To say the future of Northcentral PA is monumentally critical to the future of hunting, fishing, trapping and shooting in the great state of Pennsylvania is a colossal understatement. In our children’s lifetime outdoor opportunities south of Route 80 may be seriously impacted. We must prepare for tomorrow by protecting our future, today.
I got to thinking about our many controversies and the intense political interest focused on the Northcentral. One cannot engage these discussions without hearing a politician, agency employee or foundation announcing the formation of a new “partnership”. Hmmm? Let’s talk about “partnerships”.

It wasn’t that long ago that the PGC “partnered” with the Audubon Society. What was the outcome? A mysterious million dollars was thrown into deer management studies from undeclared sources, which led to the genocide of our deer. The icing on the cake was when Cindy Dunn from the Audubon testified in favor of a PGC/PFBC merger under DCNR and the consolidation of our State Game Lands into State Forest Lands. Concurrently, the PGC “partnered” with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Now the RMEF is “telling” our PGC Commissioners how many elk we can harvest. Interesting.
However, these two examples of “partnerships” gone sour are pale in comparison to the shenanigans of the “King” of partnerships, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Frankly, comparing the PGC’s past blunders to DCNR’s current game plan is analogous to worrying about scratches on your .458 Winchester while a lion is charging you with the intent of crushing your skull. I think DCNR invented the term “partnership”.
I’m certain you’ve read the press releases. DCNR is partnering with the RMEF, the Nature Conservancy, the Western PA Conservancy and the examples go on. It is always about some land deal or grant or concern for a critical species. Our deer herd is getting pummeled and our forest ecosystems are collapsing, but DCNR is deeply embroiled in a new land deal allegedly to protect critical habit against the evils of development.
Each time DCNR completes a land deal that county’s property tax revenue takes a substantial hit. It’s the law of diminishing returns. More government land ownership within a county, less tax revenue for the county to provide for services. Remaining residents are stuck with the revenue shortcomings.

Let me propose a novel alternative to the concept of state agencies “partnering” with private foundations and conservancies. How about if the PGC “partnered” with our hunters and DCNR partnered with the citizens of the Northcentral and not the “international” multi-billion dollar Nature Conservancy?
Our citizens are not fooled by DCNR’s quest for “partnerships”. They clearly see through the happy talk. DCNR is buying resources and so is the PGC, although on a much smaller scale. Resources are extracted for money and money is power. Our Northcentral brethren are slowly getting strangled financially.

A few months ago a politician proposed legislation to resolve this scandalous agenda, but his legislation fell far short. He was suggesting 10% of all resource extractions dollars generated from State Forest Lands and State Game Lands be given back to the counties. I say DCNR should turn over 25% of its resource revenue back to the counties, just like the Feds in the Allegheny National Forest. The PGC and our hunters can call their 10% contribution a gesture of goodwill to our rural citizens. Perhaps, the counties can maintain the PGC ranges and parking lots in the region in exchange.

When one steps back and analyzes the DCNR’s intensive land acquisition interest, the gating of State Forest roads, the embracing of Biodiversity, the eco-tourism elk program and the condemnation of our deer resource without serious consideration for the true culprit, acid deposition, their agenda becomes obvious. We have a rogue agency operating out of our citizens’ control. When you realize over 3000 bureaucrats are employed at DCNR, the equivalent of 50 DCNR employees per county, there should be cause for concern.
We, the sporting community need our Northcentral counties to be a vibrant and economically stable region of our state. We need the habitat, the fish and wildlife, especially the deer to be restored to their fullest potential. We expect our rural citizens to be treated with respect and fairness and be permitted to be stewards of the land, private and public.
Partnerships can be beneficial with the right partners for the right reasons. I hate to be bearer of bad news, but DCNR is partnering with the wrong people for the wrong reasons.
Isn’t time for DCNR to partner with the people who pay their salaries, the citizens of Pennsylvania?

Found this site while snooping the web. Some interesting reads.Just hit the arrow at the top for more reads.