Two recent additions to the tally of preserved farms in Lebanon County include a 78-acre farm in a region crucial for songbird migration and a 42-acre farm added to the list by its 101-year-old owner.
The Lebanon Valley Conservancy announced on March 8 that it has preserved a farm along Fort Swatara Road near Swatara State Park, Fort Indiantown Gap, and another within the Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape, which is a “strategic area of focus” for the conservancy since it serves as “a crucial corridor for songbird migration and vital habitat for rare wildlife,” according to the release. Both are in Union Township.
According to a release from Courtney Reimann, land protection director for the conservancy, the farm owned by Mildred “Millie” Yezdimir, 101, was established by her family in the 1930s “and remains a working farm with open fields, a small stream, and significant historical and personal value.” Reimann said in the release its conservation was “a meaningful milestone” for Yezdimir.
The 78-acre farm owned by Mark and Stephanie Brehm “has been in Stephanie’s family since the 1960s,” the release states. “This land has been actively farmed by third and fourth generations,” Reimann said. “The property features two streams, a large pond, and both crop and livestock operations.”
Both easements were funded through a partnership with the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Fort Indiantown Gap Army Compatible Use Buffer program, which supports military readiness while preserving agricultural, recreational, and natural habitats.
Two other farms in this area, preserved in 2019, bring the total protected acreage along Fort Swatara Road to almost 300 acres, the release states.
The conservancy, which is marking its 25th anniversary, also preserved three properties, totaling 154 acres, through conservations easements at the turn of the year, the release noted.
“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with and support these local families who share our commitment to our community and protecting our region’s natural and agricultural resources,” executive director Abigail Harvey said in the release. “Our board of directors and staff are honored to continue this important work. These conservation easements mark a monumental achievement as we prepare for a year of celebration and renewed commitment to our mission.”
To date, the conservancy has preserved more than 1,200 acres of land in the Lebanon Valley. A list of preserved land and additional information on easements can be found online.
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