Gray's Woods Preserve will be part of Game Commission program for habitat preservation
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- A unanimous board vote will place Gray’s Woods Preserve into the PGC 400 Areas Program.
- The PGC will provide financial support for habitat management of the preserve's 149 acres.
- Preserve management will allow seasonal public hunting and forestry initiatives.
Gray’s Woods Preserve will enter the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s (PGC) 400 Areas Program after a unanimous vote from the Patton Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday evening.
The 400 Areas Program, run by the PGC, will provide financial support for the habitat management of Gray’s Woods Preserve’s 149 acres of land.
The area, which borders Gray’s Woods Park, will be subject to the same regulations and management as other nearby State Game Lands, opening the forest to seasonal public hunting, forestry initiatives and habitat conservation programs for essential species.
Entrance into the program is free for the township, said Patton Township manager Amy Farkas, who emphasized the advantages the 400 Areas Program would provide for the maintenance of the land.
“There is a lot of sensitive habitat inside Gray’s Woods Preserve, and [the PGC] can do things cooperatively,” Farkas said. “This is going to save us a tremendous amount of money.”
The property line between Gray’s Woods Park and Gray’s Woods Preserve was adjusted in December 2025 to allow for a smoother boundary between spaces. The park side of the boundary will permit archery hunting only, while the preserve side will allow hunting rifles.
“We are very excited about this opportunity to work with the Game Commission,” Farkas said. “They’ve been incredible partners as we’ve been working on this.”
