This story is part of our series, Wild Pennsylvania. Check out all of the other stories in the series here.
ClearWater Conservancy recently received two grants to help pay for its new conservation center, which the organization says will serve land conservation and watershed protection initiatives across central Pennsylvania.
The ClearWater Community Conservation Center at 1601 Houserville Road will be built on farmland along Spring Creek in Houserville in Centre County, with a total project cost of about $9 million dollars.
A recently announced grant of $2 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal and state economic development partnership, and a $750,000 grant from the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program will help pay for it.
Elizabeth Crisfield, executive director of ClearWater Conservancy, said the new center will be a hub for conservation efforts in the region.
“To move to a place right on Spring Creek — which was the original watershed focus for ClearWater Conservancy — to have a place where we can walk down to the stream and show people the kinds of riparian restoration work that we do and be able to help people learn how to identify native plants and show how gardens can become more native, and more supportive of native pollinators, just to be able to walk the walk is a huge motivation for this move,” Crisfield said.
A rendering of the ClearWater Community Conservation Center the organization plans to open in Houserville, Pennsylvania. Credit: ClearWater Conservancy
Crisfield said the farmhouse will remain a residential property. The barn will be rebuilt with an addition. The plans include accessible parking and a trail to the stream.
“It’s going to be a really nice place, a natural place, for people to visit and learn about active conservation,” she said.
ClearWater expects to open the new center to the community in 2026.
