Conservation & Environment

Non-profit organizations that focus on Conservation & Environment protect and preserve Washington County’s water, air, land, plants, animals, and other natural resources.

Impact

• Washington County, Pennsylvania has 857.0 square miles of land area and 3.9 square miles of water. It is the 18th largest county in Pennsylvania by total area. Washington County sits entirely within the Western Allegheny Plateau section of the Appalachian Forest ecoregion and is home to more than 3,000 different species of flora and fauna. - iNaturalist.org, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist, U.S. Census Bureau
• Washington County’s Greenways Plan is dedicated to the conservation of open space, parks and recreation, and natural areas in the county. Future updates to the plan include trail expansions and surface improvements. - Washington County Planning Commission
• Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership reports that in 2018, an 8-year plan to plant 10 million trees across Pennsylvania was launched. As of 2024, nearly 6 million trees have been planted, 990 of which are within Washington County.
  

Strengths

• Land Conservation
• Keystone 10 Million Trees Project
• Greenways Plan Updates

Challenges

Education for community members on ways to protect our environment is needed. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington County’s recycling is becoming less frequent as a form of waste management. In 2021, 50% of waste was being recycled, but that drastically reduced to 18% in 2022. Of the 66 municipalities in the county, 11 are mandated to provide curbside recycling, and two do so voluntarily.

Options for specific recycling, such as glass, tires, and electronics, are needed, but equipment is costly. In addition to cost, focus group members noted the space required for larger pieces of equipment would need to be considered when budgeting. The average operating budget of conservation and environment charities participating in our annual giving event is under $42,000.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports toxic releases into the environment are increasing, from 211,090lbs in 2021 to 369,913lbs in 2022. Tens of thousands of abandoned wells across Pennsylvania are causing methane and other toxic gas leakages, many of which are reported to be in Western Pennsylvania, according to the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act Fact Sheet. Congress has proposed plans to plug these abandoned wells, but the number of abandoned wells continues to grow.

The Washington County Conservation District reports sediment as the largest source of pollution in our county, state, and nation. Focus group members discussed the need for a larger riparian buffer of 35 feet to help combat this pollution getting into streams. This buffer increase would also assist in the preservation of wildlife and conservation of pollinators, which are approved to be in the buffer zone.