Press launch by Pure Lands on 9 June 2025
The 72-acre Recica property, as soon as adjoining to state sport lands, is now owned by the PA Recreation Fee. Survey credit score Pure Lands
First Conservation Success of Carbon County Open House Grant Program
Carbon County, PA, and Pure Lands introduced on Might ninth completion of the primary conservation challenge to come back to fruition by the county’s new Open House Grant Program. Pure Lands bought a once-vulnerable, 72-acre wooded property in East Penn Township utilizing grant funds from this system and instantly transferred it to the PA Recreation Fee as an addition to Recreation Lands No. 217. The property will probably be open to the general public for recreation and looking and can stay preserved without end.
Often called the Recica property, the land consists of mature hardwood forest that lies inside the state-designated Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Panorama and the Audubon-designated Kittatinny Ridge Essential Chicken Space.
The Kittatinny Ridge, which implies “infinite mountain” in Lenape, is the biggest forested panorama in southcentral and jap Pennsylvania, stretching 185 miles throughout 360,000 acres. It affords migration and stopover habitat for hundreds of thousands of songbirds and raptors every spring and fall. Tens-of-thousands of birds of prey—together with the state-endangered Northern Goshawk—journey the ridge, utilizing rising thermals to help them of their lengthy flights.
The upland forest of the ridge affords a year-round dwelling to Pennsylvania’s state chook, the Ruffed Grouse, and is designated as a International Essential Chicken Space due to its globally vital migratory route for Cerulean Warblers. From hummingbirds and warblers to raptors and sport birds, the Kittatinny Ridge is a vital panorama for greater than 140 resident and migrant chook species
The forested habitat naturally cleans and cools the air, filters pollution from the water, and helps management flooding throughout storms.
“Practically two-thirds of the Kittatinny Ridge are privately owned by 1000’s of particular person landowners,” stated Jack Stefferud, senior advisor of land safety for Pure Lands. “What’s extra, the area contains 9 of the highest 20 quickest rising counties within the state, making it susceptible to each residential and business growth. Because of the voters, this challenge is just the start of preserving land in Carbon County.”
In the course of the November 2022 election, an astounding 83 % of voters supported the Carbon County Water, Farms, and Land referendum, which established a conservation program to protect open house, clear water, and wildlife habitat. It permits Carbon County to borrow as much as $10 million.
“The Recica acquisition is a good first Carbon County Open House Preservation challenge. The pristine open air are usually not solely vital to Carbon County residents’ high quality of life, but additionally have key financial advantages for the county as an entire,” stated Carbon County Commissioner Mike Sofranko. “In Carbon County, out of doors recreation—from climbing and biking to looking and fishing—is one thing that brings households collectively. With the ability to protect these areas for generations to come back is one thing that the Commissioners are grateful to be part of.”
Along with funds offered by the Open House Grant Program, Commissioners of Carbon County, Pennsylvania, the PA Recreation Fee offered assist.
“Not solely does this property additional preserve and shield the forested Kittatinny Ridge, an vital migratory hall, but additionally creates an extra buffer to the present State Recreation Lands 217, defending it from growth and creation of security zones, whereas offering further acreage for looking and trapping,” stated Steve Ferreri, southeast area land administration supervisor for the PA Recreation Fee. “Managing wildlife habitats, for all species, is on the core of what the Recreation Fee does, and the partnership with Pure Lands continues to show invaluable for these efforts.”
“As a lifelong outdoorsman and supporter of Pennsylvania’s wealthy looking and conservation traditions, I’m proud to have performed a task in defending this land,” stated Chad Fritzinger of Koehler Marvin Realty, representing the landowner. “Serving to switch it into the care of the Recreation Fee means will probably be loved by generations of hunters, hikers, and nature lovers to come back.”
About Pure Lands
Pure Lands is devoted to preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders whereas creating alternatives for pleasure and discovery within the open air for everybody. Because the Higher Philadelphia area’s oldest and largest land conservation group, Pure Lands—which is member supported—has preserved greater than 136,600 acres, together with 40+ nature preserves and one public backyard totaling greater than 23,600 acres. About 5 million individuals stay inside 5 miles of land beneath the group’s safety. Land for all times, nature for all.
Please word: “Pure Lands” is the group’s official working identify and must be used as an alternative of its authorized designation (Pure Lands Belief, Inc.).
Media Inquiries:
Package Werner, Senior Director of Communications
Pure Lands
610-353-5587 ext. 267
Anna Shigo, Open House Coordinator
Carbon County Workplace of Planning and Improvement
570-325-3671 ext. 4466
