Conservancy Friends and Supporters,
As we turn the page on another year, we are reminded how fortunate we are to call the Susquehanna Valley home. This is a special landscape of rolling hills, quiet glens, and enduring beauty. We have one chance to protect these forested lands from destruction and development, and when opportunities arise, we must act with both urgency and care. In 2025 we did just that, protecting more than 350 acres, expanding existing conserved lands, and creating two new nature preserves.
We invite you to read more about our successes for nature – made possible thanks to your support – in our newly released 2025 Annual Report:
To turn the pages of the report, click the single left and right arrows in the options at the top right of the report. To go back to the beginning, click the double left arrows. To zoom, click the magnifying lens. To view the report in full screen, select the square-shaped button at the far right of the menu options.
Protecting land is only the beginning. Bringing new preserves into the public realm and planning for their long-term stewardship requires years of thoughtful collaboration and countless hours of hands-on work. The High Family Nature Preserve, where a new trail system was recently opened, is a testament to that patience. There, our stewardship team carefully balanced forest and meadow restoration with trail development, creating a welcoming place to connect with nature, especially for families or those new to hiking. The wait, as we often find, was worth it.
While each preserve has its own character, the Conservancy plans and cares for the land at a regional scale. In 2025, this approach took shape in the Lancaster River Hills, where we launched a two-year master planning process. With ecological and forest inventories now complete, 2026 will focus on strengthening connections between preserves, visitor infrastructure, and the communities who cherish these lands, guided by thoughtful public input.
As you’ll read in the pages ahead, all this work leads naturally to our newly approved five-year strategic plan, which reaffirms our commitment to protecting and restoring forested landscapes while expanding community engagement and conservation education. This reflects a long-held belief of the Conservancy: that conserving our natural resources and, when appropriate, opening them to the public for recreation and learning is the most meaningful way to care for and empower our community. While our plan charts the next five years, we remain grounded in a longer view. We are, after all, in the forever business.
Fritz Schroeder
President & CEO
Julie L. Jones, MD
Board Chair
As you read through these wins for nature in 2025, we invite you to be a part of the accomplishments we’ll achieve for nature together in 2026 and beyond. Make your gift today to safeguard the natural lands we love for this generation and the next!