On July 16, Murray and Rhonda Laudenslager were awarded the 2023 Conservation Award by Manada Conservancy, the non-profit land trust that serves Dauphin County.  Over the past fifteen years, the Laudenslagers have preserved more than 360 acres of their land in upper Dauphin County.  Their farmland, woodland, and unique mountain wetlands of Peters Mountain and Powells Valley are now permanently protected.

The Laudenslagers, of Wayne Township, have worked with Manada Conservancy to protect multiple properties with the use of conservation easements. A conservation easement is a legal document used to permanently restrict subdivision and development and to ensure special protections for areas of high conservation value such as agricultural land, creek sides, and forests.  The Laudenslagers’ generosity exemplifies their commitment and vision for protected land to benefit future generations.

These protected properties are located within the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, a forested corridor of the Appalachian Mountains that is home to a portion of the Appalachian Trail and provides habitat for a wide variety of species including tens of thousands of migratory birds with recognition as a Global Important Bird Area.

To learn more about land preservation options available to you as a landowner or to get involved with Manada Conservancy, please visit www.manada.org or contact us at 717-566-4122.

With nearly 3,000 acres protected, Manada Conservancy is a land trust dedicated to preserving the natural, historic, agricultural and scenic resources of Dauphin County through land conservation, environmental education, and community engagement.