H. Res. 670 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 22, 2009. 

Whereas Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a year-round wildlife 

sanctuary that introduces students and visitors to the 

natural beauty of the central Appalachian Mountains of 

eastern Pennsylvania; 

Whereas the 2,600 acres of woodland in the sanctuary and 

more than 13,000 acres of private and public lands in the 

area comprise one of the largest protected tracts of contiguous forest in eastern Pennsylvania; 

Whereas the sanctuary consists of 8 miles of ridge and valley 

trails for visitors to hike and explore; 

Whereas Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was the first refuge for 

birds of prey in the world; 

Whereas over 12,000 raptors of various species find refuge in 

the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary every year; 

Whereas during the autumn months, visitors have the unique 

opportunity to view numerous raptors of various species 

participating in a yearly migration through Pennsylvania; 

Whereas Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is internationally known 

as a global information hub and a leader in the field of 

raptor biology and raptor conservation; 
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Whereas the sanctuary has a full-time staff of 16 employees 

and a volunteer workforce of more than 200 dedicated 

members; 

Whereas the sanctuary staff works continually with worldclass raptor scientists, conservationists, graduate students, and international interns to collaborate, collect, 

and analyze information and to formulate and test new 

conservation strategies; 

Whereas Hawk Mountain Sanctuary offers weekend programs 

for local residents, guided programs for students and 

groups, and fully accredited college-level courses in cooperation with Cedar Crest College, located in Allentown, 

Pennsylvania; 

Whereas the sanctuary makes a concerted effort to work with 

local and regional conservationists in researching and 

preserving the ecology of the Appalachian Mountains; 

Whereas the springs, ephemeral streams, vernal pools, and 

four small ponds of the mountains, as well as the nearby 

Little Schuylkill River and Kettle Creek, provide a crucial 

habitat for rare plants, invertebrates, and amphibians; 

Whereas amateur ornithologist Richard Pough first noticed 

the area as an important location for raptor activity and 

brought attention to the area and its rich population of 

raptors by photographing the controversial hunting of 

hawks for sport; 

Whereas in 1934, national conservationist Rosalie Edge visited Hawk Mountain after viewing photographs taken by 

Richard Pough, and with the guidance of bird conservationists Maurice and Irma Broun, advocated for an end 

to the sport hunting of hawks on the land before pur-
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chasing the land and opening it as a sanctuary for public 

use; 

Whereas Rosalie Edge deeded the 1,400 acres to the Hawk 

Mountain Sanctuary Association, which was incorporated 

in Pennsylvania in 1938 as a nonprofit organization; 

Whereas in 1965, the Secretary of the Interior designated the 

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a registered natural landmark; 

Whereas in 1976, the Conservation Internship Program of 

the sanctuary was initiated, and the program has since 

trained 280 young conservationists representing 52 countries on 6 continents; 

Whereas in 1987, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary received the 

prestigious Chevron Conservation Award; and 

Whereas in 2002, the Acopian Center for Conservation 

Learning opened and the Wings of Wonder Gallery was 

dedicated: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) congratulates and salutes the Hawk Mountain 

Sanctuary for celebrating its 75th anniversary; 

(2) commends the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for 

its contributions to the preservation of wildlife, especially 

birds of prey, and the native ecology of the Appalachian 

Mountains and eastern Pennsylvania; and 
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(3) commends the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for 

its dedication to educating the public and the international community about wildlife conservation. 

Attest: 

Clerk.