The Lancaster Conservancy received a $5 million gift from the Clark Associates Charitable Foundation in celebration of the Clark Associates' 50th anniversary. This philanthropic contribution will support the Conservancy's future land acquisition efforts and stewardship of its nature preserves across Lancaster County with a special focus on an area along the Susquehanna River between Safe Harbor and Holtwood Dam, known locally as the River Hills.

In honor and recognition of this gift, the Lancaster Conservancy combined three separate nature preserves previously known as House Rock, Reed Run, and Pequea South into a large contiguous 373-acre nature preserve to be called the Clark Nature Preserve. A ribbon-cutting ceremony in August unveiled the new name of this area along the Susquehanna River.

The Conservancy protects and manages over 7,500 acres of natural lands and owns 47 nature preserves. These preserves serve as critical open natural space for wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, water protection, and carbon storage in the fight against climate change.

The Conservancy will also name a soon-to-be built universally accessible trail at Clark Nature Preserve, in memory of the Clark Associates' founder, Lloyd Clark. This trail will loop through the meadow by the American chestnut research groves and include views of the river. This new trail, to be built next year, will include accessible wildlife blinds and will provide members of the community, including those who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, the ability to explore this meadow ecosystem and participate in hunting, a passion of Lloyd Clark.

Clark Nature Preserve is open to the public to explore 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset. The preserve, located in Martic Township, has many miles of hiking trails, including the Conestoga Trail, and offers a scenic overlook of the Susquehanna River. Deep eastern deciduous forests and pawpaw groves cover the steep sides of the river valley between outcrops of bedrock. The preserve also features open meadows that have been restored and several American Chestnut Foundation research groves used to study resistance to chestnut blight.

Directions as well as hiking and hunting maps are available at http://www.lancasterconservancy.org/preserves/clark.