2015 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
SOUTH MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE
Since 2009, the South Mountain Partnership has conserved
Landscape Resources to enrich the quality of life and sense of
place of the South Mountain region’s citizens and communities.
2015 TOP PARTNERSHIP ACCOMPLISHMENTS & SUCCESSES
About the Partnership
The South Mountain Partnership is
a landscape-scale conservation project managed as a public–private
partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
The Partnership has grown into a
coalition of citizens, businesses, nonprofits, academic institutions, and
local, state, and federal government
agencies and officials.
The Partnership envisions a future
landscape of conserved resources
and vibrant communities sharing a
common sense of place and collaborating on well-planned growth and
sustainable economic development.
About the Landscape
The South Mountain landscape
spans portions of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties.
This landscape is defined equally by
the South Mountain ridgeline, the
northern terminus of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, and the surrounding
valleys and communities within
south-central Pennsylvania.
A unique convergence of natural,
cultural, agricultural, and recreational resources make this landscape
special.
Cultural Landscape Assessment of Michaux State Forest is completed.
DCNR's support of the South Mountain Partnership's Cultural Heritage Plan has
leveraged additional resources to complete a Cultural Landscape Assessment
(CLA) of Michaux State Forest. It identifies important landscapes within the
South Mountain region and associated types of building, site, and landscape
resources; describes environmental and cultural changes over time; outlines
historic contexts; and considers appropriate future management and treatments.
While the CLA focuses specifically on Michaux State Forest, it also addresses
Michaux's impact on the South Mountain region. It pairs nicely with environmental science data to empower Forest managers in efforts to preserve, manage,
and interpret these historical resources. This CLA provides a model for the documentation and assessment of other South Mountain landscapes, as well as
landscapes throughout Pennsylvania.
New website launched and strategic reassessment of communication and outreach efforts. A working document was prepared to create deeper public
awareness of the South Mountain landscape, defining features, and how decisions about conservation and preservation impact the landscape.
Included in the document are three main goals/Communication Objectives, Key
Communication Messages, Communication Strategies and Tactics, Core Baseline Strategies, Potential Supplemental Strategies, Target Audiences, Evaluation Metrics, Press Release Template, Context, and the beginnings of a Media
Contact List are included.
South Mountain Partnership released the “This is Where We Live” video.
Created as a way to share our message in a more graphic and dynamic way.
Having completed the website overhaul, the Partnership was ready to consider
strategic investments in other communications in a new media.
Intended for use on our website to share our content and for distribution
throughout our network of Partners.
Serves as a vehicle for introducing the South Mountain Partnership to potential
partners and to the broader public.
The 2015 “Go Local for Health” Community Wellness Summit. Held in May,
the event included outreach to our Partners and the region’s communities about
Planning for Agriculture, The Gleaning Project, Eat/Play/Breathe Initiative in
York, Get Outdoors PA, Get Your Tail on the Trail—St. Luke’s University
Health Network/Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor initiative, and
much more.
The South Mountain Speakers Series celebrated its Sixth Anniversary. The
2015 Season marked the 6th Anniversary of the South Mountain Speakers Series. Thanks to the planning efforts of the steering committee, this season featured four events and attracted over 400 attendees. Topics included the South
Mountain Conservation Heritage Film Festival, Mills of Cumberland County
and their Cultural and Biophysical Legacy, The Craighead Family Legacy, and
Tracking Northern Saw-Whet Owls Migrating Along South Mountain.
Partners completed on-the-ground projects thanks to Mini-Grant Program.
Projects funded in the 2014 Mini-Grant round were completed in 2015. The
Partnership’s Mini-Grant Program catalyzed the completion of six important
projects that have advanced the conservation and preservation of Landscape
Resources throughout the South Mountain landscape. Notable successes included the extension of the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, research and monitoring that will better inform and steward Laurel Lake in Pine Grove Furnace
State Park, an engineering study for the Carlisle Iron Works furnace, creation
of the “Out of the Ore: Birds and Bloom” walk and literature, trail improvements and native plant garden installation at the LeTort Nature Trail, and linking local agriculture, crafts, and trades through construction of a historic distillery. More information on all Mini-Grant projects:
www.southmountainpartnership.org/mini-grants
Regional Capacity Building Grant Secured on Behalf of the Region. The
South Mountain Region was selected for the Chesapeake Bay Trust ‘s three
year Capacity Building Initiative. South Mountain Partnership spearheaded the
application and was joined by twelve core partners. The purposes of this initiative are to a) increase the collective and individual grassroots capacity to
accomplish regional goals at the intersection of community and environment
and b) establish durable, powerful, and coordinated efforts to advance programs and policies to improve regions and communities beyond the term of the
initiative. This initiative will provide facilitation services, technical assistance,
training, and grants to strengthen and diversify regional collaborations working
to advance a shared regional and community-driven agenda that improves the
quality of life and protects and restores natural resources.
Successful Transition to New SMP Staff Leadership. All organizations
periodically face transitions in leadership and such transitions can present
opportunities. The past year saw Jon Peterson move on from his position as
Co-Lead of the South Mountain Partnership. Under Jon’s direction, the Partnership’s identity, purpose, and foundation became defined. The Partnership
became a respected leader in the region and a model for landscape-scale
conservation throughout the national conservation community. With Jon’s
departure, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy brought Katie Hess on board as
Director and Co-Lead of South Mountain Partnership. Katie brings over six
years of conservation and development experience to the position, having most
recently served as a GIS & Preservation Specialist in the Pennsylvania State
Historic Preservation Office after completing her Master of Landscape Architecture at the Pennsylvania State University Stuckeman School of Architecture
& Landscape Architecture. A native of the region, Katie is thrilled to bring her
experience in environmental science, policy, research, planning & design, and
agriculture back to the region. Katie is especially drawn to the Partnership’s
pioneering approach to conservation at a landscape scale and from an integrated perspective. Katie started in August and we believe that the Partnership will
continue to flourish and grow in new directions in the coming years!
A new trail was constructed between the
communities of Penn National and Mont Alto
and a Mont Alto furnace structure was
revealed and rebuilt along the new trail.
Sam McKinney, of Dill’s Tavern, speaks with
Russell Reading, Secretary of PA Department
of Agriculture & South Mountain region native, in the constructed distillery that will link
local agriculture, environment, craft, & trade.
Volunteers next to the newly installed native
plant garden and fence that were part of the
LeTort Nature Trail improvement project.
More Information
Michael Eschenmann
[email protected]
717.783.2662
Katie Hess
[email protected]
717.258.5771
www.southmountainpartnership.org