Family Donation Helps Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Protect Ecologically-Significant Property
in the French Creek Watershed
Volkman Property Acquired in Venango Township, Erie County

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  February 13, 2007) The protection of the globally significant French Creek/Ohio Basin watershed has been strengthened by 163.49 acres because a family’s financial contribution assisted the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in acquiring an ecologically-significant property owned by the late Walter and Florence Volkman in Venango Township, Erie County. 

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), the state’s first nonprofit land and water conservation organization, has been involved for more than 30 years in documenting the significance of French Creek’s natural resources and protecting key parcels of land through purchases and voluntary conservation easements. 

This initiative was advanced last year, when a family contacted WPC regarding an interest in making a financial contribution to protect land in northwestern Pennsylvania in honor of their deceased son and brother, Brad Barnes.  Brad previously lived in that area and had a lifelong commitment to preserving the diversity of regional ecosystems, including the protection of endangered plants and animals.   He understood the delicate balance between economic development and conservation and advocated for setting aside sufficiently large tracts of land to maintain habitats.

Family members evaluated a number of organizations in order to select the one that was most consistent with their intent to honor Brad’s memory.  The WPC was selected because of its long-standing commitment to maintaining the environment in Western Pennsylvania and its multi-faceted strategic plan that includes identification of locations with critical environmental impact, sustainability of protection, and reduction of urban sprawl.   The family worked closely with Conservancy staff to identify potential sites.  Following on-site visits with WPC scientists, the Volkmann property was selected. 

The West Branch of French Creek flows through the entire length of the Volkman property.  The land parcel is also adjacent to WPC’s 244-acre “Lowville Fen.”  The combined 407-acre tract will be managed as part of a larger riparian forest ecosystem.  “Riparian” refers to land that is adjacent to a stream or river, beginning at the stream bank and extending away from the bank into the floodplain where the land is level.  This particular floodplain includes elm, swamp white oak, spicebush, ironwood and hawthorn trees.

French Creek flows 117 miles from Chautauqua County, New York through the Pennsylvania counties of Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango where it drains into the Allegheny River at Franklin, Pa.  WPC’s Michelle Chapkis, Director of Land Protection, says, “Through the generosity of Brad’s family members, the Conservancy is able to continue its protection of the French Creek watershed.  French Creek is considered to be one of Pennsylvania’s foremost aquatic treasures.”

The French Creek watershed contains aquatic species that have disappeared from 95 percent of the United States. French Creek and its tributaries contain 26 species of freshwater mussels.   Two mussel species are listed as Endangered at the state and federal levels.  There are more than 80 species of fish in French Creek and 15 are listed as Pa. Threatened or Endangered. All of these species are key indicators of the health of this important Pennsylvania watershed.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy purchased this property to protect and benefit the riparian zones of the French Creek watershed in perpetuity as part of the Conservancy’s mission.  The donor will continue to support WPC’s efforts through stewardship of the Volkmann property.

For information about WPC’s land protection programs throughout western Pennsylvania, contact Michelle Chapkis at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy toll-free at 1-866-564-6972 or 412-586-2320.

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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
Since its founding 75 years ago in 1932, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected more than 212,000 acres of natural lands in Pennsylvania, restored watersheds and saved natural habitats for a diversity of life and uses.  Since 1963, WPC preserves Fallingwater®, the masterpiece home designed in 1935 by Frank Lloyd Wright for Edgar J. Kaufmann in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.   As a symbol of living in harmony with nature, Fallingwater offers a wide variety of educational programs to its more than 135,000 annual visitors.  Each year, WPC partners with 5,000 volunteers and dozens of community organizations and businesses to plant and maintain 135 gardens and greening projects in 20 western Pennsylvania counties.