In Pennsylvania, Massasaugas are endangered and their critical habitat is often found on private lands. Therefore, private landowners can play a key role in the conservation of this habitat and the Massasauga that desperately need it. There are a number of opportunities for landowners who are interested in helping this native endangered reptile.

Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)
“Voluntary, Non-binding and Free of Charge LIP Habitat Management Plan”

Through the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) is available to provide technical assistance and conservation planning expertise for habitat management to private landowners with land that is important to Massasauga conservation. If interested, a LIP Habitat Management Plan would be prepared for you, at no cost, by a professional biologist. The biologist would work with you to develop a completely voluntary plan that benefits Pennsylvania’s wildlife, and helps to meet your goals, and is consistent with the use of your land.

A personalized LIP Habitat Management Plan can enhance and work in cooperation with your current and future property use, such as farming, forestry and hunting. Depending on your preference, the LIP Habitat Management Plan might focus on enhancing grasslands or meadows that provide a colorful, vibrant backdrop for you to enjoy and/or creating habitat that improves your property for hunting. The end result could be healthy grasslands, meadows or young shrubs and forest on your property that contain beautiful wildflowers or underbrush –that attracting songbirds in the spring and summer as well as game species such as deer, turkey, grouse, woodcock, and rabbits.

Please call Before May 15th to be Included!

In addition, we can tell you more about how the LIP Habitat Management Plan can works along side other incentive programs available to you –- to implement the plan and/or other practices on your property. Contact WPC for more information.

Permanent Conservation Options for Landowners
One way to permanently preserve Massasauga habitat, while keeping the property in private ownership, is through a conservation easement. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between the landowner and a land trust, such as the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, that limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values, such as the conservation of critical Massasauga habitat. Every easement is tailored to the property and to the interests of the landowner. Typically, with a donation of conservation easements the landowner realizes a significant income tax deduction.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy can provide a wide range of conservation options to landowners interested in protecting their land permanently. We invite you to contact a Western Pennsylvania Conservancy land protection specialist to discuss your conservation goals and learn about the services we can provide. The drastic decline of the Massasauga is alarming, but! yYou can make a lasting difference by protecting the for generations to come in regards to the Massasauga and the biodiversity of Pennsylvania. Contact WPC for more information.

If you own land with suitable habitat for Massasauga in Pennsylvania and are interested in protection and/or management for the species, please contact Jane Menchyk at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for more information.

jmenchyk@paconserve.org
412-586-2333