The 34th Annual Evening for Northeast Pennsylvania’s Environment, hosted by PEC, was held Oct. 17 at the Woodlands Inn and Resort. This post is part of a series celebrating the six local initiatives and two individuals recognized for their contributions to environmental protection and restoration in the region.
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Lacawac Sanctuary’s PLEON program is a testament to the idea that environmental conservation takes a village — one with a deep understanding of the ecosystems in which they live. The 550-acre ecological field research station, nature preserve, and public environmental education facility lies in the Northern Pocono Mountains, where lakes play a critical role not just for ecosystems in the region but for local economies that depend on outdoor-centered tourism.
Part of Lacawac Sanctuary’s work is the Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network (PLEON), a monitoring program that aims to equip the public and lake managers with the knowledge and resources to be good stewards.
The sanctuary is home to Lake Lacawac, the most pristine southern glacial lake in the northern hemisphere, attracting scientists from across the world who come to study it. Research collected at the field station has provided invaluable insights into the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of lakes and their surrounding catchments.
“Lakes are complex ecosystems, and they are threatened by many stressors right now,” such as invasive species and pollutants, said Dr. Beth Norman, Director of Science and Research at Lacawac Sanctuary. “The way that you treat your lawn, the way that you choose to landscape, the way that you choose to build roads in your community does have ramifications for the quality of water in your lake.”
Through the PLEON program, experts work with lake communities and associations in northern Pennsylvania to address issues like harmful algal blooms. Education is key to the approach. PLEON offers a citizen scientist program at Lake Wallenpaupack for homeowners and a three-day intensive workshop that teaches people in charge of lakes how to responsibly care for them. The result is a community that has the knowledge and resources to steward its natural resources.
“In numbers, there is strength,” said Lacawac Sanctuary Craig Lukatch.
In recognition of that collaborative approach, Lacawac Sanctuary received a 2024 Environmental Partnership Award. They were honored at the 34th Annual Evening for Northeast Pennsylvania’s Environment on Oct. 17 at the Woodlands Inn & Resort, Plains, PA. To learn more about the awards and to see the full list of this year’s winners, click here.