fall / winter 2015 - 16...
TRANSCRIPT
MOONSHINE EVENT HIGHLIGHTS KITTATINNY HERITAGE
There are two convenient
tools to use to benefit the
Lebanon Valley Conservancy.
First : Use Goodsearch. com
as your search engine.
It is easy to download their
toolbar. Secondly, use
Goodshop.com whenever
purchasing from one of the
600 affiliated merchants.
Each time you use either
tool, a percentage of your
purchase goes to the
Conservancy. This is one
easy way to donate every
time you research or shop.
Fall / Winter 2015 - 16
Newsletter
752 Willow Street, Suite e
Lebanon, PA 17046
www.lebanonvalleyconservancy.org
717-273-6400
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 2015-16.
It is your generous and ongoing financial
contributions that support the many
projects of the Conservancy.
This year’s Annual Appeal effort
continues through July of 2016.
‘Our Lebanon Valley, Our Life, Our Responsibility’
The Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. hosted it’s first heritage event at
Moonshine Church in Union Township on a crisp, clear fall evening,
October 24, 2015. Over 100 people listened around the campfire to
historians speak about the Blue-Eyed Six (6 individuals hanged for
murdering a man for insurance money in the first case of insurance
fraud in Pennsylvania) and of Joseph Johns (a former slave who lived
on the mountain and sold charcoal for a living). Children painted pump-
kins and had their faces painted. People shared spooky stories and
enjoyed hot dogs, hot cider and cocoa, cookies and smores.
Conservancy members provided cemetery tours and information on the
more notable persons interred in Moonshine Cemetery including
Joseph Johns. The church and cemetery land were actually donated
by the Moonshine family, whose stone also graces the graveyard.
Information on protecting the natural heritage of the Kittatinny Ridge was
made available to visitors. The event was free of charge thanks to our
sponsors: Strickler Insurance, Hutters Store, Tony’s On Market Street,
Pizza Town II, Kwik Quality Press, Gray’s Apple Orchard, BG’s Market,
and Conservancy Board Members. Judging from the community interest
and success of the event, we will definitely consider scheduling a similar
project in the future.
Appreciation is extended to Moonshine Church, Lickdale Fire Company
and PA State Police for their support in a successful evening.
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
Name
__________________________
Address
__________________________
City______________________
State________ Zip__________
Email_____________________
Phone____________________
Check #___________________
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 !!!
Suitable for her
The Dolores Geesaman property is 29.04 acres of land, and is mainly
forested. Plant species include red, white and chestnut oak, hemlock ,
white pine, black birch, black gum, hickory, sassafras, yellow poplar and
red maple over story with mountain laurel, raspberry, hay scented fern
understory. Herbaceous plants include striped wintergreen and common
milkweed. The Geesaman property contains dirt access roads which are
in good condition and this property is part of a larger forest which is con-
nected to an adjacent protected Herr property and land owned by Fort
Indiantown Gap. It is situated on the back side of the Kittatinny Ridge
and designated as a priority conservation area.
New Conservation Easement in Union Twp.
Coming Attractions for 2016
“How long can men thrive
between walls of brick,
walking on asphalt
pavements, breathing the
fumes of coal and of oil,
growing, working, dying, with
hardly a thought of wind and
sky, and fields of grain,
seeing only machine-made
beauty, the mineral-like
quality of life.”
Charles A. Lindbergh
Readers Digest, November 1939
Photo by George C. Gress
Watch for Migration Season Alerts on our Web Site ~ www.lebanonvalleyconservancy.org
~
Scholarship Awards Application Period is Now Open ~ Application procedures on our web site
~
“Spring in the Valley 2016” See our article on the back page of this Newsletter
Tickets on Sale, March 1 thru April 1 and more information will be provided closer to the event
~
Swatara Watershed Association “Sojourn—Clean up the Creek”, weekend of May 7-8, 2016
A program is scheduled both Saturday & Sunday at noon & Saturday evening at
Schiavoni Park, 9080 Bridge Rd., Swatara Twp (across from Hoss’s in Hummelstown)
~
Lebanon County Bicycle Coalition Tour de Lebanon Valley, event May 14, 2016
Lebanon Valley Conservancy bicyclist’s rest station location is anticipated to be in Millbach
~
Land Owner Outreach ~ Educational Program on Land Conservation
and the importance of preservation of the Kittatinny Ridge to be scheduled in the Fall
~
Send us your ideas for events and projects !
