The Delaware Highlands Conservancy is a non-profit land trust dedicated to conserving the ecological health and rural quality of life in the Upper Delaware River watershed region.
Our priority is protecting our region's farm and forestlands through conservation easements and connecting local citizens to sustainability and conservation.
To date, we have helped to protect over 10,000 acres. We currently hold, monitor, and enforce over 50 separate easements. We seek to ensure that our working farms and forests remain economically productive for the local economy in ways that will allow them to maintain their vital conservation value and be sustained for future generations. With a minimal but dedicated paid staff in partnership with a strong core of local citizen volunteers, the Conservancy develops, promotes, and supports projects that make productive economic connections among farm and forest landowners, local businesses, the local public, and the large tourism population to which this region is host.
The Conservancy also works within our region to coordinate, produce and conduct public education programs and to produce various types of educational materials focused on connecting land protection and conservation to healthy living and a strong local economy.
Shop Local, Save Land
Agricultural and Wood Products Guides
The Shop Local, Save Land project began in 2008 with the Shop Local, Save Land Guide to Farm & Farm Markets, a colorful and attractive brochure listing local farms, farm stands, and farmers markets in the Upper Delaware region along with their logistical information: location, hours of operation, available products, and contact information. The front section of the guide opens with educational text detailing the importance to our region of supporting local agriculture. The interior section of the guide contains an easy to read guided map designed to help shoppers get to their desired farm products location. In 2008, over 15,000 copies of the Shop Local, Save Land Guide to Farm & Farm Markets were produced and distributed free to the local public and tourist populations through Chambers of Commerce, the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, and other public locations and through local businesses and municipal officials. Because of its success, Shop Local, Save Land was expanded in 2009 to an easy to navigate, 20-page booklet that, in addition to agricultural listings and maps, includes other local businesses that are connected to and support local agriculture.
In 2009, the Conservancy seeks to apply the Shop Local, Save Land model to our local forestlands with the Shop Local, Save Land Guide to Wood Products. In 2008, the U.S. Federal Forest Service stated that 56% of forestlands in the U.S. are privately owned. According to a Penn State Natural Resources Extension report that percentage increases to 75% within the state of Pennsylvania — 12.5 million acres of Pennsylvania's 17 million forested acres are privately owned. The majority of Upper Delaware River Watershed's forests are largely in the hands of small, local landowners. Helping these private landowners maintain their lands in ways that are sustainable and economically viable is vital to conserving these forests.
Modeled on the award winning Shop Local, Save Land Guide to Farm & Farm Markets, the forest products guide will begin with a comprehensive hardcopy guide and eventually build a partner website for local forest landowners, local forest products producers and businesses, and the public. The forest products guide will contain lists of local wood products, wood products-related industries, services, and artisans, as well as educational resources regarding conservation and sustainability practices and green technology and marketing innovations. The production of this guide and website will facilitate establishment of a well-connected network of local wood products providers and industries, forest landowners, forestry professionals and the general public that is focused on the sustainability of healthy and economically productive forestlands.
The Shop Local, Save Land Program (the hardcopy guides and eventually accompanying websites) will generate vital economic support for local farm and forest lands and thus encourage and enable their conservation and sustainability now and for future generations. The Shop Local, Save Land Program is vital to maintaining the ecological health and rural quality of life in the Upper Delaware River Watershed region.
For more information
The Delaware Highlands Conservancy
Tel: 570-226-3164
P.O. Box 218, Hawley, PA 18428
P.O. Box 219, Narrowsburg, NY 12764
Email: info@shoplocalsaveland.com