DUBOIS – It often takes many partners to accomplish a local conservation project, and this was demonstrated by three, recent projects in Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties, which received funding assistance from the Headwaters Conservation Partnership program that’s managed by the Headwaters Charitable Trust.
“We provide support for a variety of conservation efforts, both large and small, and we are pleased to see three of our first projects completed so quickly,” stated Executive Director Jane French.
HCP Program Director Dale Fox explained how the HCP works. She said, “Companies, which are active in our eight counties, can choose a specific project to partner on. Or, they can make a general donation, designating which county in order to support local conservation projects approved by the local conservation districts.
“This allows Headwaters to leverage multiple donations to fund numerous projects, giving donors the opportunity to help bring many worthwhile projects to fruition.”
Completed in May, the Bennett Branch Restoration Project in Elk County reforested 30 acres of mined land owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. The Headwaters contributed $4,500 toward the $85,000 required for this collaborative effort between The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Green Forests Work (GFW) and the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) along with 80 hard working volunteers.
The Headwaters contribution was made possible by HCP partners Northwest Savings Bank, CNB Bank, EQT and the Domtar Corp.
The second HCP project provided $562 in funding to the Jefferson County Conservation District for the purchase of three HAZ-MAT Emergency Spill Kits for locations along Interstate 80, staged to allow for quick deployment for the protection of local waterways in the event of an accident. This project was supported by Northwest Savings Bank and CNB Bank.
For the third project, McKean County utilized nearly $2,000 in HCP funds provided by Northwest Savings Bank, CNB Bank, Atlas Resource Partners and Pennsylvania General Energy for the implementation of two student-based environmental education programs, the “My Growing Tree” Program, delivered to first or second grade students and the “Wild” Envirothon, an environmental competition delivered to students within grades 9-12 in McKean and Cameron counties.