The Kittatinny Ridge

Protecting the Ridge Through Partnership

The Nature Conservancy leads the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape’s Land Protection Partnership, a coalition of nonprofit organizations, local conservation groups, recreation clubs, educational institutions, and county, state and federal agencies.

Together, partners combine resources, set collective goals and work toward a shared vision for a protected, connected Kittatinny Ridge that benefits both people and nature. TNC’s primary role in this partnership is protecting priority lands along the ridge through direct acquisition and conservation easements.

In February 2021, TNC completed the purchase of 1,200 acres adjacent to Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain, closing a major gap between existing protected lands and completing a 14‑mile connected corridor along the Kittatinny Ridge.

This once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity serves as a model for large‑scale land protection in the Central Appalachians and preserves habitat within one of the most important wildlife corridors in the northeastern United States.

Why It Matters: Resilient and Connected Landscapes

Landscapes with diverse physical features, such as steep slopes, deep ravines, high elevations and varied soil types, create many different microclimates. These conditions allow plants and animals to move locally to find shelter, food and suitable habitat.

Connected forest corridors act as natural highways, enabling species to move safely between these climate‑resilient areas. Contiguous mountain chains like the Kittatinny Ridge provide many of the conditions wildlife need to survive and adapt as the climate changes.

What We're Doing: Safeguarding a Wildlife Superhighway

The Kittatinny Ridge is also a major migratory stopover for birds of prey such as broad‑winged hawks, as well as songbirds, hummingbirds and monarch butterflies. Because of its importance to bird migration, the ridge has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area.

To safeguard this largely intact wildlife corridor, The Nature Conservancy is working with landowners and partners to protect 15,000 acres of critical, connected land on and adjacent to the ridge over the next three years.

At least nine species of bats live on the ridge, along with wide‑ranging mammals such as black bears, bobcats and fisher. Protecting continuous forest habitat is essential to supporting these species and maintaining the ecological integrity of the ridge.

In addition to the expansion of Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain, TNC completed 20 land protection projects totaling more than 5,800 acres between 2020 and 2025.

Recent Land Protection Wins

Beyond Protection: Managing the Ridge for the Future

Protection alone is not always enough. Many sites require active management to recover from past land use, invasive species and increasing climate stress.

To address these challenges, TNC and partners lead coordinated habitat management across more than 150,000 acres of State Game Lands, State Forests, TNC preserves and municipal lands. By working across ownership boundaries, partners ensure the diverse habitats wildlife depend on are available throughout the ridge.

Nature does not recognize political or property boundaries. Without intact connections between protected landscapes, even resilient places can fail. That is why protecting, restoring and managing the Kittatinny Ridge as a connected system is essential to the future of wildlife, people and Pennsylvania’s Appalachian landscapes.