Protecting the forests, farms, and waterways of the Upper Delaware River region takes more than conservation easements and land stewardship. It also requires community involvement.
The Delaware Highlands Conservancy is inviting residents to learn more about its work during “Cocktails and Conversation,” a casual community gathering Thursday at La Cigogne in Narrowsburg, NY. The event is designed to give people an opportunity to meet conservancy staff, learn about current conservation efforts, and explore ways to get involved.
“It’s a more casual event, sort of like a happy hour,” said Samantha Mango of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. “To invite community members who might not be familiar with Delaware Highlands Conservancy out to a local establishment to enjoy some cocktails and conversation and to learn more about what we do about conservation and land protection in the Upper Delaware River region.”
The Delaware Highlands Conservancy works to protect forests, farmland, clean water, and wildlife habitat throughout the Upper Delaware River region, primarily through conservation easements.
Those easements allow private landowners to permanently protect their property from development while continuing to own and use the land.
“The way that we do it, it’s private land owners who want to conserve their land in perpetuity,” Mango said. “It doesn’t mean the land becomes public, but it does mean the land becomes undevelopable.”
The conservancy’s stewardship team monitors protected properties each year to ensure the terms of conservation easements are being maintained, checking for issues such as unauthorized development, vehicle tracks, or timber theft.
Mango said one of the biggest challenges facing land conservation efforts is funding.
“People who want to protect their land may not have the financial opportunity to do so,” she said. “But there is grant funding opportunities. So connecting with our staff, talking about your land if that’s something that you’re interested in protecting, we can look into if there’s grant funding opportunities to make that happen.”
She said conservation has benefits that extend beyond protected properties, affecting the air people breathe, local food systems, recreation opportunities, and drinking water supplies.
“The land is really important to, of course, the air that we breathe, the food that is farmed in the area, all of our local fresh food, and the water that runs through the Delaware,” Mango said.
The Upper Delaware River watershed also plays a role in supplying drinking water downstream, including for communities in New York City and Philadelphia.
With summer bringing more visitors to the region for outdoor recreation, Mango said conservation and tourism can work together.
“People who come up here for the summer to spend time in nature and to spend time on the water, they wouldn’t have that opportunity if the land wasn’t properly conserved,” she said.
The Delaware Highlands Conservancy also offers educational programs and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Upcoming events include a monitoring volunteer training on July 24, where participants can learn about the organization’s property monitoring program and how to assist with annual visits to protected lands.
A sunset wellness walk is also scheduled for July 25 at the conservancy’s reserve in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, featuring a walk through meadow and wildflower trails during sunset.
Mango said conservation is ultimately about protecting the region for future generations.
“For me personally it’s not just something that affects us in our lifetime,” she said. “It affects all the future generations to come.”
Image: The Upper Delaware River region includes forests, waterways, and wildlife habitat protected through conservation efforts. (National Park Service)