  | 
	         Pennsylvania 
              Biodiversity Partnership 
              2004 
              Conference: Exhibits | 
	 
	 
        Economic 
          Prosperity and Biodiversity Conservation: 
          Planning for Pennsylvania's Future 
          Harrisburg, 
          PA  
          November 9-10, 2004 
           
          Biodiversity Supports Pennsylvania Businesses and Economic 
          Growth!
  Exhibit Synopses   
         Audubon 
          Pennsylvania 
          With nearly 4 million people spending almost $1 billion annually to 
          participate in wildlife watching in Pennsylvania, birds and wildlife 
          have become big business for the Commonwealth. Audubon's 81 Important 
          Bird Areas and the 218 Susquehanna River Birding and Wildlife Trail 
          sites offer communities throughout Pennsylvania an economic incentive 
          to help protect the state's biodiversity. 
        DCNR / Wild 
          Resource Conservation Program 
          Pennsylvania Wilds covers 12 counties in northcentral Pennsylvania, 
          and includes more than two million acres of public lands. The Commonwealth 
          is developing a strategy to encourage the growth of tourism and related 
          businesses in this area based on these significant outdoor experiences. 
          The Wild Resource Conservation Program directs resources toward native 
          species - both plants and animals - and educates both children and adults 
          on how to help recognize and preserve some of Pennsylvania’s most 
          sensitive flora and fauna. 
        Ernst Conservation 
          Seeds 
          Ernst Conservation Seeds commercially grows Pennsylvania native species 
          for wetland restoration, riparian buffers, and meadows. Our seeds are 
          mainly used in wetland mitigation, roadside stabilization, and mine 
          and landfill coverings. 
        French Creek 
          Project 
          Few streams in Pennsylvania are more attractive and more biologically 
          diverse than French Creek. This nationally renowned waterway begins 
          in Chautauqua County, western New York, and flows for 117 miles through 
          northwestern Pennsylvania. Recreation is an important river value of 
          French Creek. Boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, viewing wildlife, camping, 
          and relaxing are just a few of the many outdoor activities enjoyed along 
          the waterway. The value of the river can be seen in the wildlife and 
          aquatic life, income, recreation, transportation, and aesthetics it 
          provides to the area through which it flows. 
        Hardwoods 
          Development Council and   Pennsylvania Forest Products Association 
          Pennsylvania forests contains more hardwood volume than any state in 
          the U.S. and the state ranks first in the production of hardwood lumber. 
          The state’s forest products industry is a $5.5 billion industry. 
          Over 2,600 companies employ in excess of 90,000 Pennsylvanians, accounting 
          for more than ten percent of the state’s manufacturing workforce. 
        Pennsylvania 
          Fish and Boat Commission  "Keep Pennsylvania Fishing & Boating" 
           
          The fees paid by anglers and boaters provide the funds that stock fish 
          in Pennsylvania waters, put waterways conservation officers on patrol, 
          maintain boat ramps, provide education programs, and much more. Fishing 
          and boating are keys to the quality of life of Pennsylvanians, and they 
          have major positive economic impacts of more than $2 billion per year. 
          More than 40 million days are spent fishing and boating in Pennsylvania 
          each year. More than $53 million goes into the state's general fund 
          each year from sales and income taxes from fishing and boating activities. 
          This funding and more is necessary to "Keep Pennsylvania Fishing 
          & Boating." 
        Westsylvania 
          Heritage Corporation 
          Westsylvania Heritage Corporation serves as a resource center for heritage 
          conservation efforts in the central Appalachians. WHC also manages the 
          Path of Progress National Heritage Tour Route that serves to guide visitors 
          to stories and sites of Westsylvania, interpreting the cultural and 
          natural heritage of this region.
  
         
    |