Restoring the Loyalsock State Forest After the Flood

In October 2016, a band of heavy rain dropped up to eight inches on north central Pennsylvania, sending torrents of water, boulders and debris crashing through Loyalsock State Forest. The flood washed out roads, bridges and homes and caused a Sunoco gasoline pipeline to rupture when debris struck a bridge over Wallis Run, spilling more than 55,000 gallons of fuel into swollen Loyalsock Creek. Residents were evacuated, some lost everything, and fumes from the pipeline leak lingered.

One area hit hard is the Clarence Moore lands, 25,000 acres of unbroken forest that the Save the Loyalsock Coalition has been fighting to protect from natural-gas development. PennFuture, a founding member of the coalition, had recently hosted an event in the ghost town of Masten to showcase the area’s beauty. The flood, which caused an estimated $6 million in damages to the forest and more than $33 million across four counties, underscores the need to preserve these lands even as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources begins repairs.

Downstream communities are now cleaning up, low-interest loans and federal disaster relief are helping rebuild, and Sunoco has repaired the ruptured pipeline. As roads, trails and bridges are restored, nature will heal the forest’s diverse ecosystems. The Save the Loyalsock Coalition will continue pressing to protect the Clarence Moore lands permanently so future generations can enjoy their natural wonders. Author Ann Pinca, communications coordinator for the coalition, invites readers to learn more at saveloyalsock.org.