Proposal/Agreement Summary: Partnering to improve forest habitats, connectivity, and climate resilience through implementing and planning cross-boundary dynamic forest restoration blocks along the Kittatinny Ridge
Primary funder: NFWF Ches WILD (Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense)
Location: Three focal regions along the Kittatinny Ridge (map below)
Innovations: 1) TNC, DCNR, and two municipal water agencies (Duncannon Borough and Capital Region Water) are main partners; 2) using TNC Resilient and Connected Landscapes data as rationale for project location; 3) DCNR pledged $46K in match (staff time); 4) we will form and coordinate an informal collaborative to coordinate agencies and partners
Impact: 1,695 acres improved, including 600 acres of commercial harvest at Tuscarora State Forest
Partners and Chapter Contributions: Charles Bechtel and South Mountain chapters’ decades of collaboration with the SE region PGC demonstrated the community involvement and planning that NFWF emphasized as priorities in their RFP; specifically, our chapters brought the SGL 211 road-building project to RGS for funding, which will enable 300 acres of habitat work during the project timeframe.
