In the last few years, talk about going green has been big, but for some it is more than shopping at a farmers’ market during the growing season or using CFL bulbs.
The Manada Conservancy is a land trust, a local, member-supported nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of the natural, historic, agricultural and scenic resources of Dauphin County and to the promotion of environmental education.
It began in 1996 with a group of concerned citizens wishing to protect their community from overdevelopment surrounding the Manada and Swatara creek basins. It has become an organization responsible for protecting open space, farmland and woodland throughout Dauphin County; a leader of the Swatara Greenway project; a source of environmental education programming; and a proponent for regional native plant landscaping. It is your local land trust.
Ensuring that woodlands, clean rivers and agricultural lands exist for the generations that follow us should be a priority in our planning. Manada seeks to keep a portion of farmland or creek-side habitat from development and supports revitalization of our existing communities as well as smart growth.
We have seen the effects of semi-planned development over the last 50 years in the greater Harrisburg area. If you have not, I encourage you to compare recent aerial photographs of South Central PA landscapes and photos from 10, 20, and 50 years ago. The change is dramatic and continues at a fast pace, even in this economic state. Imagine what it will look like in another 10, 20 or 50 years.
Although there may be big solutions out there, more often we are restricted to working small. Manada operates in Dauphin County. News of who we are and what we do has been strong in the Hummelstown/Hershey area, and we are seeing the word spread to Harrisburg and the West Shore. Manada is a small organization that is primarily funded by our members. Our membership dues enable us to preserve land and to enact the other part of our dual mission: environmental education.
We offer free programs at least four times a year, on topics ranging from climate change to owl identification and container gardening. Manada is also known for the native plant landscaping initiative that has been encouraging the use of native plants for well over a decade. Twice a year we hold a fund-raising native plant sale and throughout the year we offer fact sheets and advice on this type of gardening that supports biodiversity.
Manada wants to strengthen its relationship with the Harrisburg community. If you value land preservation and environmental education, consider becoming a member or find time to volunteer. It is because of our members and our volunteers that we continue this good work.
Our main support of membership runs annually and begins at $25 (about $2 per month). We seek volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks, from maintenance work on preserved properties to setting up at events and graphic design on outreach materials.
To learn more: www.manada.org. Richelle Dourte is administrative assistant at Manada Conservancy.
