STATE COLLEGE — Centre County agricultural, conservation and community leaders are calling on Gov. Josh Shapiro and state agencies to ensure a transparent, community-driven planning process for the future of the SCI Rockview lands — one of the most defining and visible landscapes in central Pennsylvania.

Following the announced closure of SCI Rockview, local leaders acknowledge the difficulty of the commonwealth’s decision and the significant workforce and economic impacts felt across the region. They are also urging the commonwealth to recognize the property’s extraordinary ecological, agricultural and cultural significance, and to prioritize conservation, public access and sustainable land use in future plans.

“The Rockview property holds critical environmental and agricultural value, and it is important that the community has a meaningful role in shaping its future. Our collective group of agricultural and conservation stakeholders is ready to be part of that decision-

making process. We know many others across the region, not just within the conservation community, are equally enthusiastic about contributing their perspectives and vision.” said Elizabeth Crisfield, executive director of ClearWater Conservancy.

Spanning approximately 5,800 acres, the Rockview property stretches between Bellefonte and State College and includes prime agricultural soils, groundwater recharge areas for Spring Creek and the forested slopes of Mount Nittany.

Stakeholders outlined shared values for the Rockview lands that balance economic opportunity with environmental stewardship and agricultural production. Key priorities include:

Public good: Expanding access and outdoor recreation by the creation of a public trail connecting Mount Nittany to Spring Creek Canyon, along with expanded access to existing trail systems to strengthen outdoor recreation and tourism.

Sustained agricultural production: Continued use of prime farmland to support local food systems, maintain cultural heritage and sustain the region’s agricultural economy.

Ecological services: Safeguarding groundwater recharge areas that sustain Spring Creek, an internationally recognized wild trout fishery, and maintaining forested habitat corridors to support wildlife movement and climate resilience.

Restoring a forested connection from Mount Nittany to Spring Creek Canyon would advance habitat connectivity across the valleys and reinforce the strong sense of place that defines this community.

For any development of this property, this group suggested no net increase in stormwater runoff and the highest standard of sewage treatment would be necessary to protect Spring Creek’s status as a high-quality cold-water fishery.

“Centre County Farm Bureau fully supports the suggested use of the current Rockview property as outlined by the collaborating organizations,” said Daniel M. Kniffen, president of Centre County Farm Bureau. “It is the belief of this organization that the area will be best served if the property can remain as a source for critical above average ground water recharge, continued active farming and extensive forest production. The use will also continue to sustain the open space between two concentrated population centers. We believe this is a benefit appreciated by the local citizens and general population of both locales.”

Stakeholders emphasized that decisions about the Rockview lands will have lasting impacts on the region and must take public input into account.

“ClearWater supported the creation of this letter because over the last year so many of our members and community partners have expressed concern about the future of the Rockview lands,” said Crisfield.

The group said it is ready to partner with state agencies and local governments to help guide the planning process, offering technical expertise, community connections, and long-standing stewardship experience.

Few landscapes in Pennsylvania offer the unique combination of ecological function, agricultural productivity, and public visibility found at Rockview. Community leaders stressed that the decisions made in the coming months will shape the region for decades.

“Protecting Mount Nittany in its natural state has been a generational project for Penn State alumni and residents of central Pa. Preservation of the mountain must remain a priority for aesthetic, ecological, cultural and recreational purposes, and the Mount Nittany Conservancy vigorously supports an ambitious, creative vision to extend this spirit of conservation to the surrounding landscape,” said Chris Buchignani, vice president of Mount Nittany Conservancy.