The Lebanon Valley Conservancy has partnered with Brett and Janice Balmer to establish a conservation easement on their 34-acre property in West Cornwall Township.
A conservation easement is a legal agreement between the landowner and the land trust to protect the conservation values of the landscape and prevent future development, the conservancy explained in a press release. The landowners continue to own and manage their land.
“The dedicated conservationists from the Lebanon Valley Conservancy will hold and defend their conservation easement,” Chuck Wertz, TLVC emeritus board member, said Feb. 24 in a statement. “The Balmers made a commitment to their family, the Mount Gretna area, and residents of Lebanon County by permanently protecting their land and important plant and animal habitat.”
The Balmer family’s newly preserved property extends the forest habitat of the adjacent 1,105-acre Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick and State Game Lands 145. According to the conservancy, it provides critical, uninterrupted habitat for local wildlife.
“The property has several unique features, including a clear stream originating in Governor Dick Park that flows into Chiques Creek in Lancaster County,” explained Courtney Reimann, the conservancy’s land protection director. “It also has areas of wetlands, mature trees, large boulders, meadows, and natural seeps and springs.”
The Balmers and their two sons enjoy hiking and mountain biking throughout their property. “When I was a kid, I used to explore Governor Dick and the land we currently own. I was always drawn to this area,” Brett Balmer said in the release.
The Balmer easement contributes to the conservancy’s broader preservation efforts in the Mount Gretna area, where nearly 200 acres have been protected. To date, the agency has conserved more than 1,200 acres of land in the Lebanon Valley.
More information about the conservancy’s efforts can be found online. The conservancy is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and details about several upcoming events are also available on the website.
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