“All nature is doing her best each moment to make us well—she exists for no other end. Do not resist her,” Henry David Thoreau (Journal, 23 August 1853).
Whether you like going for an evening stroll or biking a rugged path through the Laurel Highlands, we all have experienced the beauty and benefits of nature.
The last thing you want to see is your favorite spot polluted, turned into a factory, or torn up by mining. These potential hazards in our watershed inspired Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) to form the Land Conservation Committee, dedicated to conserving properties in the Youghiogheny River watershed.
We’re seeking new members to expand this committee and get more people involved in our land conservation efforts!
The Land Conservation Committee is made up of volunteers concerned about the well-being of their watershed. Committee members do not need any experience in land conservation to join the committee. Whether you’re a retired teacher, avid fisher, or an attorney, we value everyone’s different life experiences.
The committee is organized by an MWA staff member who runs the meeting and begins managing new projects based on the committee’s input. This group meets every other month for 1-2 hours, in person and virtually, to discuss which properties MWA should pursue for conservation.
We value properties with high biodiversity, available mineral rights, riparian buffers, or properties at risk of being harmed. Members of the community will often propose their properties, or a committee member could see a property for sale. The committee reviews any potential properties to decide how MWA should move forward.
In 2023, the committee was able to conserve 186 acres of property in the Indian Creek Valley Gorge and 185 acres of mineral rights in Henry Clay Township. Thanks to the committee’s dedication and our supporters, those properties were saved from future development and will soon be open to the public for recreation.
MWA invites you to hear what the committee is working on at the Land Conservation Committee’s next meeting on Thursday, January 18th at 6:30pm. See what the committee is about, learn how they operate, and decide if you want to be a part of the team!
Email taylor@mtwatershed.com to receive more meeting information or call 724-455-4200 ext. 5.
To learn more about the Land Conservation Committee and their work, go to https://mtwatershed.com/land-conservation/.