Conservation
Forest
Maintaining a healthy forest doesn't just happen. Invasive plants and insects are an ongoing challenge, as is constant deer pressure on emerging saplings. We work with a professional forester as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to adopt practices so that trees and other vegetation can continue to stabilize soil, filter water, sequester carbon, generate oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife. Spring of 2022 we planted over 300 tree and shrub seedlings consisting of 19 different species native to Pennsylvania as part of the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership (https://tenmilliontrees.org):
Students from Bucknell and Susquehanna University helped prepare the nursery area.
Tree tubes protect vulnerable seedlings from deer and rodents until they get established. Before the seedlings get too large, we'll transplant them to different areas on the farm.
A variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and over 43 different bird species have been sighted on this property. Trees also play an important role in lowering temperatures in air, soil, and water. Select-cut timbering every few decades not only generates lumber, but also opens the canopy to promote the growth of desirable tree species and reduce the risk of wildfire.
Water Resources
A creek runs through the entire length
of our property, ultimately leading to the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay.
Crystal clear water demonstrates the
superb filtering ability of woodlands.
The creek also feeds the farm pond,
home to fish, amphibians, and turtles,
and visited by wildlife and migrating birds.
Within the woods, seasonal vernal pools collect water from melting snow and rain, providing critical habitat for salamanders and other amphibians who would be vulnerable to fish predation in a typical pond.
Fields
Fields of grasses, wildflowers, and other vegetation stabilize the soil by absorbing
rainfall, preventing erosion, and providing forage for pollinators and other wildlife.
