How has Mt. Nittany been preserved as a fountainhead of tradition, pride and recreation?

In 1945, the Lion's Paw Alumni Association (LPAA) saved 525 acres from lumbering and other desecration through a fund-raising campaign among its few hundred members. But encroachment continued. In 1981, the Association formed the Mount Nittany Conservancy (MNC) to acquire additional land. With community and alumni support, the Conservancy has obtained through purchase or donation over 300 acres that faced possible use for commercial or residential purposes.

If you've ever been curious about the Mike Lynch Overlook, read more about how Lynch was the lynchpin.

This link, Kings of the Hill (Courtesy of Town & Gown magazine) is to a scanned PDF from  November/December 1976 issue of The Penn Stater magazine. The article was first published in the July and August 1976 editions of Town & Gown magazine under the title "Who Owns Mount Nittany?" Written by Terry Dunkle, the story concludes with a powerful statement as true today as when it was written: She is our Plymouth Rock, our Old Faithful, our Cathedral of Rheims, our Gibraltar. "The moment we see Mount Nittany," as one old grad has said, "we know we are home."

This link, Not-any Mountain, is a view from the early 1980's that is a wonderful look back at the early history of Mt. Nittany and its place in all our hearts.

In 2011, the Mount Nittany Conservancy marked 30 years of keeping the Mountain 'green and growing'. Click here to learn more about the MNC History and Lore.

 

Preservation of Mt. Nittany for future generations of Centre Countians, Penn Staters and other lovers of the outdoors is our primary concern.

Our two organizations continue to build and maintain trails and overlooks, conduct clean-up projects and spray for gypsy moths. We keep a wary eye out to prevent further encroachment and a sharp eye out for parcels of land to obtain in the future. We wish to hold all available land from the 1,300-foot elevation to the 2,200-foot crest as seen from the campus and the Mount Nittany Expressway, as well as add land on the Boalsburg side if funding permits.

The image below shows the current holdings of the MNC and LPAA. The 1,300-foot elevation is marked in red. You can view the map as a PDF or in larger size.

Our formal Mission Statement reads as follows:

To learn more about the Conservancy (and see a trails map), download our brochure "A Symbol of our Pride" here:

MNC_Brochure.pdf (3.1 Mb)

You can help continue our mission with your financial support. Become a Friend of the Conservancy with an annual donation. And own your little piece of the Conservancy lands by buying a one-square-inch life estate deed, which is documented for posterity in your name on a beautiful 16" x 20" deed to hang in your home or business. This work of art is a memorable gift for any lover of Mt. Nittany.

 

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