A Year of Conservation Results
2026 was an important year for conservation. Explore some of our conservation wins and projects in Pennsylvania.
Dear Friends, Partners and Supporters,
This year marks a special milestone for The Nature Conservancy: 75 years of protecting the lands and waters that sustain us all. Building on 50 years of conservation in Pennsylvania, we're working with partners across the Commonwealth to create a healthier, more resilient future for people and nature.
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Over the past year, we protected and restored important habitats, improved water quality, advanced conservation policies and supported stewardship efforts across thousands of acres of TNC and partner lands. These successes reflect the power of science, partnership and shared commitment to conservation.
With 2030 approaching, our newly completed Roadmap to 2030 provides a clear path forward, focusing our efforts where they can deliver the greatest impact.
Together with landowners, agencies, conservation organizations and supporters like you, we're proving that healthy lands, clean water and resilient communities go hand in hand. Thank you for being part of this work.
As you explore the stories in this report, we hope you'll see the impact of your support reflected throughout. When we invest in nature, nature delivers, for wildlife, for communities and for our shared future.
With gratitude,
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—Lori Brennan
Executive Director, TNC Pennsylvania/Delaware
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—Rick Speizman
Board Chair, TNC Pennsylvania/Delaware
Protect
From the mountains of the Appalachians to the wetlands, rivers and floodplains that connect our landscapes, Pennsylvania offers extraordinary opportunities for conservation. Together with partners, we're protecting and restoring the places that provide clean water, support wildlife and strengthen communities, helping ensure a healthier future for people and nature.
Conserving the Appalachians: Protecting Connected Landscapes for a Changing Climate
Stretching 2,000 miles from Alabama to Canada, the Appalachians is an ancient mountain system that stores vast amounts of carbon, provides clean air and water for millions of people and enables wildlife to move across connected habitats as the climate changes. It’s one of the world’s most important landscapes for conserving biodiversity and helping nature adapt to climate change, and Pennsylvania sits at the heart of this critical superhighway for nature.
In 2025, TNC protected 23,512 acres across the Appalachians, delivering continental-scale conservation —linking projects, partners and places into one connected strategy that is stronger than any single effort. Here in Pennsylvania, TNC in collaboration with partners, conserved more than 715 acres of critical lands, strengthening wildlife corridors, expanding public access and protecting forests and streams that will benefit people and nature.
Download our Appalachians Impact Report to learn more.
Migration Marvels
Explore 10 extraordinary migration stories of the Appalachians.
Discover Migration MarvelsMore Protection Success Stories
Click any tile below to explore the full story behind these conservation successes.
Land Stewardship
Stewarding Pennsylvania’s Wild Places
Across TNC’s preserves and partner lands, our stewardship team restores habitats, improves forest health and manages landscapes to withstand a changing climate. From prescribed fire to meadow restoration, these science-based practices create healthier ecosystems for wildlife while ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy some of Pennsylvania’s most
beautiful natural places.
At Long Pond Preserve in the Pocono Mountains, TNC is creating a landscape mosaic of meadows, bogs, and barrens for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. This past year, our stewardship team expanded native meadow habitat by removing trees that had gradually overtaken former grasslands, creating larger, connected habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
At Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain Preserve across the river from Harrisburg, teams treated 36 acres of invasive plants. Across steep, rocky terrain, we removed hundreds of invasive trees of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and princess trees (Paulownia tomentosa) using targeted techniques that protect surrounding native vegetation. Volunteers also contributed their time to maintaining hiking trails and improving visitor experiences, including constructing a new scenic overlook.
Forest Adaptation
Helping Forests Adapt for the Future
Healthy forests contain a rich mix of young, mature and old trees, creating the diverse habitats wildlife depend on while making forests more resilient to climate change. Through active management that mimics natural disturbances – which includes carefully planned thinning, canopy gap creation and prescribed fire—TNC is helping accelerate the development of ecologically mature forests. Supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, TNC and partners are restoring 530 acres of forests across Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.
Prescribed Fire
For thousands of years, fire shaped Pennsylvania’s forests and grasslands. Today, TNC uses prescribed fire to restore these ecosystems, improve wildlife habitat and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
In 2026, TNC worked alongside the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, Bureau of Forestry, Game Commission and other partners to restore fire-adapted landscapes.
Thanks to these efforts, 2,375 acres were restored across Pennsylvania through prescribed fire efforts led or supported by TNC.
In Service of Nature:
Reflections on a Decade of Leadership and Impact
When Carol Collier and Ted Daeschler joined The Nature Conservancy’s Pennsylvania/Delaware Board more than a decade ago, each brought a lifelong appreciation for the natural world. Carol arrived with decades of experience in environmental policy and regulation. Ted, a geologist and paleontologist, had spent a career thinking about Earth’s history through the lens of deep time. What neither expected was just how much they would learn.
