New Woodland Owners Association Active in South Central PA

Written by Brian Whalen, PA Forest Steward, Class of 2024

The founding of a new woodland owners association, the Southern Appalachian Woodland Network in Pennsylvania, or SAWN-PA, was a direct result of the Pennsylvania Forest Stewards volunteer program's class of 2024 training. Mark Yarish, John McHenry, and I joined 17 others for a four-day weekend of classroom sessions and hands-on field work to learn how best to practice sustainable forest management.

Although all three of us live in the south central part of the state, we did not know each other. During the training, we discovered that we shared some common interests. Mark, for example, at one time owned a cabin just on the other side of the mountain near my house—a place I hike by often. We shared stories of hiking the same areas of the mountain. John and I live in Cumberland County and have been CEOs of non-profit organizations, so we have commonalities in our careers. And all three of us discovered a shared love of wildlife.

At the end of the training, we were asked to outline and present projects in which we could put our learning to practical use in our new roles as trained volunteers. It was Mark who came up with the brilliant idea of reviving a woodland owners association for our area.

The first thing we did after the training was contact members of the region’s woodland group that had folded several years before. They all thought that starting a new association was a great idea—it had become too much of a time commitment for them, and new energy and leadership was needed. Our complementary skill sets enabled us to pour into the project, and we are excited to be serving the people and communities located in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, and nearby counties.

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To find out more about SAWN-PA, email sawnpa2025@gmail.com. For more information about Pennsylvania's woodland owners associations, check out the Finley Center's website.