Pennsylvania State University
Tier2-2: Wildlife Habitat

Penn State has a variety of programs that protect and conserve wildlife habitat in and around the University Park campus. Specific practices and programs involve water resources mangement, wetland conservation, farm operations and forest management. There are large tracts of undisturbed land along the fringes of the campus that attract a variety of wildife. The University's stormwater program promotes the use of conservation design practices that preserve and use natural critical hydrologic areas to minimize the impact on the environment. It has identified nearly 500 acres of critical area as Water Resource Preservation areas. Preserving these natural land areas provides a habitat for a variety of wildlife. http://www.opp.psu.edu/about-opp/divisions/ee/engineering/eng-resources/Stormwater%20Magazine.pdf Farm Operations has a variety of practices that protect wildlife habitat in and around croplands. This includes diversifying crops, leaving some crop in the fields for winter, wildlife food plots and protecting trees for raptor habitat. The Millbrook Marsh Nature Center is a 62-acre protected area owned by Penn State and operated by the Centre Regional Recreation Authority. It is located on the edge of the Univeristy Park campus. The wetlands, forests and meadows are home to many species of plants and wildlife. http://millbrook.centreconnect.org/ The Stone Valley Recreation Area is 700-acres of varied eco-systems within the 7,000-acre Univerity Experimental Forest. Also include is the 72-acre Lake Perez. The site is located 17 miles from University Park. http://www.athletics.psu.edu/stonevalley/sv_about.shtml Within Stone Valley, Penn State operates the Shaver's Creek Environmental Center. The Center extends the University's Outreach mission of instruction, service and research. It offer environmental education and training programs that enable people to learn how to live and interact harmoniously ans sustainably with each other and the natural world. http://www.outreach.psu.edu/shaverscreek/