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 Upper Lehigh River
 

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Contact

The Nature Conservancy
P.O. Box 55 Long Pond Road
Long Pond, Pennsylvania 18334
(570) 643-7922 (phone)
(570) 643-7925 (fax)

 

Whether a sanctuary for Native Americans or transportation route for coal destined for Philadelphia and New York, the 103-mile Lehigh River has shaped the culture and landscape of eastern Pennsylvania for centuries. Today, while cleaner than it was 150 years ago, much of the river’s 10-county watershed has been compromised by pollution from rapidly increasing suburban sprawl and abandoned mine drainage from its industrial past.
 
The river’s upper reaches tell a different story. Unlike more urbanized stretches downstream and near its confluence with the Delaware River, the Upper Lehigh remains dominated by forest and thick vegetation that embraces the river – filtering water, regulating temperature, and sheltering and nourishing a host of wildlife. Beneficiaries of this pristine environment include the numerous fish species that make the Upper Lehigh a high quality cold water fishery. Throughout the year, anglers from around the state convene to enjoy robust populations of brook trout, bluegills, rock bass and even shad, a testament to the river’s improving health.

In an effort to preserve the Upper Lehigh’s unspoiled character, The Nature Conservancy and The Wildlands Conservancy are pursuing the purchase of 3,500 acres that include significant wildlife habitat and more than three miles of river frontage. Currently owned by the Blue Ridge Real Estate Company, the property would link the Conservancy’s Thomas Darling Preserve at Two-Mile Run with state forest and game lands, establishing a 70,000 corridor of protected areas. The properties would also provide access to more than double the amount of high quality stream that is currently available to the public. If executed, the Conservancy looks forward to working with The Wildlands Conservancy and other partners to protect key areas under heavy development protection, while welcoming the public to enjoy hunting, fishing and other sustainable uses of the landscape.

Size: 5,000 acres

Location: Lackawanna, Luzerne and Monroe counties – [x] miles [what direction?] from [what town?]

What You’ll See
Brook trout and other species of freshwater fish. Rare plants including many-fruited sedge and Labrador tea. Upland forests of tamarack [what else?]. Birds including ospreys, great blue herons, Virginia rails, black and wood ducks and tree swallows.

Threats
Pollution and the loss of wildlife habitat, open space and farmland resulting from rapid development. Dammed ponds and lakes. [Abandoned mine drainage?]

Action
Negotiating the acquisition of several parcels with willing landowners.

Milestones
[Nothing yet?]
 
Partners
Wildlands Conservancy, Tobyhanna Township, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Ducks Unlimited, United States Army Corps of Engineers

Things To Do
Fishing, canoeing, hiking [White-water rafting? Kayaking? If so, what spots? Also, are there specific recreational activities people could explore at nearby protected areas?]