Conklin Run Wilderness Area
By Ron Adams
Neighbor
My wife and I were ecstatic to learn that Mokoma Conservancy had purchased the land behind our rural home. We spend countless hours throughout the year exploring the woodlands and blueberry patches that make up the Conklin Run Wilderness Area.
There are a variety of animals and birds that make this area their home. While hiking through a hemlock stands one snowy afternoon we had the privilege of seeing a tiny saw-whet owl who was perched on a hemlock branch just a few feet above our heads. Each outing gives us a new opportunity to see the natural beauty that this land offers.
The previous owner had stripped the land of all of the mature cherry trees that are common to the area. The Conservancy took steps to regenerate the growth of these beautiful trees soon after they acquired the property. Old logging roads were groomed into 6.9 miles of beautiful hiking trails that are used daily by local residents and visitors to the area. The Conklin Run watershed flows through the southern portion of the property. Native brook trout and other aquatic life are thriving in this beautiful stream.
The goal of the founders of the Conservancy was to preserve the watershed and natural environment so that it can be enjoyed for future generations. In that spirit, members of the Conservancy have organized fun-filled educational outings for children that teach the values of conserving our environment.
