Partnership to Host Film Screenings and Panel Discussion on PA’s Conservation Heritage

Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage: A Film Festival and Panel Discussion is scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, March 10th at the Carlisle Theatre. The event will showcase two short documentaries produced by WITF on Pennsylvania conservation leaders Ralph Abele and Maurice K. Goddard, respectively, to be followed by a panel discussion.

“Pennsylvania has been called a ‘Cradle of Conservation’ for the role the state and many of its leading citizens played in creating a popular conservation movement in America,” said Jon Peterson, who directs the South Mountain Partnership. “We invite everyone to join us in learning more about our state’s conservation and environmental heritage, and to share ideas to inspire our current and future leaders.”

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with the two films.  Ralph Abele was an executive director of the then Pennsylvania Fish Commission and was involved in many water quality conservation victories at the state and national level.  Maurice K. Goddard was the driving force behind the creation of 45 state parks during his 24 years as a cabinet officer for six Pennsylvania governors.

The panel discussion that will follow will be moderated by Caren Glotfelty, executive director of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation, and will include: Cindy Adams Dunn, acting secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Marci Mowery, president of the Pa. Parks and Forests Foundation; Pete Duncan, former secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources and colleague of Abele; and Paul Zeph, director of conservation for Audubon Pennsylvania.

This event is supported by the Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage Project, WITF and the South Mountain Partnership.  The forum is free and open to the public.