Appalachian Trail Conservancy’ s Mission
Alicia Riegel-Kanth is a proud native of Lebanon County and currently Environmental Planner and Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Project Co-Lead with the Appala-chian Trail Conservancy (ATC). Alicia delivered a presentation in November to the Lebanon Valley Conservancy Board regarding her ATC municipal outreach efforts. The Kittatinny Ridge & Corridor is a Global Important Bird Area and Mega-Greenway in Pennsylvania, and is one of the Common- wealth’s most treasured large landscapes. It is an integral part of the landscape of Lebanon County, providing pristine habitat for countless wildlife species, as well as clean air and clean drinking water for County resi-dents. The Kittatinny Corridor provides a plethora of daily recre-ation opportunities for Lebanon County residents and tourism opportunities for residents outside our county and attracts out-of-
state visitors.
The program provided information on a guide for communities to enact the PA Appalachian Trail Act to protect scenic, historic, natural, and aesthet-ic trail values and identified seven principles: 1) Local Recognition of the Trail and its Significance, 2) Trail-related Landscapes and Key Parcels, 3) Zoning for Landscape Protection, 4) Mandates and Incentives for Conservation Design, 5) Regulating Potentially High-impact Uses, 6) Working Relationships with Key Landowners, and 7) Municipal Capacity to Address Trail and Relat-ed Landscape Issues.
Alicia described the ATC Ordinance Assessment Initiative, a two-year project undertaken with assistance from Natural Lands Trust to review the zoning and subdivision/land de-velopment ordinances of each mu-nicipality along the Trail and make recommendations for ordinance amendments or other planning tools to increase protection of the Trail.
The 2016 Round of the ATC Conser-vation Assistance Mini-Grant
Program was launched recently. $40,000 in total grant funding is avail-able for award, with more money available for exemplary municipal projects. For more information, con-tact ATC at 717.258.5771 to discuss the recommendations for your municipality.
Alicia discussed the continuing munic-ipal outreach efforts in Lebanon Coun-ty and asked LVC Board members for assistance in spreading the word.
Fishers are arboreal (tree dwelling), and if you see
one, it may appear as a long dark furred critter scram-
bling amidst the tree canopy. They are a primary
predator of the porcupine, evolving behaviors to get to
the vulnerable underbelly of the spiny tree dwelling
rodent. They can also be a significant predator of
forest birds living in the canopy.
Next time you take a walk along the Stony Valley
Rail–Trail, be quiet and observant and you might catch
a brief site of a long time resident of the Lebanon
Valley that has returned home. It is a treat you will
appreciate, and feel good about as we move in the
right direction to conserve our Kittatinny home.
“ 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
The Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. is intimately
involved in the conservation of the Lebanon Valley por-
tion of the greater Kittatinny ecosystem. Part of that
reason is to ensure a home for the creatures that share
the world with us and enhance our quality of life. A re-
cent success story involves the fisher, a tree dwelling
weasel that used to live in this part of the Lebanon Val-
ley but was extirpated (extinct in the Lebanon Valley)
decades ago by hunting and habitat loss.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission began a program
to reintroduce the fisher back into its original home
range in the state. The great news is that this amazing
creature has been seen in the Lebanon Valley in the
Kittatinny mountains after a long absence.
Like Us on
FACEBOOK !
“There can be
no greater issue
than that of
conservation
in this
country.”
