YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) -- The Lancaster Conservancy is in the process of acquiring 1,066 acres of largely wooded land that borders the Codorus Creek and Susquehanna River in York County, according to a Wednesday press release from the Conservancy.
The new area abuts the Hellam Hills Nature Preserve. The Hellam Hills Conservation area, which includes the Hellam Hills and Wizard Ranch nature preserves, will expand to over 2,100 acres -- almost doubling in size -- with the addition of the new land.
"The largely wooded tract was sought by the Conservancy because of its critical water and forest resources and its proximity to Conservancy preserves," the press release states. With this acquisition, the last large wooded area along the Susquehanna River between the cities of Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster will be preserved, according to the release.
The property includes 1.5 miles of the Codorus Creek and about a mile of Susquehanna riverfront land. A few minutes away from York County's Rocky Ridge and John C. Rudy parks, the area includes a section of the Mason Dixon trail system, as well.
The acquisition "will provide much-needed passive recreational opportunities in addition to protected habitat corridors," the press release says.
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The Lancaster Conservancy focuses its efforts in York County on the Susquehanna Riverlands and areas that border the river. According to the release, the Conservancy has so far protected about 5,500 acres in the Susquehanna Riverlands, about 2,000 of which are in York County. (This acquisition will increase that to more than 3,000 acres.)
The Conservancy is currently working with its York County, state, and regional partners to raise the $12 million needed to acquire the land and begin to implement a management plan for it. The Conservancy expects to officially acquire the land, which is mostly not open to the public at this time, in 2023.
“The work the Conservancy does to protect our region’s natural lands is a mission that reaches across geographic and ideological divisions. Our supporters include hunters and anglers who believe in conservation, but also environmentalists who are concerned about climate change, the water we drink, and the air we breathe,” Conservancy President Phil Wenger said in the press release.
The Lancaster Conservancy has been developing a master plan for the Hellam Hills Conservation Area for the past several months. The plan identifies important habitat improvements, restoration initiatives, and infrastructure to expand public access to the area. The final master plan will be presented during a public meeting on March 30.
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