A Mile of Lake Erie Shoreline Becomes the First Pa. State Park in 20 Years

Yesterday, June 4th, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell introduced Pennsylvania's 117th state park, the first since 1984, and unveiled the property's new name, The Erie Bluffs State Park. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy acquired the 540-acre tract of land in western Erie County from Reliant Energy in December 2003. Turning the property over to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for management as a new state park will facilitate public access and enjoyment while protecting the significant natural features.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has an extensive history of identifying and providing land for the formation of our rich state park system. The Conservancy's involvement in the creation with Pennsylvania's state parks dates back to the early 1940s when we acquired McConnells Mill and Slippery Rock Gorge, which eventually became McConnells Mill State Park. Since then, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has played a role in the creation of seven of our state parks (McConnells Mill State Park, Ohiopyle State Park, Moraine State Park, Laurel Ridge State Park, Oil Creek State Park, Raccoon Creek State Park and now Erie Bluffs State Park).

Efforts to protect the property had been underway since 1998, when residents of the region came together to encourage protection because of the site's unique values. In addition to one mile of shoreline with scenic views from 90-foot bluffs, the property also contains mature old growth forest; rare, endangered, and threatened floral communities; a rare oak savannah sand barren ecosystem; wetlands; and archaeological sites spanning the entire cultural sequence known for the Commonwealth's Lake Erie shore. The property is located immediately adjacent to the mouth of Elk Creek, considered to be one of the best shallow-stream steelhead fisheries in the country.

Today's photo was taken yesterday at Erie Bluffs State Park and shows Gov. Rendell (second from left) looking at site photos with WPC's Chief Operating Officer Cynthia Carrow and Director of Land Protection Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis standing to the immediate right of the Governor.

For more about the property, including a slideshow of the area, visit our Website.

E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend!

Sign Up for WPC Daily