Organization: NORTH BRANCH LAND TRUST
Mission: NORTH BRANCH LAND TRUST (NBLT) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED, NON-PROFIT, LAND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON HELPING LANDOWNERS CONSERVE THEIR PROPERTY AND HELPING COMMUNITIES DEVELOP GROWTH STRATEGIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR CITIZENS. NBLT IMPLEMENTS AN ESTABLISHED STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN THAT SEEKS TO CONSERVE IMPORTANT NATURAL AREAS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHEDS OF THE NORTH BRANCH OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. THE LAND TRUST ACCOMPLISHES ITS CONSERVATION MISSION PRIMARILY BY ACCEPTING DONATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT OR SUBDIVISION RIGHTS ON LAND. NBLT WILL ALSO SEEK FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO BUY LAND OUTRIGHT OR TO PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON LAND. THE LAND TRUST WELCOMES AND ACCEPTS GIFTS OF CONSERVATION LAND AND OTHER PROPERTY PROVIDING THAT ALL LAND TRUST POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE ACQUISITION OF LAND AND OTHER PROPERTY ARE ADHERED TO. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN FEBRUARY 1994 THROUGH JUNE 2020, NBLT HAS CONSERVED OR PROTECTED NEARLY 22,
Activities: LAND CONSERVATION NBLT HOLDS 59 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON OVER 11,700 ACRES OF NATURAL LAND IN BRADFORD, COLUMBIA, LACKAWANNA, LUZERNE, SULLIVAN, SUSQUEHANNA, WAYNE AND WYOMING COUNTIES OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. EACH EASEMENT REQUIRES ANNUAL MONITORING TO DETERMINE IF ANY VIOLATIONS OF RESTRICTIONS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HAVE OCCURRED ON THE LAND. FEE-OWNED LANDS NBLT OWNS AND MANAGES SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN OUR SERVICE AREA FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF RARE AND ENDANGERED PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES. MOST OF THESE LANDS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM DAWN TO DUSK FOR PASSIVE RECREATION ACTIVITIES WHILE SOME LANDS ARE CLOSED OR OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY DUE TO THE FRAGILE NATURE OF THE ECOSYSTEM FOUND THERE. THE LAND TRUST WELCOMES AND ACCEPTS GIFTS OF CONSERVATION LAND AND OTHER PROPERTY PROVIDING THAT ALL LAND TRUST POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE ACQUISITION OF THE LAND OR OTHER PROPERTY ARE ADHERED TO. ON MARCH 18, 2016 NORTH BRANCH LAND TRUST ACQUIRED 39.08 ACRES OF OLD RAIL BED LANDS IN LAUREL RUN BOROUGH AND PLANES TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA. THIS PROPERTY REPRESENTS 2.5 MILES OF OLD RAIL BED WHICH WILL BE CONVERTED INTO A HIKING AND BIKING TRAIL FOR PUBLIC RECREATION. ONCE THE TRAIL IS COMPLETED IT WILL BE DEEDED OVER TO THE PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF FORESTRY. THE TRIAL IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
TRANSFER LANDS NORTH BRANCH LAND TRUST WILL ACQUIRE LAND FROM TIME TO TIME AND TRANSFER THE LAND TO A LIKE-MINDED CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION. THE TRUST WILL DO THIS BECAUSE SOMETIMES OTHER CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS ARE BETTER SUITED TO MANAGE THE CONSERVATION VALUES FOUND ON THAT LAND. DURING THE PRIOR YEAR, THE LAND TRUST RECEIVED GRANT AWARDS FROM THE PENNSYLANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE ACQUISITION OF 1400 ACRES OF NATURAL LANDS IN NEWPORT AND HANOVER TOWNSHIPS, LUZERNE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA. THE LAND WILL BE PURCHASED AND TRANSFERRED TO THE BUREAU OF FORESTRY OVER THE NEXT YEAR. THE PROJECT PROTECTS ENDANGERED SPECIES AND HABITAT, A COLD WATER FISHERY, AND SCENIC MOUNTAIN HIGHLANDS.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION NBLT SETS OUT TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH IT OPERATES UNDERSTAND AND VALUE THE CONSERVATION OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LAND BY BROADLY EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND CONSERVATION AND SMART GROWTH STRATEGIES. DUE TO HEALTH RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND THE PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MOST NBLT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES WERE POSTPONED. NBLT DID DO A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL MAILINGS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN THE TRUSTS SERVICE AREA. NBLT ALSO HELD A DRIVE THROUGH ANNUAL DINNER, ONLINE AUCTION AND RAFFLE THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HELPED SUSTAIN THE ORGANIZATION OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. NBLT ALSO HELD AN OUTDOOR NATURE EDUCATION SERIES FOR CHILDREN HOWEVER ONLY ONE OUT OF FIVE EVENTS WAS HELD DUE TO COVID19 HEALTH CONCERNS. NBLT WILL LOOK TO OFFER EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ONCE GUIDANCE IS GIVEN FROM GOVERNMENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS.
NTEE category: Environment
Secondary category: Animal-Related