ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — The Lancaster Conservancy on Tuesday announced that the Shaw Family Nature Preserve in Mount Joy Township is expanding by nearly 19 acres.
The Conservancy said the preserve is adding the wooded Otto and Berta Florschutz tract, which it said will provide a buffer to the supporting landscape for the Conewago Creek and its critical habitat for fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
"The Otto and Berta Florschutz family protected this land for generations," said Kate Gonik, senior vice president of land protection and general counsel for the Conservatory. "Continued preservation of its forest habitat and water resources is critical. The surrounding area has experienced growth in warehouses and other development, and buffering the Shaw Family Nature Preserve is of the utmost importance."
The newly added tract is primarily forested, with a small meadow area buffered by water resources flowing in the Shaw Family Nature Preserve, the Conservancy said. Because of its location and terrain, the property would have had a high chance of being developed, but it will now remain natural forever.
Its addition provides significant woodland to the Shaw Family Nature Preserve, which is primarily agricultural, according to the Conservancy.
The Shaw Family Nature Preserve was renamed in 2023, in honor of conservationist Barry Shaw and his family, which helped secure the addition with a donation to the Conservancy's Protect & Restore Campaign.
Visitors to the Shaw Family Nature Preserve can hike or ride along the Conewago Recreation Trail from the parking area at 2385 N. Market St. in Elizabethtown.
