Earth Conservancy Donates Rail Bed to NBLT

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Posted on: October 9, 2017

Earth Conservancy is a nonprofit which formed to address the impacts of past coal mining operations in Luzerne County. Their work centers on the former holdings of the Blue Coal Corporation. Over the years NBLT has worked closely with the Earth Conservancy to permanently protect many thousands of acres in our communities. NBLT in conjunction with the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is working to complete the 164-mile D&L Trail into the Wyoming Valley.


Pictured L to R are Rylan Coker NBLT Land Protection Specialist, Paul Lumia NBLT Executive Director, Mike Dziak Executive Director Earth Conservancy, Brian Stahl HKQ Law

Once complete, the hiking and biking trail will run from Bristol, PA to Wilkes-Barre. Earth Conservancy donated approximately three miles of the old Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad rail bed from the Seven Tubs Nature Area to Northampton Street. This donation will enable NBLT to complete the D&L Trail into Wilkes-Barre. NBLT hopes to start construction on this section of trail next spring and when completed it will be deeded over to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry which will manage the trail from Northampton Street to White Haven. A big thank you goes out to the Staff and Board of Directors of the Earth Conservancy for their donation and to NBLT members and supporters who have helped make this project possible.

Click on this link to see the Trail Project Area
D&L Trail Project Map.pdf

North Branch Land Trust, DCNR & The Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA Partner to Conserve Camp Kresge

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Posted on: July 28, 2017

Thursday, June 22, 2017 – The North Branch Land Trust (NBLT) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA completed a conservation project on the YMCA’s Camp Kresge property in Dennison Township, north of White Haven, PA. The purpose of Camp Kresge’s 647-acre conservation easement is to protect the natural and scenic areas of the camp as well as to protect the Nescopeck Creek watershed area. This is Land Trusts third largest conservation easement in its 24-year history. Rylan Coker, Land Protection and Stewardship Coordinator at NBLT stated the preserved 647-acre parcel of land connects with State Game Lands and a portion of the Nescopeck State Park. The project was funded through the Pennsylvania DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Community Conservation Partnership Grant Program.

In 1953 the YMCA youth camp was moved from Blakeslee, PA to its present site and named Camp Kresge after S.S. Kresge who donated the costs of constructing the camp buildings. Since that time the YMCA has been instrumental in providing thousands of children from all socioeconomic backgrounds with an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the natural environment of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The staff and board of directors of North Branch Land Trust would like to thank the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for helping to conserve an important natural area in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

NBLT Receives Grant to Protect Nescopeck Creek Headwaters

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Posted on: December 4, 2014

Good News!!! Because of your support of our conservation mission we have been awarded a DCNR grant to permanently protect 647 acres in Dennison Twp. The property adds to thousands of acres of protected lands in the area and helps protect the headwaters of Nescopeck Creek.