introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

PREFACEThe Clearfield County Natural Heritage Inventory identifies and maps Clearfield County’s mostsignificant natural places. High quality landscapes, exemplary natural communities, rare and uniquespecies and general habitat diversity were all considered as part of the study; these characteristics, andmethods for evaluating areas within the county, are detailed in the report.Although the inventory was conducted using a tested and proven methodology, it is best viewed as apreliminary report rather than the final word on the subject of Clearfield County’s natural heritage.Further investigations could, and likely will, uncover previously unidentified areas of significance.Likewise, in-depth investigations of sites listed in this report could reveal features of further or greatersignificance than have been documented. We encourage additional inventory work across the county tofurther the efforts begun with this study.These studies were conceived as ways to provide information about critical living resources for planningpurposes at numerous levels within both the public and private sectors. Organizations may use theinventory to guide land acquisition and conservation decisions. Local municipalities and the countiesmay use it to help with comprehensive planning, zoning, and the review of development proposals.Developers, utility companies, and government agencies alike may benefit from access to thisenvironmental information prior to the creation of detailed management or development plans. As of thiswriting, approximately two thirds of the counties in the commonwealth have completed inventories; eachinventory bringing the state closer to fulfilling the goal of having studies completed for all counties by theend of 2006.The ability of a community to establish a vision of the future and to bring it to fruition hinges upon itscapacity to assemble information that will enable it to act effectively and wisely. There are manyimportant resources present in Clearfield County that are not addressed in this inventory. Historic,cultural, educational, water supply, agricultural and scenic resources are among the many that the countymust address through other projects and programs. This Natural Heritage Inventory focuses on the bestexamples of living ecological resources in Clearfield County. Although agricultural lands and open spacemay be included as part of inventory areas, the emphasis of the designation and delineation of the areasare the ecological values present.The inventory does not confer protection to any of the areas listed in the report. It is, however, a tool forinformed and responsible decision-making. Areas described in this report include both public and privatelands. Permission obtained to visit sites for the purposes of this study does not confer any agreement ofvisitation for other purposes. Please respect the rules and regulations governing public lands and the rightsand desires of private landowners when considering visits to any areas detailed in this report.The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) served as the principal investigator for the study andprepared the report and maps that are the products of the study. Established in 1932, WesternPennsylvania Conservancy is a private non-profit conservation organization headquartered in Pittsburgh.WPC’s mission is to save the places we care about by connecting people to the natural world. As part ofits mission, WPC works to sustain the natural heritage of the Commonwealth: its native plant, animal, andhabitat resources. To reach its goals, WPC initiates conservation projects independently and establishespartnerships with agencies and organizations having similar interests.Along with The Nature Conservancy and The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, WPCis a partner in the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) which is responsible for collecting,tracking and interpreting information regarding the Commonwealth’s biological diversity. Countyinventory projects are an important part of the work of PNHP.i