Wed, Jul 16th 2008, 14:53. Filed under .

[High resolution photos available] Blairsville, PA – July 16, 2008 The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) has a longstanding history of studying and conserving the Allegheny River that dates back to the 1960s and includes conservation of nearly 20,000 acres of its islands, shorelines and surrounding land. Recently, WPC helped more than 150 canoeists enjoy the river on a two-day Allegheny River Sojourn.

A bald eagle created a wonderful start to the event by catching a fish on the river’s edge as the sojourners assembled. “Practically after launching, we bent down and picked up northern riffleshell mussels, a federally endangered species, “ said Jason E. Farabaugh, who attended the sojourn with his family.

WPC's Freshwater Conservation Program has coordinated seven previous sojourns, all of which were along the Clarion River, but this year decided to explore the Allegheny.

“The Allegheny River has been called a paddler’s dream, offering sections of changing currents followed by quiet, still waters on the back channels of undisturbed islands,” said WPC’s Senior Director of Freshwater Conservation Nick Pinizzotto. “The weather cooperated for the most part, and canoeists were able to experience the Allegheny River at its cleanest and most natural state.”

Participants passed through dramatic hardwood forest valleys and discovered undisturbed islands that are sanctuaries for wildlife. In 1984, Congress designated seven National Forest islands between Buckaloons and Tionesta as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The sojourn passed one of these islands, Baker Island, and two other islands along the way.

Participants explored and learned about the Allegheny's underwater communities. The Allegheny River is one of Pennsylvania's richest waterways for freshwater mussels, with exceptional populations of the federally endangered clubshell and northern riffleshell mussels living there.

The sojourn began in Tidioute, Warren County, and traveled to Tionesta, Forest County. WPC provided a camping site as an option for those who wished to be outdoors as much as possible. The group continued on from Tionesta and paddled to President, Pa.

Together with its partners, WPC hopes to continue to conserve and restore the Allegheny River, so that present and future generations can enjoy this natural treasure.

About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
To date, the Conservancy has protected nearly 225,000 acres of natural lands in Pennsylvania. Now in its 76th year, Pennsylvania’s first conservancy continues to partner with grassroots organizations to protect land, restore watersheds and save natural habitats.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) preserves Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater®, which was designed in 1935 and entrusted to the Conservancy in 1963 by Edgar Kaufmann jr. A symbol of living in harmony with nature, Fallingwater is open to the public and offers a wide variety of educational programs to its more than 135,000 annual visitors.

Each year, WPC plants and maintains community gardens and greening projects throughout Western Pennsylvania. In 2007, WPC partnered with more than 5,300 volunteers and dozens of community organizations to plant 140 gardens in 19 western Pennsylvania counties.