2009 Mayor's Community Service Award
by: Joyce K. Somers, Mayor

I am pleased to award the 2009 Mayor’s Community Service Award to the Westmoreland Conservancy. Founded in 1991 by volunteers in Murrysville, the Westmoreland Conservancy is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501c-3 Corporation dedicated to acquiring rural and rustic lands for the preservation and conservation of land, wildlife and habitat. The Conservancy has been instrumental in preserving approximately 300 acres of open space for our enjoyment and the enjoyment of future generations.

Through gifts, grants, and in cooperation with the Municipality, their first acquisition was the Kellman property, which is now apart of the Municipal Parks system. Since that first venture in 1991, the Conservancy has added an additional 250 acres of conservation lands by acquiring the King, Walter, Tomer, Flinn, McGinnis, Potter’s Corner and Caywood Reserves. These reserves are owned and maintained by the Conservancy, and more than 100 acres of this land was acquired through direct gifts!

All seven of these reserves contain minimally invasive trails and are open to the public for the enjoyment of nature and passive recreational uses such as hiking, photography, or geocaching.

The Conservancy is currently negotiating a right-of-way with Dominion Gas in order to connect a trail from the Walter Reserve on Wiestertown Road, through Murrysville Community Park, the Caywood Reserve, the Shagbark development, the King Reserve, exiting on Crowfoot Road. They envision that trail to eventually extend all the way to Townsend Park, effectively traversing Murrysville from west to east.

For their dedication to the natural preservation of lands and open space for us and future generations, I am happy to present the 2009 Mayor’s Community Service Award to the many hard-working volunteers who make up the organization known as the Westmoreland Conservancy. I also wish you success in your future endeavors!

Murrysville Mayor Joyce K. Somers presenting the award the Conservancy president Shelly Tichy

Conservancy members present at the award ceremony

Our Next Geocache Event

 Plans for the Spring 2010 Geocache Event are already in the making. We are joining forces with the Murrysville Recreation Department and creating an all-day family event. We will have our usual geocaching format at the Conservancy Reserves while adding a timed contest at Townsend Park. There will also be instruction for anyone wanting to learn about geocaching! There will be activities at Townsend Park all day and there will be a hot dog vendor on site. Look for more information in The Nutshell, on our website and in our April newsletter.
 

April 2010 Elections Meeting

Our regularly scheduled April 2010 meeting will include the election of our board of governors.  This election is by the general membership, so please attend if you can.  After the general membership elects the new governors, the governors will then elect the 2010 officers.

Remember - Annual Elections Meeting on April 28, 2010 at 7:30 pm, in the conference room (formerly the Tax Office) on the left as you come in the Library entrance.