“I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how strategies grounded in science can drive meaningful impact for nature and the world around us.”
For both, a love of nature began long before they ever joined the Board. Childhoods spent exploring marshes and forests, as well as mentors who nurtured their curiosity, sparked a lifelong commitment to conservation. Ted still remembers when members of his family helped raise funds to protect Adams Swamp near TNC’s Long Pond Preserve decades ago, a place he continues to enjoy today. Carol traces her passion for environmental science back to the first Earth Day, when a growing awareness of environmental challenges inspired a change in college major and ultimately her life’s work.
Over the years, both gained a deeper appreciation for the scale of TNC’s work – from restoring wetlands to collaborating with partners on land protection and biodiversity challenges. Field visits to Chesapeake Bay restoration projects, conversations with scientists and opportunities to connect directly with staff reinforced an idea both hold true: Meaningful conservation happens through collaboration.
That collaborative approach is one of the qualities they admire most about The Nature Conservancy. Rather than choosing between conservation and economic prosperity, they saw an organization committed to advancing both. Whether helping farmers adopt practices that improve water quality, protecting migration corridors along the Kittatinny Ridge or planning for the future of coastal marshes as sea levels rise, TNC relies on sound science, practical solutions and partnerships to create lasting impact.
For Ted, whose career centered on understanding Earth’s long history, that long-term perspective shapes how he views conservation itself. “The Earth has always changed,” he explained. “What concerns us today is the speed of change. Conservation is about giving nature the opportunity to adapt and ensuring the decisions we make today continue to matter hundreds or even thousands of years from now.”
Serving as trustees also reinforced the power of philanthropy. Ted recalled speaking at Legacy Club events and sharing why he had chosen to include TNC in his own legacy plans. Knowing those conversations inspired others to invest in conservation became one of the most meaningful moments of Ted’s Board service.
We are so grateful to Ted and Carol for their commitment to conservation and the legacy they helped build will continue for generations to come.
The Impact of Our Volunteers
Caring for Pennsylvania’s natural places takes many hands, and our volunteers are at the heart of this effort. In 2026, they contributed more than 1,200 hours to restoring meadows, monitoring trails and habitats and caring for our preserves. We are so grateful for their time and talents in helping to protect the lands we all cherish and ensuring they remain healthy and resilient.
Interested in joining our volunteer team? We’re always excited to welcome people of all skill levels and abilities. Visit our volunteer webpage to learn more and get involved.
Provide
Food and Water Sustainably
As North America’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay is a major economic engine, and its health depends on Pennsylvania. As the Susquehanna River carries water from more than half of the Commonwealth to the Bay, TNC is working to restore floodplains and wetlands, help farmers adopt innovative conservation practices and influence policy to restore the health of the Bay
Scaling for Watershed-Wide Change
This year, TNC applied social science methods to better understand how landowners and land managers make decisions, what challenges they face and what motivates them to adopt conservation practices. These insights have helped TNC and our partners improve outreach, design more effective conservation incentives and accelerate restoration across the watershed.
Working Lands, Cleaner Water and a Thriving Chesapeake Bay
Healthy streams, wetlands and floodplains are among nature’s most effective tools for improving water quality, reducing flood impacts and supporting wildlife. Using science to identify the highest-impact opportunities, TNC works with landowners, agencies and partners to restore wetlands and reconnect streams with their natural floodplains – creating healthier waterways for people and wildlife.
This past year, TNC completed major restoration projects along the Hammer Creek in Lebanon County and the Little Cocalico Creek in Lancaster County, restoring 2,285 linear feet of floodplain and 6.3 acres of wetland habitat. These projects are expected to prevent thousands of pounds of fertilizer runoff and over 600 tons of sediment moving through local waterways.
Agriculture is one of the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s greatest assets; it is also one of its greatest opportunities for improving water quality. This year, TNC and partners launched PlantMap3D, a USDA-supported initiative that uses cover crop-scanning cameras and data analysis to help farmers in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland optimize fertilizer use. By working through trusted agribusiness advisors, farmers can reduce nitrogen losses while improving soil health, protecting waterways and lowering input costs.
Fishing for Conservation: A Day on the Bay
This spring, TNC brought together donors, trustees, staff and partners for a day on the Bay guided by renowned Chesapeake Bay photographer and fisherman Jay Fleming and TNC’s Chesapeake Bay Program Director, Amy Jacobs. Participants experienced the life of a waterman for a day while learning about the ecological and economic impacts of blue catfish, which were introduced to Virginia waters in the 1970s and have since spread throughout the watershed. We ended the day with a meal featuring locally harvested blue catfish, demonstrating how market-based solutions can help address environmental challenges while supporting local communities.
