Landmark Land Swap Preserves Historic Scott Farm and Protects Appalachian Trail Lands

Asia Tabb

Sarah Blake Morgan / AP Photo

FILE PHOTO: In this March 30, 2020, photo, Alexandra Eagle, right, and Jonathan Hall stand in front of a waterfall on the Appalachian Trail in Cosby, Tenn. The couple planned the to hike from Georgia to Maryland until coronavirus concerns forced them off the trail.

AIRED; February 24, 2026

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On this week’s show, we spoke with Karen Lutz, Board Vice President at the Keystone Trails Association (also Vice President of the Central PA Conservancy), and Cameron Weiser, Land Protection Director at Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, about a unique land exchange benefiting the Appalachian Trail in South-Central Pennsylvania. The swap involves CPC acquiring the historic 5-acre Scott Farm in Cumberland County to prevent its demolition and provide public access, parking, and operational space for the Keystone Trails Association and Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club, while the National Park Service receives 162 acres along Peters Mountain, including the Peters Mountain Shelter, to preserve critical habitat and trail buffers. Karen discussed KTA’s role in trail advocacy, protection, and care across the state, including sections of the Appalachian Trail, while Cameron explained CPC’s mission to protect local land and the steps that led to acquiring the Dauphin County parcel. Together, they outlined the challenges of maintaining a 2,190-mile trail across 14 states with over three million visitors annually, the importance of inter-agency cooperation, and how this exchange ensures both the historic farm and ecologically significant mountain lands are protected for generations of hikers to come.

Landmark Land Swap Preserves Historic Scott Farm and Protects Appalachian Trail Lands

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