future, and the partners have challenged the conservancy to raise $17,500, which they will then match.
“This latest preserve, along with two others established within the past 12 months, is waiting to be turned into a public destination,” the news release said. “We need your help!”
Donations can be made on the Wildlands Conservancy website.
