Varden Conservation Area

{{Short description|State park in Wayne County, Pennsylvania}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox park | name = Varden Conservation Area | image = VCA Still.jpg | image_caption = | image_alt = Scenery | image_size = 280 | location = [[Wayne County, Pennsylvania]], United States | coordinates = {{coord|41.48758|-75.38254|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = <ref name="vca"/> | area = {{convert|444|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="vca"/> | elevation = {{convert|1253|ft}} | established = 2001 | administrator = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | free_label = | free_data = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | map = USA Pennsylvania#USA | label = Varden Conservation Area | label_position = | map_caption = Location in Pennsylvania | relief = 1 | module = [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania State Parks]] }} }} '''Varden Conservation Area''' is a [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]] on {{convert|444|acre}} in [[Lake Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania|Lake]] and [[South Canaan Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania|South Canaan Township]]s, [[Wayne County, Pennsylvania|Wayne County]], [[Pennsylvania]] in the United States. The conservation area is currently under development. The land was donated to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in December 2001 by Dr. Mead Shaffer a [[veterinarian]] and resident of [[Boothwyn, Pennsylvania]] in [[Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Delaware County]]. Dr. Shaffer stated his reason for donating the land, "Environmental education always has been a primary concern of mine. I trust this land will allow present and [[future generations]] to observe and study the diverse [[ecology]] found in the Varden Conservation Area."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/polycomm/res2002/vardenca0102.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020215045439/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/polycomm/res2002/vardenca0102.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 15, 2002 |title=Varden Conservation Area announcement |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=[[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]]}}</ref> Varden Conservation Area is near the unincorporated village of Varden on [[Pennsylvania Route 296]], east of the [[Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Lackawanna County]] line.<ref name="vca">{{cite web |url=https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/varden-conservation-area |title=Varden Conservation Area |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref>

A conservation area is different from a typical state park. Conservation areas have much less development on the lands than a state park. They are large tracts of land with few improvements, a lack of through roads and the recreational facilities are minimal. There is an effort to manage the resources with minimal development of the park. Other conservation areas in Pennsylvania are the [[Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area]] and the [[Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area]] both of which are in [[Dauphin County, Pennsylvania|Dauphin County]].<ref name="vca"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Varden Conservation Area}} {{portal|Pennsylvania}} *[https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/varden-conservation-area Varden Conservation Area] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources *[http://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=1737203&DocName=VARD_ParkMap.pdf Varden Conservation Area Map] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

[[Category:State parks of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 2001]] [[Category:Parks in Wayne County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Conservation areas of the United States]] [[Category:2001 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Wayne County, Pennsylvania]]