Biodiversity Conservation in Pennsylvania: View From the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

• Author: Sally Just
• Pages: 505-518

Chapter 30

Biodiversity Conservation in

Pennsylvania: View From the

Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources

by Sally Just

I. Introduction

The primary mission of the [Pennsylvania] Department of Conservation

and Natural Resources is to maintain, improve and preserve state parks; to

manage state forest lands to assure their long-term health, sustainability

and economic use; to provide information on Pennsylvania’s ecological

and geologic resources; and to administer grant and technical assistance

programs that will benefit rivers conservation, trails and greenways, local

recreation, regional heritage conservation and environmental education

programs across Pennsylvania.1

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

(PDCNR) has committed to serve as the lead state agency for biodiversity

conservation in the commonwealth. Toward this commitment, the PDCNR

engaged in an evolving process to reorganize itself as the agency leading

Pennsylvania in biodiversity conservation based on sound science and with

a vision of promoting sustainable development. That process has entailed a

number of activities, including:

·Creation of the Office of Conservation Science whose Director

reports directly to the Secretary of the PDCNR;

·Design and implementation of a Natural Heritage geographical

information system (GIS) web-based system;

505

1. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PDCNR),

DCNR Mission Statement,at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/ataglance/

missionstatement.aspx (last visited May 12, 2005).