Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Protects More Than 700 Acres of Forestland, Adding to Forbes State Forest – Technologist

Press release shared by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy August 29, 2024. Photos courtesy of the Conservancy. 

There is more land for fishing, hiking and wildlife watching thanks to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s permanent protection of a 735-acre property in North Union Township, Fayette County that was immediately conveyed to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as an addition to Forbes State Forest.

The protection of this land also helps provide habitat connectivity, an important consideration to ensure that plant and animal species have pathways, through connected habitats and landscapes, to move to more temperate and tolerable environments as the climate changes.

Two globally significant Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Areas, Jumonville and Chestnut Ridge South of Lick Run, are located north and south of the property. These areas ensure special protection for the habitats of rare or threatened species.

At more than 60,000 acres in Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, Forbes spreads across the high ridges of the Laurel Highlands, including the 3,213-ft. Mt. Davis, which is the highest point in Pennsylvania. Along with nearby State Game Lands #51, this newly protected land expands public outdoor recreation opportunities in Fayette County, including for more than 128,000 residents in the Uniontown community.

“This is a beautiful property that has so many conservation benefits,” says Tom Saunders, president and CEO of the Conservancy. “We’re glad to add another property to Forbes State Forest. We hope many more people can enjoy that state forest as it’s one of our region’s most spectacular natural assets.”

Conservation of this forestland was made possible thanks to funding and grants from the DCNR Bureau of State Forestry and DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

This property continues the Conservancy’s role of protecting lands along Chestnut Ridge in the Laurel Highlands. Since the 1960s, the Conservancy has protected more than 83,000 acres of open space in the Laurel Highlands, most of it turned over to the state to establish and manage parks, game lands and wild areas.

“The permanent protection of this 735-acre property is tremendous news for Fayette County and southwestern Pennsylvania,” says DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “We are proud to add this tract to Forbes State Forest and are excited for expanded public to outdoor recreation. More importantly, this helps protect wildlife habitat for plant and animal species that help make the Commonwealth a leader in the outdoors. Thank you to the Conservancy for supporting open space initiatives in the region.”

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped establish 11 state parks, conserved more than 285,000 acres of natural lands, protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, and assessed thousands of wildlife species and their habitats. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 130 community gardens and other green spaces and thousands of trees that are planted with the help of more than 7,000 volunteers. The work of the Conservancy is accomplished through the support of more than 10,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.

Media Contact: Carmen Bray, Senior Director of Communications ([email protected])