Protecting Exceptional Spaces:
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), dedicated to protecting the region’s exceptional natural places, received a grant of $287,500 to support preservation of land and watershed on the 184-acre Penn’s Scenic View, adjacent to Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset County and with spectacular views of the Laurel Highlands. The acreage includes a mix of forest, ponds, and fields, as well as frontage on Laurel Hill Creek, which flows to the town of Confluence where it joins the Casselman River.
Also with support of the Foundation, WPC is working with several partners, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, to create a new park on the city’s largest privately owned, undeveloped land parcel. Located in the Hays neighborhood, the woodlands include six streams, a waterfall, and a nesting site for American bald eagles, which can be seen via a webcam sponsored by the Audubon Society.
Featured Grants
$15,300,000
a program-related investment made toward purchase of property near Logan, West Virginia with the goal of helping the state create elk habitat and promote a sustainable working forest
$8,000,000
toward purchase of properties in St. Lawrence and Oswego counties, NY
$4,000,000
a program-related investment toward purchase of properties in St. Lawrence and Oswego counties, NY
$6,735,918
toward purchase of property located in McKean County, Pennsylvania
$150,000
to establish a street tree program in Ligonier
$100,000
toward purchase of property located in Cook and Donegal townships, Westmoreland County
$500,000
a program-related investment toward purchase of property located in Cook and Donegal townships, Westmoreland County
$13,300,000
Toward purchase of property in Florida and the northeastern states
$1,000,000
A program-related investment made toward purchase of property in Florida
$4,000,000
A program-related investment toward purchase of property in Iron County, Wisconsin
$2,000,000
Toward purchase of property in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, Pennsylvania
$3,000,000
Toward purchase of property in Wayne and Glynn counties, Georgia
$668,000
Toward purchase of property in Wayne and Glynn counties, Georgia
$3,332,000
Toward purchase of property in Wayne and Glynn counties, Georgia
$500,000
Toward upgrades to Fallingwater’s maintenance facility and visitor center
$2,500,000
To help implement a strategy to protect and preserve the Rocky Mountain Front ecosystem
$220,000
Toward support of a multi-organizational/public partnership to advance land and water conservation in the French Creek watershed, and to assist the partnership in developing a long-term development plan for ongoing work in the watershed
$90,000
Toward purchase of property in Westmoreland County
$70,000
Toward costs associated with the transfer and stewardship of a conservation easement over approximately 724 acres located in Allegheny Township, Somerset County, site of the International Conservation Center
$300,000
Toward three-year support of the French Creek Collaborative for watershed restoration, land protection, and public education, as well as for strengthening the local land trust, The French Creek Valley Conservancy
$3,000,000
A program-related investment toward protection of land in Mendocino County, California
$5,000,000
Toward support for protection of land and water in western Pennsylvania
$5,000
Toward support of general operations
$500,000
Toward two-year support of a multi-organizational/public partnership to further land and water conservation in the French Creek watershed
$235,000
Toward acquisition of property along Route 30 near Ligonier, PA
$650,000
to complete three land protection projects in the Laurel Highlands focal geography, and to protect Indian Caverns in Huntington County, including land along Spruce Creek
$21,973
toward purchase of conservation easements on properties in Somerset and Beaver Counties
$2,000,000
toward purchase of property in the City of Pittsburgh for creation of a park
$2,300,000
toward two-year support of land and watershed protection programs, operations, Treevitalize, habitat and water quality monitoring, and toward purchase of the Younkin property in Fayette County and the Penn Scenic View property in Somerset County
$40,000
toward due diligence efforts to explore acquisition of conservation easements over four properties owned by the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh
$700,000
toward two-year support of operations of land and watershed conservation programs
$254,000
toward acquisition of agricultural easements in Westmoreland County
$700,000
toward two-year support of land and watershed conservation operations and to identify strategic partnerships in southwestern Pennsylvania
$5,116,862
toward purchase of property in Bedford and Fayette Counties and toward the purchase of agricultural easements in Westmoreland County
$500,000
toward support of the phase 2 development of Twin Lakes Park
$175,000
toward design, engineering, cost estimating, and permitting for on-site parking upgrades to Fallingwater
$150,000
toward support of the tree plantings and community education
$3,750,600
toward acquisition of property in Clearfield County
$7,000
toward travel costs associated with sending Pittsburgh stakeholders to Philadelphia to view that city's vacant property program
$800,000
toward two-year support of operations for the land and freshwater conservation programs
$1,187,100
toward the purchase of property in Cambria County, Pennsylvania
$260,300
toward the purchase of property in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
$6,204,000
toward the purchase of property in Clearfield and Elk Counties
$707,620
toward purchase of property in Fayette County
$7,961,000
toward the purchase of property in Clarion, Jefferson, Forest, and Somerset Counties
$582,500
toward the purchase and conservation of scenic land in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
$235,000
toward the restoration of North Park Lake, located in a county park in northern Allegheny County
$120,000
toward two-year support of the Ligonier Valley Easement Program
$245,000
toward the purchase and conservation of property abutting South Park, a regional park in southern Allegheny County
$150,000
toward support of riparian restoration
$920,000
toward support of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to acquire and protect a parcel of shoreline property in Erie County
$150,000
toward support to continue riparian buffer projects and the Ligonier Valley Easement Project
$10,000
toward support of summer plantings in downtown Pittsburgh
$2,000,000
toward support to meet a Kresge Foundation challenge grant for refurbishment of Fallingwater, a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
$100,000
toward support of a partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania to implement riparian buffer projects in Pennsylvania
$1,000,000
toward capital support
$40,000
toward three-year support for the Pennsylvania Land Policy Project
$13,750
toward support for the Laurel Highlands Conservation and Development Project
$100,000
toward land acquisition
$12,500
toward support for the Laurel Highlands Conservation and Development Project
$20,000
toward support of the Laurel Highlands Conservation and Development Project
$20,000
toward support of the Laurel Highlands Conservation and Development Project
$100,000
toward support of the membership drive and public relations program
$12,500
toward the development of Raccoon Creek Wildflower Research and the publication fund