Habitat For Wildlife
Explains goals and actions
Restore-Protect-Enhance
Habitat for Wildlife (HFW) would like to clear up some misconceptions and rumors going around about what we are doing and the goals we are working toward.
HFW is a group of conservation-oriented people dedicated to RESTORE-PROTECT and ENHANCE the wild areas of the southern anthracite region of Pennsylvania. A century and half of unregulated coal mining has devastated this area, but the good news is there are large tracts being reclaimed. What once had been large holes in the earth and great spill banks are now being converted to grassy fields by DEP (PA Department of Environmental Protection). This is when HFW gets to work. In the last 10 years HFW has planted more than 43,000 seedlings and 65 acres of food and cover plots on reclaimed mine lands.
In December of 2004, HFW’s president, David Kaleta, organized a tour of illegal dumpsites to show public officials the magnitude of the illegal dumping problem in Northumberland County. DEP took up the challenge and formed COALS.
“Clean up Our American L ands and Streams (COALS) is a partnership among environmental groups, the coal and waste industries, and local, county, and state governments. The initiative was developed in Columbia and Northumberland counties after a December 2004 tour of illegal dumpsites on county and coal company properties. (From DEP’s website).” Habitat for Wildlife is an active partner in COALS.
In 1999 David Kaleta was offered up to 45,000 seedlings that DEP/MINES had left over. He took 4,000. He then called people from his taxidermy business client list and 35 showed up and planted them on an ex-mine area that had been reclaimed in the late `80’s. The following year he received 4,000 seedlings from the PA Game Commission and organized 25 people to plant. Both plantings were done on reclaimed Northumberland County owned land. These two projects lead to the formation of “Habitat for Wildlife”.
The second planting took place on the site we call “Alaska”. This area was newly reclaimed by DEP at a cost of just under one million dollars ($1,000,000). As a result of these plantings the Northumberland County Commissioners authorized HFW to do more improvements with the following limitations; the site would stay open to the public and any forestry projects would be done under the guidance of the state forester, DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources). That same year HFW took part in “the Great PA Clean-Up”. We organized volunteers and removed tons of; tires, construction debris, and house hold trash. Within a week, three truckloads of new trash were dumped at the site and six more through that summer. Remember, this was a newly reclaimed and beautiful place that had just been cleaned. Most of these dumpers were caught, fined, and ordered to pick up their trash. HFW cleaned the other piles. Another problem was occurring. ATVs and 4x4s started driving through the newly planted reclamation area, crushing and killing tree seedlings, clovers and grasses. This activity caused erosion that resulted in scars forming on the land that the taxpayers just paid $1,000,000 to reclaim mine scarred land. Up until this point there was no plan to gate the site, in fact, HFW was and is working to keep county and privately owned land open to the public.
That winter HFW told the land owners of the problems occurring at the “Alaska Site” and all parties agreed the site would be gated. This is the only county owned land gated by HFW. HFW raised the money and installed the gates at no expense to the taxpayers or landowners. In addition to gates, signs were posted reading “ Authorized Vehicles Only”. The signs and gates were soon torn down. HFW has repaired and replaced both. Signs being torn down are an ongoing problem.
We sponsor COALS cleanups several times each year. We have worked with the Blue Bird Society and installed bird-nesting boxes. We have an annual Christmas tree collection and place them for wildlife habitat; this saves landfill space and garbage disposal fees. We have fundraisers and use the money raised to plant food and cover plots for wildlife. The land we have improved is open to the public for hiking, hunting, bird watching and dog training. HFW is working with DCNR and Northumberland Co. to Enhance other areas of County land that is not gated.
The “Alaska Site” is closed to unauthorized vehicles. Trucks and cars carry in trash so they are kept out and so are ATVs, HFW has nothing against ATVs or their owners. Many of our members own ATVs. The problem is HFW has worked too hard to have a few irresponsible riders ruin years of plantings and land improvements. This area is habitat for wildlife; HFW is working to attract wildlife.
Habitat For Wildlife’s goals are to Protect, Restore and Enhance areas where wild birds and animals live. HFW works to keep these areas open to the public but also to Protect them from abuse. HFW works to Restore abandon mine areas and, HFW works to Enhance these areas for wildlife to thrive and for the public to enjoy.
Habitat For Wildlife
David F. Kaleta, president