Landowner Stories

Local Family Helps to Protect Their Community

In the late 1940s, George and Anna Coutts, parents of George Coutts, purchased a large parcel along the shore of Lake Wallenpaupack as an investment. The land was then developed as the Penn Woods community.

The family reserved some pieces of land from being developed, including a half-mile lake access which allows every person who owns a home in the Penn Woods community access to the lake without cluttering the shore with numerous docks. Among the parcels retained by the Coutts family was the 25-acre Penn Wood Forest. George and his siblings knew they wanted to forever protect this property after George heard about conservation easements from a neighbor.

The family knew that they would be able to donate the property to the Penn Wood Homeowners Association knowing that the land would never be developed. It was the ideal choice because it means that the land can be enjoyed, shared, and protected.

The presentation of the 25-acre Penn Wood Forest to the Penn Woods Homeowners Association was made by George Coutts on behalf of his family and the Penn Wood Trust. George and his eight siblings worked with the Delaware Highlands Conservancy to create a conservation easement which will keep the land safe from logging and further development, while allowing passive recreation for the community. Protected this way, Penn Wood Forest will also help ensure water quality and improve ground water recharge for the surrounding community.

A plaque will be placed at the entrance to the Penn Wood Forest in memory of George’s parents, George E. Coutts and Anna K. Coutts.