09/14/2026
The Forest Stewardship plan for the park is being updated and there is currently an open comment period on the proposed objectives. After the objectives are finalized, they will be presented to potential foresters to draft stewardship plans to be reviewed by the Park's Board of Directors who will narrow down the options and then interview top candidates.
This process is open and public and a breath of fresh air in contrast to the conditions that led to the formation of The Friends of Governor Dick as an official nonprofit. Our origins were as an environmental advocacy group fighting for a voice with what was happening in our forest, now we have that and are so so grateful to turn our focus to supporting a park that we love.
Pictured- some of the 100 oaks purchased and planted last spring marked with pink ribbon- tall enough for top branches to be out of reach for the hungry overpopulation of white tailed deer
Forest Stewardship Principles and Management Objectives
2027–2037 Forest Stewardship Plan
The following guiding principles, management objectives, and guidelines were established to guide the development of the 2027 Park Forest Stewardship Plan. Specific measures, timelines, and recommended practices will be developed with the consulting forester as part of the plan.
Guiding Principles
1. Manage the forest primarily for its long-term health and ecological value rather than for profit.
2. Recognize that active management, including the removal of trees, may be necessary to improve forest health, habitat, age diversity, public safety, and regeneration.
3. When forest-management activities generate revenue, use those funds to support forest health, restoration, recreation, education, or other Park stewardship priorities.
4. Use science-based and adaptive management practices, monitoring results and adjusting practices when necessary to achieve the desired outcomes.
Priority 1: Forest Health, Regeneration, and Resilience
a. Maintain a healthy and sustainable forest in perpetuity.
b. Address the lack of forest regeneration and adequate new growth.
c. Maintain a diversified forest age structure within the park.
d. Manage the forest to be resilient to climate change, severe weather, and other changing environmental conditions.
e. Identify and address current and future risks to the forest from pests and diseases.
f. Maintain long-term soil productivity and protect stream water quality.
g. Evaluate the lack of evergreen diversity and investigate the potential introduction of appropriate southern pine species in locations where they are ecologically suitable.
h. Retain a designated portion of the Park as mature or old forest, particularly along Pinch Road and in other high-use and high-visibility areas.
i. Reduce the presence and spread of invasive species.
j. Reduce wildfire risk while maintaining the ecological benefits of standing and downed woody material.
Priority 2: Deer Management and Regeneration Practices
k. Manage the deer population to support successful native tree, shrub, and wildflower regeneration.
l. Favor silvicultural practices, including group selection, that encourage natural tree regeneration and increase forest diversity over large-scale clearcutting.
m. Use deer-exclosure fencing where needed to protect regeneration areas. When appropriate, establish fencing before harvesting to allow advance regeneration to become established.
n. Monitor regeneration following forest-management practices and take reasonable follow-up actions when initial treatments do not achieve the intended results.
Priority 3: Recreation, Access, and Public Health
o. Improve road/trail access, quality, and safety and promote sustainable recreation.
p. Develop a new trailhead parking area along Route 117 to connect the Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail with the Park’s trail system.
q. Evaluate environmentally responsible options for reducing public exposure to ticks, particularly in high-use areas, while minimizing impacts on wildlife and other non-target species.
Priority 4: Education and Public Engagement
r. Encourage bird walks, native-plant workshops, forest-health programs, and other educational opportunities that connect visitors with the Park’s natural resources.
s. Develop educational trail signs, brochures, and digital content explaining forest ecology, stewardship practices, and threats to forest health.
t. Use forest-management project areas as educational opportunities whenever practical. Provide signs or other materials explaining the purpose, process, expected appearance, and intended outcome of the work.
u. Communicate significant forest-management projects to the public before, during, and after implementation to improve understanding of the need for active forest stewardship.
Implementation and Review
The Forest Stewardship Plan should identify recommended practices, priority areas, anticipated timelines, and practical measures of success for these objectives. Progress should be reviewed regularly, and management practices should be adjusted when monitoring shows that the desired outcomes are not being achieved.
