The Daily Collegian Officials meet over sale of Spring Creek Canyon Byßrendan McNally CCILEGIAN STAFF WRITER A compromise is emerging on the sale of the Spring Creek Canyon property that may allow Penn State students to get out of the classroom and learn about wildlife conservation under real world conditions. Penn State and Pennsylvania Game Commission officials met with heal legislators Kerry Benninghcff, R-Centre, and Mike Hanna, D-Clinton, to lay the groundwork for the sale of the 1,800 acres. Penn State and the Game Commission have fought for own ership of the Benner Township property, wiich is prized for its scenic beauty and untouched nat ural resounes. The land is cur rently owned by the state, but law makers aie debating two bills determiniig who can buy the property. Ftenn State hopes to use the land for agricultural research, while the Game Commission wants to levelop woodlands for hunting. No contrete deal was agreed upon in the meeting, but Benninghtff said the compromise could incude provisions to allow Penn State students and faculty to work directly with the Game Commission to create educational opportunities. “We’re looking at opportunities where students, professors and the Game Commission can work in tandem to create a real-world experience outside of the class room,” he said. In the meeting, all the parties agreed to hold a town hall-style event on the sale, which Benninghoff hopes will happen sometime in late January. Last year, he introduced a bill that would provide for the sale of the property to the Game Commission, while Hanna intro duced a bill that would sell the land to Penn State. Jennifer Shuey, executive direc tor of the Clear Water Conservancy, said that either Penn State or the Game Commission could own the prop erty, as long as they follow guide lines that protect the land’s ecology. She wants any future owner to develop the property based on the Spring Creek Canyon Master Plan, created by representatives of dozens of organizations that have interest in the land. “We want to make sure that all of the owners have a conservation easement on the property and are managing for the resources of the site,” she said. But some county residents have expressed concern about the pos sibility of Penn State receiving the land. L< 1 < Collegian file photo Signs from Rockview State Correctional Institution edge the proposed Spring Creek Canyon Nature Reserve near Fisherman's Paradise. Penn State and the Pennsylvania Game Commission are currently debating the ownership of the property. Richard Shreve. 0 f Beilefonte. is ried Spring Creek Canyon might "Penn State does not have a repu opposed to Penn State owning any also be developed under its own- tation for doing the right thing for portion. He's seen the university's ership. the county.” rapid development of land sur- “I would like to see Penn State rounding the campus and is vvor- completely out of it,” he said. To e-mail reporter: bwmsl47@psu.edu Monday, Jan, 11, 2010 I 7
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