Public lands expanding in Huntingdon

Public, private agencies secure total of 3,500 acres, adding to state forest land

From Mirror staff reports
HUNTINGDON — Public lands in the county expanded by about 1,600 acres after a partnership of public and private agencies purchased two parcels. The group has secured 3,500 acres for preservation across five southcentral counties.

The Conservation Fund, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy bought nine parcels adjacent to public lands from Gladfelter Wood Pulp Co.

‘‘This means these lands are open to the public for recreation, from hiking, to hunting, to wildlife-watching,’’ said Chris Novak, DCNR press secretary.

The two parcels in Huntingdon County in Springfield and Todd townships now are part of Rothrock State Forest.

Novak said the 1,500-acre Springfield Township parcel abuts state gamelands. The remaining 155 acres in Todd Township border an existing section of the state forest.

Bedford County’s Buchanan State Forest gains about 120 acres from the acquisition.

DCNR, which contributed $5.5 million toward the $9 million purchase, will maintain the additional forest land.

Parcels also are in Fulton, Cumberland and York counties.

The purchase was negotiated by TCF, a national nonprofit land and water conservation organization, and Gladfelter, in the process of selling about 20,000 acres in southern Pennsylvania.

‘‘The Conservation Fund and Gladfelter have had a strong relationship in Maryland, Delaware and now Pennsylvania,’’ said Vanessa Vaughan, TCF media relations manager.

Vaughan said TCF to date has bought about 33,000 acres from Gladfelter across the three states.

‘‘This acquisition protects some of the most important [formerly] privately held conservation lands along the southern tier of Pennsylvania,’’ said Todd McNew, TCF state representative. ‘‘Gladfelter’s cooperation and commitment to working with this partnership was key to ensuring that these lands have permanent conservation status and will be forever open to the public.”

All but one parcel will be transferred to DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry. A parcel consisting of 150-plus acres along the lower Susquehanna River will be owned by York County to expand Apollo County Park.