North Branch Land Trust, DCNR & The Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA Partner to Conserve Camp Kresge

Posted on: July 28, 2017

Thursday, June 22, 2017 – The North Branch Land Trust (NBLT) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA completed a conservation project on the YMCA’s Camp Kresge property in Dennison Township, north of White Haven, PA. The purpose of Camp Kresge’s 647-acre conservation easement is to protect the natural and scenic areas of the camp as well as to protect the Nescopeck Creek watershed area. This is Land Trusts third largest conservation easement in its 24-year history. Rylan Coker, Land Protection and Stewardship Coordinator at NBLT stated the preserved 647-acre parcel of land connects with State Game Lands and a portion of the Nescopeck State Park. The project was funded through the Pennsylvania DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Community Conservation Partnership Grant Program.

In 1953 the YMCA youth camp was moved from Blakeslee, PA to its present site and named Camp Kresge after S.S. Kresge who donated the costs of constructing the camp buildings. Since that time the YMCA has been instrumental in providing thousands of children from all socioeconomic backgrounds with an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the natural environment of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The staff and board of directors of North Branch Land Trust would like to thank the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for helping to conserve an important natural area in Northeastern Pennsylvania.