~
President
Theodore Roosevelt
~
Kittatinny Tree Weasel ~ “The Fisher” by Charles Wertz
Fisher ~ Martes pennanti Photo from: http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/109926324
Alicia Riegel-Kanth
AUDUBON SAYS ... LEBANON VALLEY
GLOBALLY IMPORTANT by Charles Wertz
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Photo by George C. Gress
Lebanon Valley Conservancy supporters are keenly aware of the need
to protect our natural heritage for current and future generations. That
natural heritage happens to include TWO Globally Important Birding
Areas according to the National Audubon Society, as the U.S. repre-
sentative to BirdLife International. These two areas within our bounda-
ries include the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and the Kit-
tatinny Ridge passing through the northern part of Lebanon County and
neighboring counties.
The greater Kittatinny and Middle Creek areas of the Lebanon Valley
have been identified as focus areas for natural resources conservation
from the inception of the Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. LVC has
protected over 400 acres in the Kittatinny to date and is currently part of
an effort with the Nature Conservancy and PA Dept. of Conservation
and Natural Resources working with landowners to conserve their land.
The Globally Important Birding Area designation is an incredible honor
for one of the smaller counties in Pennsylvania and its environs. It is an
even more incredible responsibility for our citizens to step up and
protect these natural wonders.
Kittatinny Ridge Contains Biodiversity of Woodlands
Criteria for meeting Global Important status includes the following:
A1 - Species of Global Conservation Concern
A2 - Assemblage of Restricted-range species
A3 - Assemblage of Biome-restricted species
A4i - ≥1% biogeographic (N. Am.) population of a waterbird
simultaneously; ≥5% over a season
A4ii - ≥1% global population of a seabird or terrestrial species
simultaneously; ≥5% over a season
A4iii - ≥ 20,000 waterbirds / ≥10,000 seabirds [not currently
applied in the U.S.]
A4iv - Aerial bottleneck where ≥ 5% North American population of
a migratory waterbird, or ≥ 5% global population of a migratory seabird
or terrestrial species passes during a season.
Landowners wishing to conserve their land in these important areas
should call the Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Inc. at 717-273-6400.
KITTATINNY GHOST TOWNS DESERVE A VISIT
By Charles Wertz
Want to get more in touch with your Lebanon Valley roots? Then take a moment to get
some fresh air and check out our fascinating history awaiting you at an unlikely place. At
rest in the bowels of the Kittatinny Ridge and State Game Lands 211 is a piece of yesteryear
under the canopy of forest between Second and Sharp Mountains along the Stony Valley
Rail -Trail. A 1749 Lewis Evans map at the Library of Congress describes this area along
the Kittatinny Mountain as St. Anthony’s Wilderness. The Rail -Trail is accessible from
Goldmine Road with plenty of places to park at the gate.
This jewel of the Lebanon Valley was part of the Dauphin and Susquehanna Rail Road dur-
ing the 1800’s and early 1900’s. It was used to connect the area’s coal and timber riches
with industrial centers in southern and western Pennsylvania. Prior to the 1850’s these
natural resource products were transported by horse and wagon or on the Union Canal.
Heading west on the Rail -Trail at a largely level grade, one comes to the first of several
extinct communities. Rausch Gap Station was Stony Valley’s largest single community
established in 1827. There were mine offices, homes, workshops, a railroad turntable and
a coal breaker. By 1860 about 1,000 people lived at Rausch Gap, most English immigrants.
By 1910 the town was deserted when the coal was tapped out. About 80 structure founda-
tions remain. Several hundred yards south of the railroad grade are three hand-dug wells
and three tombstones dated 1854. On the north side of the railroad grade one will find an
acid mine neutralization station constructed by Dauphin County Trout Unlimited in 1986.
The next historic area of human habitation is at Cold Spring Station. As early as 1775 the
spring was heralded, and water eventually was bottled and sold throughout the eastern U.S.
