Hiking Comes to Local Preserved Property
The mission of the Land Conservancy of Adams County (LCAC) is to preserve the rural lands and character of Adams County. During our 31 years of existence, the LCAC has worked with 144 property owners to preserve nearly 14,000 acres. This is almost 5% of the total acreage of Adams County. The 2023 Census Report of We Conserve PA shows that in all of Pennsylvania there are 302,000 acres preserved via easements, or just 1% of the total acreage in PA. So, for a small land trust, (just one full-time and one part-time staff supported by a group of volunteers) we have accomplished an outsized number of acres preserved.
One of the reasons that we are able to be so effective is that we preserve land almost completely by using conservation easements - agreed to with the landowners to preserve their land forever. The result is many more acres preserved under easement than we would have been able to purchase with the same money. The preserved land remains private, in the land-owners control in compliance with the easement restrictions that usually limit future development and require good land stewardship practices. In this way we are effective at achieving our mission of preserving the rural lands and character of Adams County.
Other land preserving groups do buy land and although they preserve less land this way they often are able to open their preserves to the public for hiking, usually for free. The Nature Conservancy is an example of one such organization. Three nearby Nature Conservancy preserves are open to the public for hiking: Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain north of Harrisburg, Mount Holly Marsh Preserves in Mount Holly Springs, and Forest Pools Preserve at Kings Gap. Boyd Big Tree Preserve in Grantville, PA, just north of Harrisburg is preserved land that was donated to the state with 12 miles of beautiful hiking trails. In Adams County we are lucky to have the Strawberry Hill Nature Center with one nature trail within their boundaries, but which connects to many miles of hiking trails in the PA state managed Michaux State Forest. There are also hiking trails on the Gettysburg Battlefield – they are shown on maps you can pick up at the Visitor Center.
And now the LCAC is thrilled to say that there is a hiking trail on one of our preserved properties made possible by the generosity of The Boyer Nursery family. Emma Fleming, speaking at the dedication of the phase 2 trail, said that they were very happy to give something back to the community that has done so much for them. The trail is 2.2 miles and wanders through the Boyer orchards, then into a gorgeous, wooded section of their property before strolling back down a farm road to return to their parking lot. There is a brochure with a map on a bulletin board kiosk in the corner of their lot. There is also a one-mile loop that skips much of the wooded section. Dogs are permitted only when apples are not growing, Dec 1 through May 1 and everyone is encouraged to wear orange during hunting season. Other than those restrictions people are welcome, free of charge, to explore these trails from dawn to dusk. Expect to be challenged by some steepness but take your time and you will be rewarded with phenomenal views. Thank you very much Boyer Nurseries and Orchards.
Betsy Meyer serves on the Land Conservancy board of directors as the vice president. The Land Conservancy of Adams County is a fully accredited, member-supported, non-profit land trust with the mission to preserve the rural lands and character of Adams County. For more information about the Land Conservancy visit PreserveAdams.org.