“Experiencing this work firsthand made the connection between conservation science, local ecosystems and potential sourcing solutions more tangible.” - Aramark
We’re especially grateful to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Aramark and Aldus Brewing Company for joining us and for their continued commitment to protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
Donor Spotlight
ARAMARK
As a leader in food services and facilities, Aramark sees firsthand how closely food, communities, supply chains and the environment are connected. It’s no surprise that sustainability is core to Aramark’s business—embedded in how they operate, care for their employees and deliver value to communities around the world. Aramark’s partnership with TNC reflects a shared belief that environmental stewardship, community wellbeing and resilient food systems are deeply connected.
Through support of Chesapeake Bay conservation and engagement with TNC’s conservation teams, Aramark is helping advance practical solutions that benefit both people and nature. The partnership brings together conservation science, local action and business expertise, creating opportunities to strengthen ecosystems while supporting the communities and economies that depend on them.
As organizations with a shared commitment to creating lasting impact, TNC and Aramark are demonstrating how partnerships can translate sustainability goals into meaningful progress. Together, we are helping to build a future where people and nature thrive together. Their partnership shows what’s possible when shared values are matched by collaboration, innovation and sustained action for people and nature.
“At Aramark, we believe hospitality done right can help improve lives and strengthen our world. Partnerships with organizations like The Nature Conservancy help us connect our sustainability commitments to local conservation action, supporting healthier ecosystems, more resilient communities, and a stronger future for people and the planet.” —Natily Santos, VP, Global Responsible
Donor Spotlight
Charlotte & Carroll Weinberg Foundation
The Charlotte and Carroll Weinberg Foundation’s support of The Nature Conservancy over the past two years reflects values that have long been important to the family. Their daughter, Gwynne Weinberg, spent her summers as a young girl in the Poconos searching for salamanders and snakes with her brothers, leading to a deep appreciation for nature and the importance of habitat protection. Later, as she navigated life as a single mom, she found solace watching her children explore the world around them.
Gwynne is especially intrigued by the little miracles found in nature, like the distinctive flavor of Pennsylvania’s iconic native fruit, the pawpaw, the mighty power of a tiny pollinator, or the echolocation calls of bats. She credits her dad for nurturing this curiosity and sparking her desire to protect these natural treasures for generations to come.
“We are all connected by this one planet so collectively we must do what we can to protect it. I really value that TNC works through partnerships, and I was especially inspired by the organization’s work to create safe passage for wildlife.”
Today, Gwynne is honored to carry on her parents’ tradition of philanthropy through her involvement with the Foundation and shares TNC’s vision for a future where nature, people and wildlife thrive together. In just two years supporting TNC, the Foundation has already made a significant impact – contributing to the protection of 715 acres and the management of more than 2,300 acres across Pennsylvania. Thanks to support from donors like the Charlotte and Carroll Weinberg Foundation, The Nature Conservancy is creating a more resilient and connected landscape.
One Future Legacy Match
By joining the One Future Legacy Match, you’ll activate funds for immediate use toward our global priorities! To learn more about how you can ensure the work you care about continues for the next generation, please email PADEFundraisingTeam@tnc.org.
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Climate Change
As climate impacts intensify, TNC is advancing solutions that help both people and nature adapt. In Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., we work on both sides of the aisle to advocate for science-based policies, while working with partners across the Commonwealth to implement nature-based solutions that reduce flooding and extreme heat, improve air quality and strengthen climate resilience.
Keeping Nature in Public Hands
Public lands provide clean water, protect wildlife habitat and offer places for people to hike, hunt, fish and connect with nature. They also contribute to Pennsylvania’s economy, with outdoor recreation contributing $18.9 billion to its GDP and engaging more than half of the state’s residents.
As proposals to sell or transfer public lands gained renewed attention over the past year, TNC worked to strengthen bipartisan support for their protection by encouraging greater participation from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation in the House Public Lands Caucus and Senate Stewardship Caucus. These caucuses were created to defend America’s public lands and ensure they are conserved for future generations.
More Provide Success Stories
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As a top energy-producing state, Pennsylvania plays a critical role in reducing emissions and driving clean energy across the Northeast. As energy demand continues to grow, so does the need for thoughtful planning and smart public policy that considers the state’s forests, farms and wildlife. TNC works with legislators, energy developers, landowners and conservation organizations to advocate for clean energy while safeguarding Pennsylvania’s most important natural landscapes.
This year, TNC led efforts to advance siting reforms that protect high-value habitats and provide greater certainty for communities and developers. We supported the successful passage of Advanced Transmission Technology legislation to encourage upgrades to existing infrastructure before new transmission lines are built.
In addition, TNC worked with partners to build support for the PROTECT program, which strengthens community resilience to climate change, and advocated for policies that encourage large energy users to invest in clean energy, efficiency and responsible resourcemanagement.
