Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
A trail through the woods
Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area Location in Pennsylvania
Location	Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States
Area	783 acres (317 ha)
Elevation	1,053 ft (321 m)
Established	2000
Named for	the donor, Joseph E. Ibberson
Governing body	Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Website	Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area

The Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area is a special natural space in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It covers about 783 acres of land. This area is known for its large hardwood trees.

It's a great place for outdoor activities like hiking, cross-country skiing, and even hunting. You can also find environmental education programs here. The area is named after Joseph E. Ibberson, who generously donated the land in 1998. It officially opened to the public in 2000. You can find it on Peters Mountain, just off Pennsylvania Route 225.

What is a Conservation Area?

A conservation area is different from a regular state park. Conservation areas are kept much more natural. They have fewer buildings or paved roads.

The main goal is to protect the natural resources with very little human development. This means you won't find many facilities like big visitor centers or playgrounds. Other conservation areas in Pennsylvania include the Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area and Varden Conservation Area.

The Amazing Forest

Peters Mountain was once covered with very old, tall trees like white pine and hemlock. But in the mid-to-late 1800s, many trees were cut down during a time called the "lumber era."

Today, the forest is mostly made up of different kinds of hardwood trees. You can see trees like chestnut, red, black, and scarlet oak. There are also table mountain, white, and Virginia pine, plus hickory, black gum, basswood, black walnut, black birch, black cherry, sassafras, black locust, red maple, and American beech.

This mix of trees creates a perfect home for many animals. You might spot white-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkey, grey and red squirrels, and many types of birds.

Forest Changes: The Gypsy Moth Story

The forest here is slowly changing again. In the 1980s, tiny gypsy moth caterpillars caused a lot of damage. They ate the leaves off many trees, leaving them bare. This allowed more sunlight to reach the forest floor.

Because of this extra sunlight, many white pine and hemlock seeds, which had been waiting for light, started to grow. Now, thousands of young pine and hemlock trees are growing tall. They might eventually grow bigger than the hardwood trees, slowly turning the forest back to how it was long ago.

A Look Back in Time: History of the Area

People have lived in this area for a very long time, possibly over 11,000 years! A nearby archaeological site is one of the oldest and largest places where Paleo-Indians lived in North America.

Archaeologists believe these early people hunted caribou here. Some of their stone tools were made from stone found far away in New York.

Native American Life

Over the years, many different Native American tribes lived in this area. These included the Shawnee, Nanticoke, Lenape, Iroquois, and Susquehannock tribes. They were living here when European settlers arrived.

Thousands of artifacts from this area can be seen at the Smithsonian and the Pennsylvania State Museum.

European Settlers and Joseph Ibberson

European settlers began to live here in the early 1700s. Peter Allen built a house on the mountain in 1726, and Peters Mountain is named after him. His house was used as a hotel and a stop for stagecoaches. It is still standing today and is the oldest house in Dauphin County.

Joseph E. Ibberson, who the conservation area is named after, worked for Pennsylvania after graduating from Yale University in 1948. He helped create plans for managing Pennsylvania's state forests. He also helped set up different parts of what is now the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

After he retired in 1977, he continued his work on his own land. On December 9, 1998, he donated his land. This led to the creation of Pennsylvania's first conservation area. After he passed away in 2011, his family donated even more land, bringing the total size of the area to 783 acres.

Fun Activities: Recreation

Since Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area is a conservation area and not a state park, the activities are a bit different. You won't find many common park facilities here. However, it's a great place for hunting, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Hunting Opportunities

Hunting is allowed on about 320 acres of the conservation area. Hunters must follow the rules set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. You might find ruffed grouse, eastern gray squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, black bears, and eastern cottontail rabbits here. However, hunting groundhogs is not allowed.

Explore the Trails

The trails at Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area are perfect for hiking and cross-country skiing. Remember, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails, except for park staff.

• Whitetail Trail: This is a "moderate" trail, 1.0 mile long, marked with pink blazes. It starts at the western gate and connects to Victoria Trail.
• Victoria Trail: This is a "difficult" trail, 1.8 miles long, marked with royal blue blazes. It's quite rugged and goes from the eastern side of the park to the Appalachian Trail.
• Appalachian Trail: This famous trail, marked with white blazes, passes through the conservation area for 0.5 miles. It stretches all the way from Georgia to Maine.
• Evergreen Trail: An "easy" loop trail, 1.1 miles long, marked with red blazes. It's in the eastern part of the park.
• Old Sawmill Trail: This "easy" trail is 0.9 miles long. It circles the spot where Baker's Sawmill used to be, which was the last steam sawmill in Dauphin County. It's marked with yellow blazes.
• Pine Trail: An "easy" trail, 0.9 miles long. It starts at Evergreen Trail, passes a pond, and goes through different forest areas. It's marked with lime green blazes.
• Turkey Foot Trail: This "easy" trail is 0.6 miles long. It's marked with lavender blazes and starts at the western end of Evergreen Trail.
• Rock Trail: A "moderate" trail, 0.8 miles long, marked with beige blazes. It goes through some very rocky areas and starts where Evergreen, Old Sawmill, and Pine trails meet.

Nearby Parks to Visit

If you're looking for more outdoor adventures, here are some state parks within 30 miles of Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area:

• Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area (Dauphin County)
• Gifford Pinchot State Park (York County)
• Little Buffalo State Park (Perry County)
• Memorial Lake State Park (Lebanon County)
• Shikellamy State Park (Northumberland and Union Counties)
• Swatara State Park (Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties)