State Game Lands 93: Honoring the Heroes of Flight 93

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The Conservation Fund and Pennsylvania Game Commission announced in 2006 the establishment of State Game Lands 93 with the protection of 100 acres purchased from the Berwind Natural Resources Corporation. In collaboration with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and with support from the McCune Revolving Fund, National Park Service and Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Fund and its partners are ensuring that these lands are preserved in solemn tribute to the 40 brave Americans who lost their lives near rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.

"The Families are exceedingly pleased by The Conservation Fund's tireless efforts to secure such lands that will honor our lost loved ones. We highly value our positive partnership with The Conservation Fund and appreciate its assistance to designate these Game Lands as ‘93’ and reinforce the recognition of our Heroes of Flight 93."

- Patrick White, Vice President, Families of Flight 93

Summary

Located immediately north of the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, State Game Lands 93 opened to the public in September 2006, and is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission for recreation, including public hunting activities, and for the protection of wildlife habitat and open space. The 100-acre parcel serves as a land buffer for the planned entrance to the Flight 93 National Memorial and will help delineate the park’s northern boundary.

In 2002, Congress passed the Flight 93 Memorial Act authorizing the creation of the Flight 93 National Memorial. Public and private partners have provided a significant portion of funding for the future park, the final design of which was announced in September 2005.

On behalf of the Families of Flight 93, Flight 93 Federal Advisory Commission, Flight 93 Memorial Task Force, the local community and National Park Service, The Conservation Fund has been negotiating with private landowners to acquire and protect land in and around the crash site.

Working on behalf of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Fund will continue its efforts to partner with willing landowners to protect key parcels as additions to State Game Lands 93. The Game Commission approved three parcels totaling approximately 300 acres in 2006. An additional 96 acres was donated by CONSOL Energy to The Conservation Fund in September 2007 for addition to State Game Lands 93. The previously-designated State Game Lands(SGL) 93, a 4,876-acre holding in Clearfield County, was renamed SGL 331.

The Flight 93 temporary memorial, located at the crash site near rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in Somerset County, already attracts more than 130,000 visitors annually.