Cohen
Wysox Township • 51 Acres
A sign at the driveway to Dr. Daniel Cohen’s property in Wysox, Bradford County, reads “G&G Nature Preserve Sanctuary, Honoring the Journey.” On November 8, 2019, Dr. Cohen did just that by conserving his property with North Branch Land Trust. His 54-acres of land will be permanently protected, a dream he and his late wife had envisioned since acquiring the property.
“My wife and I saw our land in Pennsylvania as a sacred obligation to ‘give back’. Initially purchased with another nature-loving couple, a tremendous amount of love & energy went into and continues to be invested in what we lovingly refer to as: The Land. I, as the last survivor, have now formalized a promise made early on & the steps to ensure that this promise is kept. My wife (before she passed) and I found the North Branch Land Trust to help in our effort.”
Taylor Century Farm
Wyalusing Township • 270 Acres
This 270-acre century old farm located in Wyalusing Township and Wyalusing Borough, Bradford County, is currently owned by Kenneth Taylor and Thomas Taylor. The property is an irreplaceable historic landmark in Bradford County as it is easily recognized by its rolling fields of corn, pastures, and well-maintained barns located along Route 706 east of Wyalusing, near County Bridge Road and Broad Acres Road. The property also contains wetlands and forests that protect Wyalusing Creek and provides important habitat for a variety of northeasetern Pennsylvania wildlife.
Eberhardt
Tuscarora Twp. • 36.8 Acres
The Eberhardt Property consists of 36.79 acres and is located in Tuscarora Township, at the southeastern part of Bradford County. The historic Eberhardt property -owned by Bill and Audrey Eberhardt includes a historical 1840 homestead, barn, shed, and milk house and is complimented by a combination of forestlands, fields, meadows, hedge rows, emergent wetlands, riparian floodplain, streams, spring seeps, plantations, and orchards. These habitats on the conserved property are independently managed to protect and sustain a host of remarkable flora and fauna species – outstanding 557 species. Four species found in the Conservation Area are considered Species of Concern in Pennsylvania.
Kilmer
Wyalusing Borough & Township • 88.6 Acres
The Conservation Area is a combination of gently sloping fields, hedge rows, forested woodlots, and open water marsh.
There is evidence of a minor selective timber harvest throughout small sections of the woodlots that may have occurred between 30 to 50 years ago. Other natural and manmade habitat features on the Property includes areas of active agricultural fields consisting of a variety of grasses used for hay production, early succession fields, woodlands, hedge rows, roadside corridors, an open water marsh, emergent shrub/sedge wetlands, spring seeps, a vernal pool, and a residential estate including a below ground pool.
Collectively, these habitat types found within in the Conservation Area host a diverse amount of flora and fauna species. The open water marsh for example, is surrounded by a grassy vegetative buffer that aids in the protection and functional values regarding this particular wetland ecosystem. The Property also provides open space and scenic enjoyment to the public as seen from public township roads, county roads and US Route 6.
An impressive number of animals have been observed throughout the Kilmer Property. Included are many uncommon and/or rare species, such as federally protected bald eagles, ospreys and sandhill cranes. This is due to the aquatic habitats and plant diversity offered by the Natural Plant and Wetland Communities. The open water marsh, wetlands, fields, meadows, vernal pool, woodlots, and roadside edges comprise a mix of wildlife habitats benefiting both terrestrial and aquatic animals.
Pelletier
Herrick Twp. • 13.09 Acres
The Conservation Area is a unique parcel of land. Noteworthy natural habitat features on the Property includes a deciduous hardwood forest, shrub borders, an intermittent stream, spring seeps, wetlands, and a pond. The 13.09 acre Pelletier Property consists of approximately 5.5 acres of forested land, a 5.3 acre pond, approximately 1.5 acres of shrub borders, one-half acre of wetland borders, and a one-quarter acre residential area. The topography of the Pelletier Property is relatively level with mild sloping terrain along the western boundary.
Collectively, these natural communities found within the Conservation Area support wildlife diversity of high quality flora and fauna species. For example, the deciduous forest consists of red maple, sugar maple, red oak, black birch, white ash, and white pine. This forest setting provides habitat for seed-eating mammal species such as southern flying squirrel, gray squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mice, and deer mice. Some of the bird species observed includes golden-crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, eastern bluebird, black-capped chickadee, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, blue jay, and white-breasted nuthatch.
The pond is considered high conservation value based upon the aquatic plant diversity and the associated animals that depend on ponds and open water wetlands. Species found include aquatic plants like snail-seed pondweed, spikerush, duckweed, water purslane, tussock sedge, water milfoil, and smartweed. This habitat offers food and cover for fish such as large mouth bass, bluegill, golden shiner, red-fin pickerel, and rock bass. Reptiles and amphibians residing in the pond include green frog, bull frog, spring peeper, pickerel frog, painted turtle, red-spotted newt, and snapping turtle. Waterfowl were observed taking refuge on the pond during their fall migration – Canada goose, mallard, wood duck, and common merganser. Waterbirds, namely great blue heron and kingfisher were found hunting for fish and amphibians.
Evidence of aquatic mammals includes beaver, muskrat, mink, hairy-tail mole, and raccoon. Six species of dragonflies were identified during late season visits – fragile forktail, eastern forktail, green darner, yellow-legged meadowhawk, Jayne’s meadowhawk, and the uncommon green striped darner. The green striped darner is considered a Species of Special Concern in Pennsylvania.
