Carbon County open-space staff to start municipal outreach April 7, staff outlines five-region plan

Anna, an open-space staff member, presented the board with a municipal outreach plan developed with Wildlands mapping staff. The plan divides the county into regions and prioritizes outreach where large forested tracts and water resources overlap with parcels larger than 50 acres.

Anna said the outreach will begin in the Northwest Region, with the first municipal meeting scheduled for Lehigh Township on April 7. She said the team also plans to contact Beaver Meadows, then proceed to a Northeast Region (Kenner Township, Penn Forest, East Side Borough) and to a Kittatinny Ridge region that includes East Penn Township and Palmerton; Anna said the plan currently identifies five regions in total.

Staff described the technical approach: Wildlands produced GIS map layers showing parcels over 50 acres, priority forested areas and water resources; staff used those layers to rank areas for initial contact. Anna said regional meetings will include a conservation 101 presentation, an overview of the county open-space program, and interactive maps so municipal representatives can indicate locally important areas for protection.

Anna noted that most municipal meetings are evening meetings, though Lehigh Township’s meeting is at 1 p.m.; she invited board members familiar with any of the municipalities to attend and help present. Anna said she will circulate scheduling updates and invited board participation at the regional meetings.

Ending: Staff will continue to schedule and notify the board of municipal meetings; outreach materials and the GIS maps will be available to guide local discussion and future project identification.