December 29, 2008

Local residents, conservation activists and political leaders such as Congressmen Paul Kanjorski, D-11, and Charlie Dent, R-15, are to be congratulated for last week's federal designation of Cherry Valley as a National Wildlife Refuge.
Even Kanjorski expressed surprise at the speed of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designation. Informational meetings on the proposal were held early this year, and public testimony was heard last month. It is the first national refuge in the Northeast in 10 years, and only the third such designation in Pennsylvania. (Read all about it and view some of the beautiful landscape at www.PoconoRecord.com/cherryvalley.)
The National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a potential acquisition boundary of more than 20,000 acres between Godfrey Ridge and Kittatinny Mountain. It includes land in Delaware Water Gap and Stroud, Hamilton, Chestnuthill, Ross and Smithfield townships. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will make federal money available to purchase properties only from willing sellers, and that land will be set aside for protection of plants, animals and fish.
It should be emphasized that there will be no forced acquisitions. Property owners within the boundary can opt to sell their land to the agency, not to sell it, or to obtain a conservation easement. Some of the earliest and most ardent supporters of the designation reside in Cherry Valley.
The refuge will include parts of 13 defined ecosystems where several federally endangered species reside. It also will protect the landscape of working farms and private homes throughout the scenic, rural valley. The designation will protect both rare and more common wildlife, and benefit scientific research. It also is expected to boost local tourism, with the federally acquired portions of the refuge area open to visitors.
Although the primary goal is protecting a pristine area, many advocates believe a wildlife refuge will help stem the tide of rising school property taxes by limiting future development.
There is reason to celebrate this federal designation that will benefit Cherry Valley, Monroe County and the Poconos in so many ways.