ELK VISITORS CENTER GROUNDBREAKING SET

An artist's rendering of the front of the Elk Country Visitors Center on Winslow Hill. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the multi-million-dollar Elk Country Visitors Center will take place on Winslow Hill near Benezette on Thursday at 2pm.

The center is a cooperative venture between the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and Pa. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources. It is located on 245- acre of the former Betta Christmas Tree Farm in the heart of Pennsylvania's elk range.

The property, acquired by RMEF in 2005, borders on state forest and state game lands where elk bugling, rutting and grazing activities traditionally occur.

"With exhibits scheduled for completion in August 2009, the grand opening of the center is planned for October 2009," said Rawley Cogan, RMEF lands program manager.

Perhaps no one is more excited about the center. Cogan's involvement with the

elk program in Pennsylvania has spanned 25 years. In 1982, he went to work for the Game Commission and became the elk biologist in 1992. In 2002, he joined RMEF.

The state is contributing $5 million for design and construction of the center, including observation trails, roadways and parking. RMEF is responsible for the education programs, interpretive exhibits, operational and maintenance costs. The foundation has raised $9.3 million of the campaign goal of $12 million.

RMEF provided $2 million for the purchase of the property, assessment studies and preparation costs.

"This center will be the premier elk-watching and conservation center in the eastern United States and will become a key destination for visitors," said Cogan. "Blinds and trails for wildlife viewing have been carefully planned to minimize impact on animals and habitat."

Benezette was chosen, Cogan explained, because it is the official "Elk Capital of Pennsylvania," and the animals have historically occupied and favored that area.

He noted that 46 million people live within a six-hour drive of the location. About 75,000 visitors travel to the area annually to see the elk. Cogan estimates that the figure will swell to 180,000 by 2013.

Pennsylvania has the longest history of any reintroduced elk herd east of the Mississippi River. Elk were reintroduced in the state between 1913 and 1926, after the native Eastern elk became extinct around 1877. The current elk herd is healthy and totals around 700 animals.

It doesn't hurt that Pennsylvania is one of the top states in the country in membership and fund-raising for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Cogan said the economic impact of the elk center is projected to be $18 million, creating 250 new jobs as businesses expand and create an infrastructure to support the needs of tourists.

Additionally, school students will experience the interactive educational components of the program. One of the center's consultants designed venues for Walt Disney World. Two young Clydesdale horses are being trained to provide wagon rides and sleigh rides onsite.

The 8,400 square-foot Visitors Center will be eligible for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifi- cation. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction, and operation of "green" buildings.

Site selection was planned to minimize impact on habitat and landscape. Light fixtures will be night-sky friendly. Rainwater runoff will be collected and reused for toilet flushes.

Locally available building materials and certified wood from sustainably harvested timber will be used in construction. Use of natural materials, such as wood and stone, will attractively blend the structure into the surrounding landscape.