Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Plan Aims to Improve and Preserve the County's Natural Resources
Bob Webb, fly fisherman, is instructing Jennifer Lentz Kovacs, manager of the Bedford County Conservation District, on the fine art of fly-fishing in Yellow Creek, a premier trout stream in Bedford County.
Forty-three of Pennsylvania's counties contain waterways that drain to either the Susquehanna or the Potomac rivers. This effort is part of the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan. State agencies, led by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), are working with interested parties in the counties whose local waters run to the Chesapeake Bay to create Countywide Action Plans. These plans will outline how each county's share of the state's 2025 pollution reduction goals will be met. EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program has modeled Chesapeake Bay pollution sources including pollution entering Pennsylvania's waterways and where it originates. Each Pennsylvania county has its own goal to reduce its share of pollution. The black line above marks the part of Pennsylvania that is a Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Most Bedford County residents would agree the Bedford region is an outdoor enthusiast and sportsman paradise.
One can find trails, parks, and fishing holes from one end of the county to the other nestled within wide swaths of forests, farms, serene landscapes, and other natural resources.
Earlier last year, a group of local leaders and residents from various backgrounds – agriculture, business, environmental, engineering, and local government – came together and formed a committee to contemplate the development of the Bedford Countywide Action Plan (CAP) intended to preserve or improve local natural resources without sacrificing other community initiatives tied to infrastructure, local economics, farming, transportation, and improved flooding conditions.
The Bedford CAP's main objective is the implementation of a variety of programs and practices intended to improve local water quality and natural resources in the county. Local improvements and preservation efforts will benefit the community while assisting the state with meeting its Chesapeake Bay obligations.
The committee identified six focus areas in the CAP to implement or help implement improvements and preservation practices. The six areas include agriculture, stormwater, preservation of natural areas, point source pollution, riparian buffers, and education. Action Teams are forming around each focus area to provide guidance and direction for future activities and efforts.
Additionally, local insight and expertise is provided from the County Conservation District and County Planning Commission. Jennifer Lentz Kovacs, the Bedford County conservation district manager, said, "It's a privilege for the conservation district to be part of this collaborative approach, working with our partners and stakeholders to implement the CAP with existing practices and funding sources to put projects on the ground."
LandStudies was hired to serve as the local CAP coordinator to handle administrative and technical support duties.
Participation in the Bedford CAP implementation is open to any interested county resident or organization with local interests. Any individual interested in learning more about the Bedford CAP or wanting to get involved can contact The Bedford County Conservation District, Bedford County Planning Commission, or the CAP Coordinator (LandStudies).
About the Bedford Countywide Action Plan
The Bedford CAP, developed in 2020, provides an arena for local residents and organizations to work together to protect the future of Bedford County's natural resources.
The CAP Management Team is available for more information or for any individual interested in getting involved.
Contacts
• Jennifer Lentz Kovacs, district manager, Bedford County Conservation District
(814) 623-7900, ext. 4
• Don Schwartz, director
Bedford County Planning Commission [email protected]
(814) 623-4827
• Mike LaSala, CAP Coordinator
(717) 371-2175 (cell)
Editor's Note: According to the Bedford County Conservation District, the land and waters of the northern two-thirds of Bedford County are part of the Juniata River sub-basin of the Susquehanna River basin. The Susquehanna is the longest river of the U.S. east coast and contributes about half the freshwater inflow to the Chesapeake bay, the nation's largest estuary. Thus, water which falls in northern Bedford County ends up in the Chesapeake Bay.
For more information about the Bedford County CAP, go to bedfordcountypa.org and search for "CAP."
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