THE BLUE MOUNTAIN KITTATINNY RIDGE CONSERVATION PROJECT

1
THE BLUE MOUNTAIN KITTATINNY RIDGE CONSERVATION
PROJECT
2
Blue Mountain Kittatinny Ridge
The Kittatinny Ridge forms the eastern edge of
the Appalachian Mountains and the ridge and
valley region of the state
3
The Ridge winds 185 miles through Pennsylvania,
linking 81 municipalities and 11 counties
Easton
Allentown
Lebanon
Reading
Harrisburg
Carlisle
Philadelphia
Lancaster
Shippensburg
York
Chambersburg
4
Kittatinny comes from the Delaware Indian word
for endless mountain
5
Depending on where you live, you may know the
Ridge by one of its local names
Kittatinny Mountain
Hawk Mountain
Allentown
Blue Mountain
Reading
North Mountain
Harrisburg
The Tuscaroras
6

This is how most people see the Kittatinny -- a
long, forested ridge in the distance
7
The Ridge is a familiar part of the landscape in
the many communities of the region -- urban or
rural
8
The Kittatinny Ridge is valued for many reasons .
. .
9
The forested Ridge is valued as an attractive
backdrop to the entire region
10
The Kittatinny Ridge is used annually for
migration by more than 150 different species of
hawks, eagles, vultures, and songbirds.
11
The Kittatinny Ridge is the most significant
raptor flyway in the Northeast
12
Wind hitting the Ridge forms an updraft that
raptors glide along as they head south for the
winter
13
The Ridges large blocks of forest also provide
important nesting habitat for many songbirds
whose numbers are declining nationwide
14
The Kittatinny Ridge is Audubons largest
Important Bird Area in Pennsylvania
15
The Ridge is also valued by bird watchers
especially during the fall raptor migration
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
16
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, thousands of
birds were shot each year from Hawk Mountains
rock outcroppings.
Early entrance sign
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (north of Reading, PA) is
the Ridges most famous hawk watching location.
It was founded in 1934 as the worlds first
sanctuary for birds of prey.
17
Today, there are many sites all along the
Kittatinny Ridge that are actively used for
watching and counting raptors each fall.
Easton
18
Pennsylvania is a keystone state for the
world-famous Appalachian Trail
19
The Appalachian Trail winds 125 miles along the
Kittatinny Corridor between the Delaware and
Susquehanna Rivers
Appalachian Trail
Allentown
Reading
Harrisburg
20
The Tuscarora Trail continues along the Ridge for
another 60 miles from the Appalachian Trail into
Maryland
Allentown
Reading
Tuscarora Trail
Harrisburg
21
The Kittatinny Ridge is the largest wild area
within a 30 minute drive of 1.5 million
Pennsylvanians
22
The largest public land ownership along the
Kittatinny Ridge is by the Pennsylvania Game
Commission
23
The large areas of protected game lands provide
habitat for deer, bear, turkey and grouse . . .
24
. . . as well as for beaver, bobcat, and many
other species of wildlife
25
Rock outcroppings also provide critical habitat
for a number of PAs endangered and threatened
species
26
Rain and snow falling on the Ridge is the water
source for . . .
27
(No Transcript)
28
Numerous sites all along the Ridge offer
beautiful vistas of the Pennsylvania countryside
Looking south into Lehigh County
29
At the Delaware Water Gap looking south into
Northampton County
30
Looking north into Carbon County
31
looking south into Cumberland County
32
Increasingly, large blocks of Ridge woodlands are
being turned into expensive housing developments.
The views from these homes are spectacular . .
.
33
. . . but these developments fragment woodland
habitat, alter water runoff quality, and change
the backdrop view for the communities below.
34
The woodlands of the Ridge have a number of other
threats that have many people very concerned . . .
35
The overabundance of deer is a major threat to
ecosystem health in many areas
The browse line below indicates a loss of
low-level forest habitat
36
Other threats to the forests of the Kittatinny
Ridge include
Trash dumped illegally
Insect pests like the woolly adelgid that destroy
hemlocks and other trees
Roads, power lines, other cuts that divide and
fragment habitat
37

