Meet our 2021 interns: Jay Domalewski & Peter Wildgruber

During our time at the Land Conservancy, we have been involved in various projects related to land preservation including authoring the Road Rally, researching Civil War-era properties, and inspecting preserved tracts.

For the Road Rally, our task was to find information on the protected properties and stops along the route and to craft questions related to the areas we passed. Our time spent exploring back-country roads exposed us to parts of Adams County usually never seen by students of Gettysburg College. We experienced first-hand how a nonprofit organizes and runs a fundraising event and had the privilege to work with an excellent team who helped make it happen.  

We also wrote baseline reports on the easements that the Land Conservancy holds for the American Battlefield Trust. Using the Adams County Historical Society’s records, we researched these properties to determine their historical significance, track how boundaries changed, and date current structures. We learned about their lengthy histories and discovered amazing tales of past owners. It was cool to make connections with the past that, as history students, we found very exciting.  

For some of these properties, we could trace the ownership from the original purchase of land from the Penn’s Manor of Maske in 1740 to the current day, which is amazing. Our research on properties with protected façades revealed the importance of protecting significant structures from alteration and taught us how the legal language of easements is tailored to suit the preservation needs of different properties.  

With Sarah Kipp, we conducted annual inspections of properties and learned how easement terms are enforced. We tracked our visits, took pictures of significant changes or points of concern, and filled out the annual monitoring form. It was great seeing all the different farms and properties that are preserved. We were surprised with how flexible the easements can be, allowing the owners to do some incredible things. It was great to see a farm preserved but still alive and productive. We learned about local agriculture and many of the sustainable farming practices about which we were both unfamiliar. We made conservation information available online including the easements, impervious coverage, and terms regarding subdivision for ease of access when visiting the property in the field. We learned how to communicate with landowners and understand their concerns, and had great interactions with the owners we talked to.  

During our time here, we have enhanced our understanding of Adams County history and its people and learned how a land preservation organization operates.