The Dauphin and Susquehanna Coal Company built a bathhouse and other infrastructure for its officers and employees here prior to 1840. When
the railroad was completed from the east in about 1850 a hotel was built which rapidly became a summer resort. An impressive new hotel was built
in 1870, renewing interest in the springs. The hotel burned down 14 years later. There was a railroad station house, a springhouse, bowling alley,
dance hall, barbershop, post office and saw mills. Ruins can be found south of the railroad grade on the west side of Cold Springs Road. In 1920
the Lancaster YMCA operated Camp Shand on the property as a retreat that included Dresden Lake used for boating, swimming and ice-making.
A fascinating book written in 2005 by the father and son team of James C. Logan and James M. Logan entitled “Cold Spring Hotel Site, Uncovering
its Layers of History” is available at the Lebanon County Historical Society. It contains many pictures and maps.
Leaving Cold Spring Station on the Rail -Trail one next comes upon Yellow Springs Station. Still in Lebanon County, there were three deep coal
mines operated in this area in the early 1840’s. In addition to the rail station, there was a water-powered saw mill, a coal breaker, several houses
and other buildings. The Appalachian Trail passes through the site of the former Yellow Springs community following the old Dauphin-Pottsville
Stagecoach Route used in the early 1800’s. A coal transfer center existed at the top of
Sharp Mountain north of the railroad grade. One will find an unusual stone tower believed to
be part of the coal operation on the mountain top after a 2 hour jaunt following a blue-blazed
trail.
Crossing into Dauphin County the next ghost town is Rattling Run which was founded about
1827 on the south slope of Sharp Mountain. A station house, water-powered sawmill and
several other structures existed at the time. Eleven house foundations can be found on the
north side of the railroad grade at the location of where an inclined plane moved coal from
mines on the mountain down to the tracks. Rattling Run was also a stagecoach stop for this
coal mining village.
After Rattling Run came Water Tank Station. This stop provided critically important water to
the steam locomotives traveling through the valley. There was a homestead, outbuildings,
and a large water tank with a swinging spout. Remnants of the last caboose used in the
valley can be found on the south side of the rail-trail, having served as a hunting cabin for
many years after the railroad closed.
One can learn more about the tremendous resources of the Stony Valley entrusted to our wise stewardship at www.StonyValley.com.
Rausch Gap Stone Arch Bridge
Photo From: www.stoneyvalley.com
Yellow Springs Station
Photo From: www.stoneyvalley.com
“Spring in the Valley ~ 2016”
752 Willow Street, Suite e
Lebanon, PA 17046
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Stewards of 2015—2016 The Lebanon Valley Conservancy
would like to thank our
generous sponsors !!!
“Flying Hunters: Hawks & Owls” Presentation By Jack Hubley
Yes !!! Jack Hubley will be back with a new program for this coming year’s Lebanon Valley
Conservancy, “Spring in the Valley” event scheduled for Sunday, April 10, 2016. Jack’s “Wild
Neighbors” presentation last spring was amazing. You will get another chance to enjoy him with
“Flying Hunters: Hawks & Owls” at our 2016 event.
Last year’s event was so popular that we have received numerous requests for a similar project
in 2016. We are in the process of developing the program and we will begin accepting silent
auction item pledges and event sponsorships in January.
Event sponsors are requested to ensure the success of the 2016 program.
Nine businesses and families supported the event last year making it a really enjoyable and
educational afternoon. Individuals and businesses interested in becoming one of 2016’s
event sponsors are urged to contact the Conservancy.
“Spring in the Valley ~ 2016” will have our guest presentation by Jack Hubley, Silent Auction,
2016 Conservation Advocacy Award presentation, projects and initiatives highlighted,
lite dining fare and much more. Additional information will be forthcoming.
We can’t wait to see you there !!!
To pledge Silent Auction Items and/or to become an event Sponsor, please contact us at:
Phone: 717-273-6400 or donate thru our web site: www.lebanonvalleyconservancy.org
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