Sunday October 2, 2 PM
Montandon Marsh
Nature Walk and Picnic

Montandon Marsh will be the site of a nature walk and picnic on Sunday, October 2, beginning at 2 PM. After the walk, a picnic featuring grilled hot dogs and picnic fare will be offered from 3 – 4:30 PM. Learn about the diverse vegetation and wildlife of this unique Conservancy-protected wetland firsthand from Bucknell University Professor of Biology Steve Jordan, PhD.

This event is open to the public. Registration for the walk and/or picnic is appreciated, but not required. From Route 405 S (River Road), follow the signs and ballons past May’s Drive In to the entrance adjacent to Bucknell View trailer park. Long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

To register for the walk and picnic or for more information, call 524-8666 or email conserve@ptd.net. In case of severe weather, the event will be held on October 9 from 2-4:30 PM .

Sunday October 30, 1 PM
Dale's Ridge Geology Walk

Join us for a walk with Geologist Dick Nickelsen on the Dale’s Ridge Trail, Sunday, October 30, at 1 PM. Mr. Nickelsen served as a founding Board member of the Linn Conservancy and is uniquely qualified to lead this educational walk. Mr. Nickelsen helped lay out the original Dale’s Ridge Trail and served as the Conservancy’s first Dale’s Ridge Chief Trail Steward.

Mr. Nickelsen notes “Dale’s Ridge is situated at the center, the very heart, of the big downfold or syncline that defines the Buffalo Valley. It provides excellent views of the plunging folds of resistant rocks that define its northern limb. Views to the west show the western end of the Buffalo Valley and part of the south limb made up of Jack's Mountain and Shamokin Ridge. The best part of the walk is the views of Prime Farmland surrounding Dale's Ridge, where rich soils derived from a 5000 foot section of shale and limestone are intensively farmed.”

A geologic map and section will be provided for each person and each participant will be helped to understand the plunging folds and clear relationship between bedrock geology and landscape that can be more easily seen from Dale's Ridge than from any other place in the valley.

View from Dale’s Ridge Trail Participants should assemble at the Dale’s Ridge Trail parking lot on Strawbridge Road. Call 523-4912 for more information.

News Release: June 1, 8 AM

Montandon Marsh Highlighted in High Profile Publication

The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA), with the help of the Merrill W. Linn Land and Waterways Conservancy, has published a stunning color brochure titled “Conserving Montandon Marsh, Working Together for the Future” as part of its Stories of Land and People series. The publication provides a thoughtful account of the remarkable action taken to preserve the natural value of the wetlands complex.

The publication features interviews with key people involved in protecting an important parcel in the marsh owned by Central Builders Supply Company through a conservation easement with the Linn Conservancy. A conservation easement is an agreement limiting activity on a property to conservation purposes while keeping the property in the landowner’s ownership and control. Tony Markunas, owner of Central Builders Supply, Professor Allan Schweinsberg of Bucknell University, avid birder and Linn site steward, and Jeannette Lasansky, past President and former Coordinator of the Linn Conservancy, all provide insights into this moving story about the protection of a uniquely diverse riparian wetland ecosystem.

The brochure debuted at the 2005 PALTA conference held in Strasburg, Lancaster County. It is available at the Montandon Post Office or by calling (570) 524-8666, and is also featured on the PALTA website http://conserveland.org/stories/cmm1.

Sand Dunes at Montandon Marsh