§ 27.2. Objectives.
(a) The 13 designated Natural Areas and one Wild Area have been established and managed according to the guidelines in the Commission Resolution. The Department recognized the need for additional natural areas and wild areas and incorporated the following objectives into the Forest Resource Plan which coordinates all resource activities on State Forest land:
(1) Protect areas of scenic, historic, geologic or ecological significance through the establishment of Natural Areas which will remain in an undisturbed state, with development and maintenance being limited to that required for health and safety.
(2) Set aside certain areas of land to be known as Wild Areas where development or disturbance of permanent nature will be prohibited, thereby preserving the wild character of the area.
(b) During the inventory phase of the Forest Resource Plan, all unique or unusual biologic, geologic, scenic and historic areas were considered and studied for possible natural area designation. In addition to the ‘‘unique’’ or ‘‘unusual,’’ representative examples of all major forest types occurring in this Commonwealth were also included in the proposed natural area system. Natural area status was considered advisable whenever other resource development would have an adverse effect on the future utility or value of the area.
(c) Like potential Natural Areas, potential Wild Areas were also located during the inventory process of the Forest Resource Plan. To be considered, an area had to be: 3,000 acres or larger; relatively free of man-made developments such as roads, rights-of-ways, pipelines, powerlines, campsite leases; mineral ownership in this Commonwealth; and possessing high scenic values.
Source The provisions of this § 27.2 adopted April 4, 1975, effective April 5, 1975, 5 Pa.B. 721.
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