The City of Cumberland and its partners have completed a forest stewardship plan for Cumberland’s watershed forest. The plan will drive science-based forest management with the highest priority on protecting Cumberland’s drinking water supply. In addition, the completion of this forest stewardship plan enables the City to apply for sustainable forest management certification through the Forest Stewardship Council. The Nature Conservancy will facilitate this globally recognized third-party certification through its Certified Resource Management program, which has helped other water companies in Pennsylvania attain this forest management certification.
The City invites comments and questions on the new forest management plan from stakeholders and the general public through December 1, 2017. The plan can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/y7wed6sb . The City and The Nature Conservancy will co-host two public meetings open to anyone who would like to learn more or make comments on the plan in person:
Meeting Option 1: November 9, 2017, 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Cumberland City Hall (57 North Liberty Street, Cumberland MD)
Meeting Option 2: November 28, 2017, 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Cumberland Valley Township building in Centerville, PA (1037 Park Road, Bedford PA)
For more information contact: Paul Eriksson at paul.eriksson@cumberlandmd.gov or (301) 759-6607.
The City of Cumberland, through the Evitts Creek Water Company, owns and manages 3,600 acres of forest land surrounding Lake Gordon and Lake Koon in Cumberland Valley Township, Bedford County PA. These reservoirs supply drinking water for over 50,000 customers in and around Cumberland. Cumberland’s watershed forest provides wildlife habitat and reliable, high-quality water for residential and commercial use. Good forest management anticipates and addresses threats like tree diseases, pests and drought, which can reduce the life-supporting services provided by healthy forests.