| I traveled
to the mountains of South Central Pennsylvania to meet up with Marcia
and Bruce Bonta at their home on Plummer’s Hollow. Marcia is
a freelance author who combines her keen naturalist’s eye with
her passion, enthusiasm and knowledge for the natural world. Her husband,
Bruce, is a retired librarian from Penn State who now spends his days
managing their 650-acre property.
Initially I thought it would be interesting
to write a story simply about Marcia and her nature writing but
soon realized there was much more to share. The Bonta’s story
begins with their move to Pennsylvania in 1971 when Bruce took a
job at the University. They wanted a special place to live and raise
their three sons and found it on a remote farm property tucked away
in the hills.
 |
Books
By Marcia Bonta:
Appalachian Summer
Appalachian Autumn
Appalachian Spring
Women in the Field: America's Pioneering
Women Naturalists
Outbound Journeys in Pennsylvania
More Outbound Journeys in Pennsylvania editor of American
Women Afield: Writings
by America's Pioneering Women
Naturalists. |
The 143-acre land, originally known as Plummers Farm, grew in size
due to the Bonta’s commitment to preserving the forest. In 1984,
they acquired a couple hundred acres when logging threatened the land
along the access road to their home. They continued to remain committed
to preserving the land surrounding the hollow and a year later bought
an additional 188 acres. Seven years later they purchased more land
that unfortunately had been logged before they could make the acquisition
but will now be given the precious time it needs to allow healing
to occur. Today, their property totals 650 acres and they’ve
preserved their property from logging and further abuses by not allowing
their land to be subdivided or commercially exploited. |
