Location: Land Use & Conservation

Commuter Services of PA

Commuter Services is a professionally staffed organization funded by federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality funds. Through our free services, we work to reduce traffic congestion by helping commuters find alternatives, other than driving alone, and by reaching out to employers so they can help their workforce find those options. Using alternatives also helps improve air quality, and fewer cars in rush hour can mean safer highways, too.

Our mission is to promote commuting options that reduce congestion, conserve natural resources and improve safety and mobility at a regional level, by educating and implementing innovative Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs.

March 19, 2015
Kings Gap Environmental Education Center

Sitting astride South Mountain, Kings Gap offers a panoramic view of the Cumberland Valley. Sixteen miles of hiking trails interconnect three main areas and are open year-round. Kings Gap offers environmental education programs from the pre-school environmental awareness program to environmental problem solving programs.

The grounds are open to the public year-round from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Sixteen miles of hiking trails connect with three main day use areas of the center: Pine Plantation Day Use Area, Pond Day Use Area and Mansion Day Use Area. A 32-room stone mansion on the mountaintop houses the center’s office and the training center. The office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and weekends and evenings when a public program is scheduled. A schedule of programs is available from the center office or at the three day use areas.

The mansion serves as the William C. Forrey Training Center for the Commonwealth, providing meals and overnight lodging for government agencies. The comfortable surroundings make it an ideal location for productive work sessions and meetings. The training center has a maximum day use capacity for 45 people and accommodates 23 people overnight.

April 28, 2014
Bent Pine Alpaca Farm

Doris and Darwin, owners, breaders, and caretakers at Bent Pine Alpaca Farm, are enthusiastic about their friendly herd of alpacas and offer a variety of goods made from their alpaca’s fiber. They enjoy visitors and can provide educational seminars for groups of all sizes. You can arrange an educational tour ahead of time by giving them a call.

From their website
“16 acre historic farm (circa 1770) that is home to 25 – 30 alpacas and 3 llamas located off the road in a quiet setting. We are located half way between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, 1/2 mile off Rt 641 (West Trindle Rd.) on Old Stonehouse Rd. South. Note: most GPS units want to send you up the hill to North Old Stonehouse Rd.) Look for our sign at the intersection of Rt 641 and follow the arrow on the sign. Bring your camera for pictures!”

Our farm store is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons after our open house the second week in October until Christmas. Other times of year, the farm store is open by appointment.

April 28, 2014
Cumberland Valley Rails to Trails

Located in the Cumberland Valley, one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful areas, Cumberland Valley Rails-to-Trails Council (CVRTC) regards preserving the beauty and history as its mission. The 11-mile Cumberland Valley Trail , once a stretch of railroad tracks from Shippensburg to Newville, is donated to CVRTC by Conrail in 1995.

CVRTC has spent the last 16 years developing the former Cumberland Valley Railroad into an improved multi-use trail to serve all ages and abilities. The first 4 1/2 miles of trail was completed in the fall of 2004 and the next 5 miles was complete in the fall of 2006. The trail is now complete from the Shippensburg Township Park outside of Shippensburg to McFarland Street in Newville, approx 9.5 miles.

Trail enthusiasts can enjoy walking, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding, and other non-motorized recreational uses. The trail, which is wheelchair-accessible, has a crushed limestone surface except for the last 1/2 mile at the Newville trail head which is paved. All of the road crossings between these two points have been graded to meet ADA specification and paved if it is a long grade.

CVRTC also recently purchased the old railroad corridor between Newville and Carlisle. A master plan has been completed and we are now seeking funding to start development. Completing of both projects will connect the business districts of Shippensburg and Carlisle along with the campuses of Shippensburg University and Dickinson College.

CVRTC is an all-volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to conservation, historic preservation, recreation, and alternative transportation in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania through the development of multi-use trails along former railroad corridors and other areas.

April 28, 2014
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

The ATC’s mission is “to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail to ensure that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come.”

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy upholds the highest standards for the protection and management of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) to ensure that it can be shared and enjoyed well into the future.