As sprawl and other problems increase and affect
the Ridges natural resources, many people are
worried that some scenic views could turn into .
. .
The Future of the Ridge?
38

. . . this view. This growing concern is what
launched the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation
Project.
39
Kittatinny Coalition Members Appalachian Mountain
Club Audubon Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail
Conference Berks County Conservancy Central
Pennsylvania Conservancy Delaware Lehigh
Natural Heritage Corridor Eastern Forest
Partnership Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Association Kittatinny Pinnacle
Association Natural Lands Trust National Wild
Turkey Federation, Pa. Chapter Pennsylvania Deer
Association PA Department of Conservation
Natural Resources Pennsylvania Environmental
Council Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmens
Clubs Pennsylvania Fish Boat Commission Pennsylv
ania Land Trust Association Pennsylvania
Partnerships for Conservation Schuylkill
Headwaters Association Schuylkill River Greenway
Association The Conservation Fund The Nature
Conservancy of Pennsylvania Wildlands
Conservancy Wildlife Information Center
In 2001, a coalition of organizations and
agencies was formed to focus attention on the
Ridge and develop a conservation strategy. The
Kittatinny Coalition is comprised of local,
regional and state-wide groups, and represents
conservation, recreation, tourism, and community
interests.
40
The Coalition received a planning grant from
DCNRs Community Conservation Partnership Program
to launch the Kittatinny Conservation Project,
with a matching grant provided by the William
Penn Foundation.
County Supporters of the Project Berks County
Board of Commissioners Berks County Conservation
District Board Berks County Planning
Commission Carbon County Board of
Commissioners Cumberland County Board of
Commissioners Dauphin County Board of
Commissioners Lebanon County Board of
Commissioners Lehigh County Office of County
Executive Monroe County Board of
Commissioners Perry County Conservation
District Schuylkill County Board of Commissioners
Members of the Kittatinny Coalition examining the
boundaries of the Ridge.
41
MONROE
CARBON
NORTHAMPTON
SCHUYLKILL
LEHIGH
DAUPHIN
PERRY
BERKS
LEBANON
CUMBERLAND
FULTON
FRANKLIN

• A Conservation Corridor was established for the
  Project that . . .
• Encompasses the outer boundaries of all
  municipalities that touch the Ridge
• Includes a total of 135 municipalities and 12
  counties

42
Objectives of the Launch Grant

• Develop a computerized map (GIS) to compile all
  existing natural resource, recreation, and land
  use data
• Engage residents, communities and stakeholders in
  public input process (Public input meetings, web
  site input, small group stakeholder meetings,
  etc.)
• Work with Coalition partners to help connect
  people to the Kittatinny Ridge

43
Launch Grant Objectives continued

• Develop education materials and web site
• Develop a land protection toolbox
• Make maps, data, and info widely available to
  diverse audiences
• Identify priority areas for protection

44
3 5 year Objectives

• Workshops for municipal officials and landowners
• Education activities with schools and public
• Ongoing research and monitoring to fill gaps
• Assist coalition partners in their Kittatinny
  Ridge conservation efforts

45
What You Can Do

• Get to know the Ridge better by exploring a new
  spot take a hike, a spring wildflower walk,
  drive to a new spot for a scenic overlook. Local
  groups offering activities are listed with links
  on the website
• Notify your local officials about your concern
  for the Ridge and your support of them to protect
  it.
• Check out the website for updates, announcements,
  and special events!
• If youre a landowner or local official in the
  Ridge conservation corridor, check the website
  for workshops designed for you.

• Provide comments and input on how you value the
  Ridge
• What natural resources or features do you care
  about?
• How and where do you use the Ridge?
• Are there any specific concerns you have about
  the Ridge?
• Please submit comments to the address at end of
  this slideshow or contact us through the website

46
Photographs generously contributed by Scott E.
Brown Commonwealth Media Services Randy E.
Flament Joe Greene, iphotos.com Hawk Mountain
Sanctuary Association, Inc. Pennsylvania Game
Commission Wildlands Conservancy
47
Send comments and questions to Paul
Zeph Kittatinny Project Director Audubon
Pennsylvania 100 Wildwood Way Harrisburg, PA
17110 717-213-6880 ext. 18 pzeph_at_audubon.org