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The GSI Impact Hub is a nationwide platform that helps municipalities measure the full range of benefits that nature-based solutions deliver, from reducing flooding to cleaner water to cooler streets, and plan projects where they will do the most good. It was developed by our urban conservation team in partnership with water utilities across the U.S. who are actively using it to scale and accelerate green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) projects. This year, demand grew beyond the U.S., with Canadian cities asking to expand the platform to include their jurisdictions and the Great Lakes Commission issuing an RFP to build case studies applying the Hub across its region – demonstrating the growing influence of TNC’s science and tools in creating healthier and more resilient environments for people and nature.
More than 600,000 people live within five miles of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge – America’s first urban national wildlife refuge and home to Pennsylvania’s largest remaining freshwater tidal marshes – where chronic flooding puts both neighborhoods and habitats at risk. Here, TNC is leading a collaborative effort to reduce flooding, restore habitat, and improve water quality across the 10,000 acre Lower Darby Creek watershed. In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability, Delaware Couty, and several community-led organizations, we are identifying how nature-based solutions can advance climate adaptation for people and nature across the watershed.
This year, partners completed preliminary flood modeling, engaged communities in planning and began collecting data to advance project designs that will help protect neighborhoods and the wildlife refuge.
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The 2025 Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) Partnership Award recognized the Hammer Creek Wetland, Floodplain and Stream Restoration Partnership for its outstanding collaborative work to restore freshwater ecosystems in south-central Pennsylvania. At the heart of this award-winning effort was TNC’s freshwater team, whose leadership and technical expertise helped drive the project’s success.
Working alongside partners including the Lebanon County and Lancaster County Conservation Districts, Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Cocalico Creek Watershed Association, Environmental Planning & Restoration and Lancaster Farmland Trust, TNC is playing a pivotal role in designing and implementing restoration strategies that improve water quality, reduce flooding and enhance habitat across the Hammer and Cocalico Creek Watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay Basin.
The project exemplifies TNC’s commitment to science-based, collaborative conservation. By restoring wetlands, reconnecting floodplains and improving stream function in a heavily agricultural landscape, the partnership is creating long-term benefits for both nature and local communities.
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Across the United States, cities are experiencing rising temperatures and extreme heat. TNC’s urban heat map analysis in Philadelphia found that neighborhoods with fewer trees can feel 10-20 degrees hotter on a summer day. That’s why planting trees in heat-vulnerable areas is a powerful way to build climate resilience for the planet and for the people who live there.
In celebration of the 2025 NFL Kickoff taking place in Philadelphia, TNC teamed up with the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles and local partners – along with trustees, donors and volunteers – to plant trees and a youth sports complex in South Philadelphia, home to the city’s stadiums and an area in need of increased tree canopy.
Looking Ahead:
Together for Nature
As we look towards the future, we do so with both urgency and optimism. For the ruby-throated hummingbirds crossing Appalachian forests, the brook trout that depend on cold, connected streams, and the farmers and landowners whose stewardship of working lands supports cleaner water flowing to the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay.
In the year ahead, we will continue advancing conservation at the scale needed to meet tomorrow’s challenges. From protecting and restoring forests, to strengthening freshwater and coastal ecosystems, to helping communities and natural systems become more resilient in a changing climate, we are bringing together science, policy, partnerships, and on-the-ground action to create lasting impact.
Explore What's Ahead
Our newly completed Roadmap to 2030 charts a clear path for the years ahead. By focusing our efforts where they can make the greatest impact, we’re turning ambitious conservation goals into lasting results.
Explore the map to discover some of the priority projects we're excited to advance in 2027.
Agriculture
We will ensure that 50% of all croplands use soil health and enhanced nutrient management practices.
Cities
We will scale nature-based solutions in the Philadelphia region and beyond to reduce flooding and extreme heat for 500,000 people.
Appalachians
We will protect 40,000 acres of land and ensure 250,000 acres within Appalachian Focal Landscapes are under improved management.
Climate
We will continue to support Pennsylvania’s emission reductions on track towards a target of 88 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
Delaware Bayshore
We will continue to support partners in protecting 500 acres of coastal lands along the Delaware Bayshore.
Return
But the challenges facing people and nature are growing in scale and complexity. Your support is especially critical because it allows us to direct resources where they are needed most, respond quickly to emerging opportunities and challenges, accelerate innovative solutions, and invest in the places and communities where we can achieve the greatest impact.
Together, we can create a future with thriving lands and waters, resilient communities, and a livable climate for generations to come.
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Make a Lasting Impact
You have the power to make a difference for Pennsylvania and for our planet. Your support will help fund groundbreaking science and conservation that help us protect nearly 100,000 acres of land across Pennsylvania.
