2009 News

June 22, 2009

County Planning Commission Seeking Public’s Help with Protecting Bucks County's Natural Areas

A public workshop will be held by Bucks County and Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania to discuss the Natural Areas Inventory of Bucks County, a document that guides the use of county open space funds. The Natural Areas Inventory Workshop will be held on Tuesday June 30, 7:30 to 9:30 pm at the Bucks County Planning Commission, 1260 Almshouse Road, Doylestown (across from the Barn Plaza on Route 611). The county and Morris Arboretum are beginning a two-year project to update the inventory, first published in 1999 and written by Dr. Ann Rhoads and Dr. Timothy Block of Morris Arboretum. 

Dr. Rhoads, senior botanist and Dr. Block, director of botany will present an overview of the 1999 inventory and initial findings of the update process. Public input will be sought on natural features in Central and Lower Bucks. Attendees will have an opportunity to review maps and help identify important natural resource areas. The workshop will focus on the central and lower regions of the county. An earlier event in April addressed Upper Bucks.

According to Kris Kern, Open Space Coordinator for Bucks County, the inventory is used primarily to identify eligible projects for funding through the Natural Areas Program. Under the county’s initial Open Space Bond, approximately $9.5 million was allocated to the Natural Areas Program which helped protect 2,700 acres. In fall 2008, Bucks voters approved a second Open Space Bond Referendum, of which $11 million has been dedicated to the continuation of the Natural Areas Program.

For more information, please contact the Bucks County Planning Commission at (215) 345-3400.