Due to the Trail’s historic legacy of volunteerism, many of the ATC’s programs are focused on supporting and encouraging volunteers. We work cooperatively with volunteer A.T. clubs and agencies to develop meaningful Trail policies, share expertise on trail design and construction, and protect the landscapes and natural and cultural resources that represent the unique, inspiring, and oftentimes life changing, experience of the A.T

Our newer initiatives help us reach out to the next generation of A.T. supporters and visitors through education and outreach programs. As we work to steward the valuable lands that the A.T. traverses, we are eager to ensure those protected lands remain relevant and available to all those seeking recreation and solitude on the Trail.

The organization also provides leadership support to the South Mountain Partnership.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy maintains an online map of the entire Appalachian Trail to aid hikers in trip planning.

April 27, 2014
LeTort Regional Authority
The mission of the LeTort Regional Authority is “to protect and preserve the LeTort Spring Run and its watershed by promoting flood control and developing access and recreational opportunities within the watershed.” Goals include the minimizing flooding, improving water quality, restoring the natural conditions of the watershed, and providing opportunities for public involvement and education regarding the use and understanding of the watershed’s resources. The group was established in 1973 by citizens of the area who wanted to preserve the LeTort Spring Run.

LeTort Regional Authority supports the sustainability and livability of the Greater Carlisle Area in the following ways:
- Minimizing storm water flooding and protecting and enhancing water quality.
- Providing public education and involvement opportunities in the use and understanding of the watershed’s resources.
- Engendering a sense of community responsibility for all resources within the watershed.
- Improving short and long-term financial viability of the Authority.
April 1, 2014
South Mountain Partnership

[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LqAyG_urlw#t=45″]

The South Mountain Partnership is a public-private partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) landscape conservation program and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

The Partnership works to serve as a facilitator, integrator, interpreter, and catalyst in the Greater Carlisle community to facilitate landscape conservation. As a facilitator, they bring people together. One example of this role is their support of large land acquisitions. As integrators, they work across political and sectoral boundaries to be the voice of conservation. They serve as an interpreter which means that they demonstrate and promote the resources that the landscapes provides to support the people. The South Mountain Partnership is a catalyst for conservation action.

Organizations and individuals in the greater Carlisle area can apply for mini grants from the Partnership to support their own landscape conservation projects.

The Partnership offers a variety of educational opportunities for the community including an annual speaker series and a South Mountain PA mobile phone app.

April 1, 2014
Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania

Sparked by a rise in respiratory problems in Carlisle, the Clean Air Board (CAB) was established in 2005 by a group of community members who were interested in monitoring the air quality in the Cumberland Valley and educating the community on the human health impacts of this air quality.

The Clean Air Board has since worked on a series of projects to better the air quality in Carlisle. They began with school bus idling because of its intimate impact on Carlisle children, teachers, and bus drivers.

Next, the CAB worked to pass a state law which regulates truck idling. Prior to the passage of this law, thousands of trucks idled overnight every night in Middlesex County alone. The law states that trucks cannot idle for more than five minutes in any part of Pennsylvania. Although enforcement has proven to be an issue, this law does improve the air quality, and thus the livability, of the greater Carlisle area.

The Clean Air Board works with the Sentinel to release the information collected by their air quality monitor in real time on The Sentinel website.

The CAB runs an education project in conjunction with the EPA called the School Flag Program. Participating schools raise an air quality flag each day when they raise the American flag and the Pennsylvania flag. This serves to alert parents and community members of the air quality every day.

April 1, 2014
Dickinson College Farm
Mission Statement

To inspire responsible land stewardship through study of the earth’s natural processes and demonstrate the science, practice and culture of sustainable food production.

Overview

It is an exciting time to be a part of the student farm movement in the U.S. and the Dickinson College Farm is an established leader in this growing niche of working farms at top liberal arts colleges. The learning that takes place at the farm in a wide array of disciplines signals the future of a liberal arts education that provides a powerful avenue to explore the urgent issues of our time inside and outside of the classroom.

