POCONO HERITAGE LAND TRUST PRESERVING NATURAL PLACES AND OPEN SPACES IN MONROE COUNTY By Amanda Kuhn
This is Pocono Living Magazine’s sixth article in our conservation series.
T
he struggle between conservation and the commercialization of our natural landscape is a tale as old as time, a tale that’s not unique to the Poconos. The exploitation of our natural resources in the name of growth and financial gain dates back to the late 1700s and early 1800s when early settlers discovered how rich the area was with natural resources - timber, ice, wildlife and anthracite. Accelerated by railroads, the population grew, industries grew, and the need to conserve our precious natural resources grew as well. Pocono Heritage Land Trust was founded in 1984 in an effort to protect our natural places and open spaces. Today, this locally-based organization remains “dedicated to protecting the natural heritage of our Pocono Mountains region. These areas include important lands, waters, natural places, open spaces and agricultural landscapes.” Overseen by a board of directors who live and work locally, PHLT is committed to the natural legacy of the Poconos.
46 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022
