The Nature Conservancy Adds 279 Acres to Gallitzin State Forest in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Front
Media Contacts
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Kathleen McFadden
Media Relations Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Email: k.mcfadden@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Pennsylvania today announced that it has closed on the purchase of 279 acres in Adams Township, Cambria County, and transferred the parcel to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry for addition to Gallitzin State Forest. The land will be managed for rare grassland bird habitat and public recreation.
Gallitzin State Forest is a 24,500-acre public recreation area that rests within the Allegheny Front, a landscape running more than 200 miles across the Central Appalachians. Stretching from the panhandle of eastern West Virginia, north through western Maryland and into central Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Front serves as a vital migration route for countless species.
Quote: Lori Brennan
The Allegheny Front is lush with incredible biodiversity. Safeguarding these acres within this vital corridor of the Appalachian Mountains means cleaner air and water, protected biodiversity, and more resilient forest habitats that can continue to thrive and adapt to our changing climate.
“We are grateful to our partners with DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry and the Hamer Foundation for their dedication to nature and ensuring this irreplaceable ecosystem remains connected and flourishing,” said Lori Brennan, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
This land protection project is TNC Pennsylvania's second acquisition along the Allegheny Front this year.
Known as Paint Creek, this project was named after the cold fish species stream that runs through the property and lies within the Ohio River Watershed in the Allegheny River basin. Located in Cambria County just north of the Somerset County border, this property is surrounded on three sides by Gallitzin State Forest—filling a critical hole within the protected forest. The land falls within a state-designated Important Bird Area for its grassland habitat that supports a variety of rare bird species, and it also includes part of a Natural Heritage Area for two threatened or endangered bird species that require grassland habitats for hunting and nesting. For public recreation, this property already has a network of accessible roads that connect to the surrounding forest, including one that leads to a hilltop with sweeping views.
This project was made possible with support from DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry and the Hamer Foundation, as well as grant funds through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2).
“This addition to the Gallitzin State Forest is a win for conservation, recreation, and for the protection of critical wildlife habitat and environmental resources,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “These types of conservation initiatives are critical to ensuring present and future generations’ use and enjoyment of our natural resources. Thank you to all of the partners who made the protection of this natural space possible.”
For more than 400 million years, the Appalachians have served as one of Earth’s most diverse and productive ecosystems. TNC has prioritized conservation across this ancient chain of forested mountains, valleys, wetlands and rivers as a global imperative due to its variety of species, the carbon stored in its forests, and the rich history and stewardship of the landscape.
TNC’s science has pinpointed the Allegheny Front as a priority landscape to preserve the rich biodiversity of the larger Appalachian range as climate change drives species to move and adapt. Serving as a habitat bridge between vast conservation lands in the southern and northern Appalachians, the Allegheny Front plays a critical role in the overall connectivity of this continental ecosystem.
In Pennsylvania and Delaware, TNC is leading large-scale conservation programs that protect the lands and waters that are critical to the health and well-being of both people and nature. In Pennsylvania, TNC is also working to reduce stormwater runoff in cities, protect vital migration corridors, and engage farmers and landowners in supporting the adoption of conservation practices.
For more information, visit nature.org/Pennsylvania and nature.org/Delaware.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.