The South Mountain Summit formally introduced the South Mountain Partnership as part of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Conservation Landscape Initiative.

Held at the Mount Asbury Conference Center in Newville, the Summit brought together more than 130 individuals, representing partner organizations, local officials, community leaders and business owners to highlight:

• Why the South Mountain region is critically important to the communities within and around it – and in particular, how the region’s unique natural and cultural assets undergird our economic vitality and quality of life.
• How the South Mountain Partnership is emerging as an effort of a wide variety of organizations working together to preserve and promote the region’s assets and sense of place.
• What opportunities exist for collaboration amongst organizations in defining the actions that will continue to support that conservation of the region’s natural and cultural resources and enhance the region’s economic vitality.

DCNR Acting Secretary John Quigley opened the session by describing DCNR’s Conservation Landscape Initiative: “With its fertile farmlands, clean waterways, renowned trout streams and vast woodlands, the more than 400,000-acre South Mountain region is truly blessed. This summit help[ed] leaders discover the natural and cultural assets of the region and learn why they are important to the local economy; learn about the partnership working to promote the region’s assets; and share their thoughts on what future actions will be crucial to the economic vitality of the region and its sense of place.”

Click here to download the summit brochure.