2014 marks the start of the 8th growing season at the Dickinson College Farm. This year, the farm is maintaining 8-10 acres of cultivated land to raise certified organic produce for delivery to Dining Services, in addition to the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, produce stand at Carlisle’s vibrant farmers’ market and donations to Project S.H.A.R.E.

Student Farmers

In addition to the robust academic opportunities for integrating the College Farm into course work and research, the DC Farm does its best to provide student employees and volunteers with a realistic notion of what it takes to manage a diversified production farm with strong educational roots. Students are integrated into the farm landscape as field workers, equipment maintenance helpers, livestock managers, tour guides, volunteer leaders, special projects point people and farm liaisons at markets and within the community.

The farm also offers an apprenticeship program for recent Dickinson graduates interested in gaining experience in sustainable food production.

Youth Education

The farm supported the development of three formal youth education programs during the 2012-2013 academic year, continuing into the 2013-2014 academic year: Sustainable Earth Education (SEED); Discover, Grow, Inquire (DIG) and Farm Cook Eat. SEED is an on-farm education program for area youth that offers a two-hour monthly class to children 5-12 years old. The DIG camp, a collaboration between the farm, Center for Sustainability Education and Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring, taught youth about local water, renewable energy & sustainable agriculture. Farm Cook Eat is a free afterschool program that offers Bellaire Elementary school students the chance to learn age-appropriate skills for preparing delicious and simple dishes using farm-fresh produce.

Events

The farm helped plan, implement and host three major annual events from Fall 2012-Fall 2013. They are:
- Local Food Dinner: The tenth annual Local Food Dinner on March 23rd, 2013 marked another sold-out crowd: 250 students, faculty, farmers and community members came together to celebrate local agriculture.
- Harvest Fest: The 10th annual event took place on October 4th, 2013! This event is organized by student organization “Students Interested in Sustainable Agriculture” (SISA) with strong support from Farm staff.
- Art on the Farm: On September 22nd, 2013 the farm hosted the third annual award-winning “Art on the Farm”. Featuring educational programs, performance art, live painting, 3D art, a locally-sourced dinner menu, and an art auction, this event raises funds for two organizations that are dedicated to preserving farm land and sustainable food systems and strengthening the community: Carlisle Arts Learning Center and Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture.
Workshops and Community Outreach

Starting in summer 2012, the farm has partnered with the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture’s Good Food Neighborhood project to offer monthly workshops. Now in its third year, the program gives community members the opportunity to learn homesteading skills from local experts. Course topics include pasta making, beekeeping, backyard chicken care, gluten free baking, and food preservation.

Additionally, the student farmers lead in-depth educational programs for local youth organizations including Leadership, Education And Farming Project (L.E.A.F Project PA); the Coalition of Neighborhood Networks for the Enhancement of Carlisle Teens (CONNECT); Franklin County Migrant Education Program; and the Central PA Conservancy Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute. The farm continues to host a wide variety of school groups, clubs and area colleges for tours and unique educational opportunities. It has also partnered with the South Mountain Outdoors Festival and Cumberland County Farm Tours to offer farm tours to an even larger slice of the community.

Renewable Energy

The farm seeks to use, develop, and demonstrate sustainable energy technologies wherever possible. They consider it their responsibility both to reduce the environmental footprint of the food that they produce and to educate their students and community on the possibilities for decreased consumption of non-renewable energy.

For electricity, they have turned to solar energy for many applications, with their goal being both to reduce consumption of purchased energy from the region’s coal and nuclear plants, and to set up they farm as a demonstration site for several different solar technologies. The barn and farmhouse glean a portion of their electricity from two separate grid-tied photovoltaic systems. Seasonal apprentices who work and live at the farm are able to do so off the grid, experiencing a new dimension of sustainable living in their yurts. The largest greenhouse on the farm uses a solar water heating system for supplemental heat during the colder months of the year and farm staff members make good use of the Solar Wheeler golf cart that transports workers and produce around the farm using the sun’s energy.

Photovoltaic (solar electric, PV) systems are reliable, effective, and probably the easiest renewable energy technology to work with. They PV systems produce clean, quiet, high quality power reliably, and are expected them to continue doing so with minimal maintenance for decades.
February 18, 2014