Natural Heritage Inventory Uncovers New Species in
Huntington County
by Beth Brokaw
Ecologist

The recently completed County Natural Heritage Inventory (CNHI) for Huntington County revealed a freshwater mussel species and three plant species previously undocumented in the county. The report represents the culmination of nearly three year’s effort. The goal of each CNHI is to present a picture of the unique and important living resources in the county, what they are, where they are, and what they require to survive.
The Huntingdon CNHI recommends 88 areas be managed for conservation within the county. These conservation areas are designated around rare species of plants or animals, or exemplary natural communities. Such elements of special concern found in Huntingdon County include:

• 3 mammals
• 3 freshwater mussels (including a new county record)
• 10 insects
• 34 plants (including three new county records). It is worth noting that two of the 34 rare plants species occurring in Huntingdon County are not known to occur anywhere else in the state.
• 12 natural communities
  

Pennsylvania has a strong, stated commitment to protecting biodiversity, and across the Commonwealth a large part of the effort to locate and document species at risk is carried out through county-based natural heritage inventories. Over the course of a County Natural Heritage Inventory, the search for rare biological resources extends to both public and private (with landowner’s permission) lands.

In addition to cataloguing biological information, CNHIs work to help counties and municipalities and their residents better understand and appreciate the living resources around them. The first step is to get local people involved in the inventory process itself. At the beginning of an inventory, individuals representing a broad range of local interests are invited to participate on an advisory committee. Typically, these committees include members from agencies responsible for managing public lands, county government, academic institutions, and various economic interests, as well as local naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts. Public outreach is an important component throughout the inventory process. Public presentations during and after the completion of a CNHI are aimed at informing citizens of the results and potential uses of the inventory.


Groups and organizations with an interest in natural history, conservation or tourism can take advantage of the inventory to further their educational goals and to inform their work and decision-making. And residents involved with open space, greenway, rails-to-trails or park projects can use the inventory to help plan and prioritize their efforts.

Copies of the report have been distributed to all the municipalities in the county, as well as public libraries. Interested persons or organizations wishing to obtain a CD version of the inventory report can do so by contacting the Huntingdon County Planning Commission office at (814) 643-5091 or planning@huntingdoncounty.net.

Beth Brokaw can be reached at bbrokaw@paconserve.org.

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