Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program

Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program

Protecting Open Space

03/31/2009

CZM PROJECT NUMBER: 2007-PE.06

This project was financed, in part, through a Federal Coastal Zone Management Grant, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Department of Commerce, under Award Number: NA07NOS4190154
The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, the PA DEP nor any of their sub-agencies.


Table of Contents
Executive Summary Page 3
Project Description Pages 4-5
Expense Breakdowns Pages 6
Request to Change the Budget Page 7
Request for Final Payment (Paper Copy Only) Pages 8-9
Attachments (Paper Copy Only)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CZM GRANT #2007-PE.06

PROTECTING OPEN SPACE

This grant was intended to allow the Lake Erie Region Conservancy (LERC) to continue in its mission as a land trust to protect the natural resources of the Northwest Pennsylvania region.

Since 2005, LERC has been instrumental in protecting over 900 acres of open space which includes over 4 miles of stream and Lake Erie shoreline. In 2008 alone, LERC was successful in protecting over 172 acres at a cost of $1,695,000.00.

LERC is currently working on protecting an additional 2,000 acres of open space with over a dozen land owners. By using our recently completed watershed Conservation Plan to prioritize properties LERC will seek funding from a number of sources. One of LERC’s strengths has been its ability to pull together a wide variety of funders. In 2007, seven funding sources were brought together to purchase lake front property in Fairview Township which is now a public beach. In 2008, six funders combined their resources to purchase 93 acres of open space that has been added to a state game lands in Springfield Township.
LERC’s work has been consistent with the normal practices of land trusts which includes the development and updating of literature that explains to the public land conservation means and methods and the benfits of land conservation. LERC has also been successful in its public outreach and education efforts through its networking with other environmental non-profit, sportsmen groups, government agencies, local governments, the general public and the media.
Having a regular presence in the local media, LERC and its Executive Director have established a leadership role as a spokesperson for not only land conservation but environmental issues in general. Over the past couple of years LERC has had almost a weekly presence in the print and television media.
LERC has earned the trust and respect of the regional community and will continue to do so with appropriate funding. Attached is a detailed account of the property transaction status during the CZM grant cycle, outreach events, property maps of projects completed and pending, and some of the printed PR we’ve received.
Submitted by;

Tom Fuhrman

Project Description
This grant was intended to allow LERC to continue its efforts in protecting open space in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
PROPERTIES STATUS AS A RESULT OF THIS GRANT & MATCHING FUNDS;
PECK; Conservation easement donation of 25 acres in Fairview Township which includes a feeder stream to Walnut Creek. Easement is held by LERC. Completed 11-13-08.

Value; $150,0000.00

Rand; Purchased acquisition of 47 acres including 5,000 linear feet of Elk Creek for public access. Ownership by LERC. Completed 12-09-08. Value; $250,000.00
Jenks; Purchased acquisition of 85 acres of open space addition to PA State Game lands 315 in Springfield Township. 83 acres owned by PA Game Commission 2 acres owned by LERC

Completed 12-22-08, Value; $195,000.00

Allison; Awaiting closing on 15 acres of lakefront property in Harborcreek Township. Funding in place. Value; $1,100,000.00
Harf; Sales agreement signed 4-20-09 for purchase of 43 acres of open space in Fairview and McKean Township. Value; $350,000.00
2007-PE.06

Vanco; Negotiating donation of conservation easement on 135 acres farm and woodland in Washington Township

Collusi; Negotiating purchase of 81 acres of open space in Springfield Township
Coxon; Negotiating purchase of 115 acres of open space in Springfield Township
Arendash; Negotiating purchase of 150 acres of open space in Fairview Township
Williamson; Negotiating donation of conservation easement of 16 acres in Fairview Township
Hayes; Negotiating purchase/donation of 20 acres along Lamson Run in McKean Township
Canadian National Railroad; Negotiating purchase of 1,200 acres in Springfield Township

2

LERC still maintains contact with several other land owners who have different degrees of interest and methods of protecting their land but without any real urgency.

These properties include;
Patrick Traphagen 50 acres Fairview Township

Richard Cowell 100 acres Harborcreek Township

Margaret Ferko 5 acres North East Township

Roger Eck 77 acres McKean Township

Tim Brink 48 acres Fairview Township

Patricia Puline 25 acres Girard Township

Pat Artiste 1 acre Harborcreek Township

Regina Flowers 4 acres Fairview Township

Richard Way 13 acres Northeast Township

Dusty Rhodes 40 acres Girard Township

John Skinner 80 acres Albion

Dave Weinkauf 32 acres Conneaut Creek

Mailings; An original LERC brochure, a purchased brochure, and a letter were sent to 200 landowners in February, 2008. A new LERC brochure and letter were sent to 200 landowners on 3-18-08. Mailings will be done on a very limited basis in the future as they have not been productive.

Meetings; Presentations were made to the following organizations regarding LERC’s

open space protection efforts;

02-13-08 Erie County Garden Club members

02-18-08 Erie Yacht Club members

02-19-08 Erie Center for Design and Preservation

03-04-08 PA Lake Erie Watershed Association

03-06-08 Envision Erie

03-18-08 Bear Run land owners, Asbury Woods

04-11-08 Erie Port Authority

04-23-08 Northwest Pennsylvania Sportsmen’s Coalition

08-19-08 Conservation District municipal officials

09-06-08 Presque Isle Audubon

09-08-08 Conneaut Creek Collaboration

09-09-08 PA Lake Erie Watershed Association

09-22-08 S.O.N.S. (Save Our Native Species)

10-20-08 Erie County Conservation District

01-21-09 Go Green Shaklee presentation at Shriner’s Hall

Publicity for land conservation; attached

News Papers In Education (NIE), Erie Times News;

12-04-07

12-11-07

02-03-09

Expense Breakdowns

CZM Grant
Detailed Expense Breakdown
Budget Category	CZM	Local Match
Salaries & Wages
Lance Eckenrode	$ 3,780.00	$ 1,530.00
Travel
Gas/Mileage		$ 600.00
Equipment/
Overhead		$ 2,249.64
Consulting/Research
Dave Pedler		$ 1,430.00
Tom Fuhrman	$ 11,220.00	$ 14,190.36
PA Sea Grant		$ 5,200.00
Total:	$ 15,000.00	$ 25,200.00

Request to Change the Budget
From: Lake Erie Region Conservancy

Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009

To : Julia McConnaughey

Subject: Request to Change the Budget

Dear Julia McConnaughey,

The Lake Erie Region Conservancy is submitting this request to change the budget for CZM Grant 2007-PE.06 Protecting Open Space. All of the work, printing, research, travel, etc. were paid out via Salaries & Wages as well as Consultant/Contractor on the CZM budget. This money was used in the form of petty cash for whatever travel and equipment expenses were incurred. We don’t have detailed records of this as it was used as petty cash. All our invoices only show the above categories of Salaries & Wages and Consulting Contractor. In light of this we would like to change the budget amount to $3,500.00 for Salaries & Wages as well as $11,500.00 for Consultant/Contractor work. This will accurately reflect work done on the grant. Thank you for understanding.

Thanks,
Lance Eckenrode, Project Accountant

Lake Erie Region Conservancy

Erie, PA 16546