(Butler, PA) The Butler County Community College Education Foundation, Inc. announced today that it is transferring ownership and operations of the Succop Conservancy to Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP). The agreement is effective on July 1, 2011.
“We are pleased to convey the Conservancy to ASWP, an organization with expertise and experience in environmental education and programming,” said Ruth Purcell, Director of the Education Foundation. “ASWP is committed to continuing and enhancing current events and programs at the Conservancy. The Foundation and ASWP are working closely together to assure that the transition will be seamless.”
Scheduled programs and events include 75 weddings planned for 2011 and 2012; Geneva College’s Master of Organizational Leadership Program; The Rotary Jazz Festival on August 21; and summer programs at the Conservancy.
The Foundation is pleased with the agreement,” said Sue Bennitt, Chairperson of the BC3 Education Foundation, “and we are delighted that the mission of ASWP so closely reflects the intent of Tom and JoAnn Succop when they donated the property to the BC3 Education Foundation in 2001.”
Over the past year, the Foundation Board with the assistance of a Task Force including BC3 Board of Trustee members has looked at how the Conservancy fits into the overall mission of the BC3 Education Foundation. The task force concluded that a partnership was necessary to assure sustainability of Conservancy operations and began discussions with private, public and nonprofit groups.
ASWP emerged as the ideal organization to carry forward the programs that the Foundation, the College and countless volunteers developed over the 10 years of Foundation ownership of the Conservancy. The Foundation and ASWP had a previous partnership with summer camp programs at the Conservancy and there are several members of the ASWP Board of Directors who live in Butler County.
BC3 President, Dr. Nick Neupauer endorses the BC3 Foundation Board’s transfer of the Succop Conservancy to ASWP stating, “Both the College and Foundation have benefitted from the Succop family’s gift of the Conservancy, but as we look at current and future budget restrictions we are compelled to critically evaluate how all programs further our core missions. This is a courageous decision on the part of the BC3 Foundation and one that will benefit the entire community by providing continuity of environmental, recreational and educational opportunities.”
“Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania has worked with Succop Conservancy over its 10-year history to help provide quality environmental education programs at their beautiful facility and is excited about this opportunity,” said Jim Bonner, ASWP Executive Director. “We look forward to keeping the activities that have been put in place while adding many of the programs that have made Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve a success for over 30 years.”
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is a 7-county environmental education and conservation engagement organization whose mission is to inspire and educate the people of southwestern Pennsylvania to be respectful stewards of the natural world. The ASWP locations at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve (Fox Chapel, Allegheny County) and Todd Nature Reserve (Buffalo Township, Butler County) – and now Succop Conservancy – encourage lifelong environmental learning via 420 acres, 11 miles of hiking trails, educational and outreach programs, and the Native Plant Center. Visit www.aswp.org or call 412-963-6100 to learn more. ASWP – Connecting People With Nature Since 1916.
The Succop Conservancy is a 50-acre estate located at 185 West Airport Road in Penn Township south of Butler, PA. The purpose of the Conservancy is to promote environmental stewardship, to preserve local history and heritage, and to provide a distinctive community resource.
“We are pleased to convey the Conservancy to ASWP, an organization with expertise and experience in environmental education and programming,” said Ruth Purcell, Director of the Education Foundation. “ASWP is committed to continuing and enhancing current events and programs at the Conservancy. The Foundation and ASWP are working closely together to assure that the transition will be seamless.”
Scheduled programs and events include 75 weddings planned for 2011 and 2012; Geneva College’s Master of Organizational Leadership Program; The Rotary Jazz Festival on August 21; and summer programs at the Conservancy.
The Foundation is pleased with the agreement,” said Sue Bennitt, Chairperson of the BC3 Education Foundation, “and we are delighted that the mission of ASWP so closely reflects the intent of Tom and JoAnn Succop when they donated the property to the BC3 Education Foundation in 2001.”
Over the past year, the Foundation Board with the assistance of a Task Force including BC3 Board of Trustee members has looked at how the Conservancy fits into the overall mission of the BC3 Education Foundation. The task force concluded that a partnership was necessary to assure sustainability of Conservancy operations and began discussions with private, public and nonprofit groups.
ASWP emerged as the ideal organization to carry forward the programs that the Foundation, the College and countless volunteers developed over the 10 years of Foundation ownership of the Conservancy. The Foundation and ASWP had a previous partnership with summer camp programs at the Conservancy and there are several members of the ASWP Board of Directors who live in Butler County.
BC3 President, Dr. Nick Neupauer endorses the BC3 Foundation Board’s transfer of the Succop Conservancy to ASWP stating, “Both the College and Foundation have benefitted from the Succop family’s gift of the Conservancy, but as we look at current and future budget restrictions we are compelled to critically evaluate how all programs further our core missions. This is a courageous decision on the part of the BC3 Foundation and one that will benefit the entire community by providing continuity of environmental, recreational and educational opportunities.”
“Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania has worked with Succop Conservancy over its 10-year history to help provide quality environmental education programs at their beautiful facility and is excited about this opportunity,” said Jim Bonner, ASWP Executive Director. “We look forward to keeping the activities that have been put in place while adding many of the programs that have made Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve a success for over 30 years.”
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is a 7-county environmental education and conservation engagement organization whose mission is to inspire and educate the people of southwestern Pennsylvania to be respectful stewards of the natural world. The ASWP locations at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve (Fox Chapel, Allegheny County) and Todd Nature Reserve (Buffalo Township, Butler County) – and now Succop Conservancy – encourage lifelong environmental learning via 420 acres, 11 miles of hiking trails, educational and outreach programs, and the Native Plant Center. Visit www.aswp.org or call 412-963-6100 to learn more. ASWP – Connecting People With Nature Since 1916.
The Succop Conservancy is a 50-acre estate located at 185 West Airport Road in Penn Township south of Butler, PA. The purpose of the Conservancy is to promote environmental stewardship, to preserve local history and heritage, and to provide a distinctive community resource.