(Note: If the word or a variation of therein, "control," is substituted for "restoration," the picture will get much clearer of the intent and agenda.)

November 8, 2002

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Update

According to a new report released by Ducks Unlimited (DU), restoration efforts in Pennsylvania reached an all time high in 2001 as DU and its partners completed 162 projects; a 61 percent increase over the previous year.

According to the report, 706 acres of wetlands, 461 acres of associated upland and 67 miles of forested riparian buffers were restored.

"This tremendous accomplishment can be attributed to hard work and vital partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, County Conservation Districts, California University, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Western Pennsylvania Watershed Protection Program, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation," the report states.

According to the report, The USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) also boasted a dramatic increase in participation and projects from the previous year.

In 2001, DU delivered 89 projects that restored 210 acres of wetland and 355 acres of forested riparian buffers.

CREP is a program that allows landowners to set aside land that has been cropped 2 out of the past 5 years. This program targets landowners with highly erodible soils and marginal pasturelands that are located in the 20 southern counties of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The report also outlines DU's Bog Turtle habitat restoration efforts, its Chesapeake Bay Initiative and a Conservation Summary.

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/update/default.asp?ID=11587%20