Wildlands Conservancy outlines land preservation, dam removals and meadow restorations to Northampton County committee

Wildlands Conservancy gave the Northampton County Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee an overview of its conservation work in the county, including easements, trail connections, meadow restorations and a multi-year effort to remove dams on the Bushkill watershed.

The presentation, delivered by Kate Evo, senior restoration ecologist with Wildlands Conservancy, summarized a partnership the nonprofit said it began in 2017 and said it has used county-supported contracts to attract additional funding and complete habitat and public-access projects across Northampton County.

Evo said the partnership has produced 22 conservation easements (three co-held with the county), two nature preserves Wildlands holds, and more than 2,400 acres protected in the county. "We have a long standing partnership here with the county, since 2017," Evo said. She added the conservancy has leveraged the county contract at roughly a 10-to-1 ratio and "brought in about 6,800,000 to the county" for conservation work.

Nut graf: Committee members heard project examples and timelines — including completed dam removals on the Bushkill, ongoing design and permitting for a fourth removal, and planned construction next year for stream and park restorations — and discussed funding risks after Wildlands said it lost over $1 million in mitigation funding but learned a new grant round opened.

Most important facts

- Dam removals and stream restoration: Wildlands described a multi-dam project in the Bushkill watershed that aims to restore fish passage and native mussel habitat. Evo said the group has removed the first three dams and the fifth dam, is in design and permitting for the fourth, and is exploring removal of a sixth. She said the work has opened riffle and habitat areas and enabled mussel reintroduction. Wildlands reported the dam-removal work has cost more than $2,000,000 to date and that the county has contributed funding.

- Funding and grant status: Evo told the committee Wildlands lost more than $1,000,000 in a grant program tied to mitigation funding from a fly-ash spill in the Delaware River, which affected some Bushkill projects. She said the program opened a new grant round the same day as the meeting, and Wildlands has heard informal signals from state agencies that reimbursement or new funding may be possible.

- Land protection and trails: Wildlands said it holds 22 easements (three co-held with Northampton County), two preserves, and has worked with Moore Township, Plainfield Township and other municipalities to protect key parcels and connect three trail systems. The conservancy said it serves as the water-trail manager for the 72-mile Lehigh River Water Trail and has worked on expanding access along the Kittatinny Ridge and State Game Lands 168.

- Meadow and park restorations: Wildlands said it will use a DCNR Livable Landscapes grant and other state funding to restore roughly 18 acres of meadows across six county parks in the coming spring, and has an upcoming construction project at Bicentennial Park in East Allen Township that will include green-stormwater infrastructure, an ADA-accessible access trail and a viewing pier.

- Education and volunteer work: Since the partnership began in 2017, Wildlands reported reaching more than 2,500 participants through about 250 programs offered free to the public. Evo said popular offerings include paddling events, day camps and seasonal hikes.

Questions and follow-ups

Committee members asked about the status of other restoration projects affected by federal cuts; a committee member noted that two of four projects mentioned by Wildlands' executive director were in Northampton County and asked whether those projects remained "in limbo." Evo said the conservancy had lost over $1 million in funding but that the opening of a new grant round and informal communications from state agencies provided a possible pathway to restore funds.

One committee member who said they live near the Binney and Smith Preserve and the Bushkill asked which migratory fish species might return after dam removal. Evo named trout, shad and eels and explained that eels can carry mussel larvae upstream and that mussel restoration improves water filtration.

Another committee member proposed exploring county-run tree nurseries to replace ash trees lost to emerald ash borer and to provide a low-cost source of native stock for county plantings. Evo referenced an existing volunteer-run live-stake nursery used by master watershed stewards and said Wildlands would welcome expanded local nursery capacity. A member asked Wildlands to bring the tree-nursery idea to its board; a committee member said they would raise the proposal at the conservancy's next board meeting.

Actions and next steps

No formal votes were taken. The conservancy will provide a follow-up with more information about the North Catasauqua trail planning and the status of specific stream-restoration grant applications; the committee indicated interest in discussing the tree-nursery concept further at a future meeting. Wildlands said it anticipates construction for multiple projects next year, pending permitting and funding.

Ending: The committee thanked Wildlands for the presentation; staff and committee members requested follow-up details on the North Catasauqua trail plan, the status of mitigation grant reimbursements, and the tree-nursery concept. Wildlands and the county are scheduled to track construction timing for stream-restoration and meadow projects in the coming year.