Join us for a community conversation exploring how land conservation supports thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and local economies. Recent research from Maine highlights the growing economic value of conserved lands — from supporting recreation, forestry, agriculture, and tourism to protecting clean water, storing carbon, and strengthening climate resilience. The findings reveal something important: protecting natural landscapes is not only good for the environment, but also for the people and communities that depend on them.

Together, we’ll explore what this research means both regionally and here at home. How do conserved lands shape our quality of life, local economy, and sense of place? How can communities balance growth, conservation, and long-term sustainability? And what role can each of us play in protecting the landscapes that support both nature and people?

At each “Let’s Talk Nature” gathering, we share a short article in advance and come together for an informal, welcoming discussion. Each session stands on its own, and everyone is welcome. No expertise needed. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to listen and share. Drinks and cookies provided.

Read this session’s article: Conserved Land in Maine has Growing Economic Power

Grey Rocks Conservation Center

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on Wed, 1 Jul 2026

The New Jersey Devils are in a pickle coming into this offseason. It’s the same pickle they had last offseason, but in true Tom Fitzgerald fashion, the Devils sat on their issue and hoped they could address it during the season.

The issue is that they have seven NHL defensemen. Last year, that narrative changed drastically when Luke Hughes signed a seven-year deal worth $9 million per season. It’s really easy to play with seven high-upside defensemen when two are on their entry-level deal. Now, with two players making $9 million and five players making $4 million or more.

The Devils had one of the most expensive defensive units in the league. That could get a lot worse with Simon Nemec’s entry-level contract ending. He’s due a massive raise, and reports say he wants to squeeze as much money out of this negotiation as possible.

Nemec is technically the Devils’ seventh defenseman. Sunny Mehta is going to figure something out this offseason to rectify that situation. For some reason, Fitzgerald gave out multiple long-term contracts to veteran defensemen while also prioritizing defense in the draft. Since taking over as GM, and eventually President of Hockey Operations, Fitzgerald used four of his seven first-round picks on defensemen. Overall, he used 14 draft picks on defensemen, including one that played zero games the season before he was drafted. 

The Devils have more defensemen than they know what to do with, and Anton Silayev is expected to join the roster this offseason. Seamus Casey is close to NHL ready if he stays healthy. There are options for Mehta.

This is why Nemec, trade request or not, is expected to be on the move this offseason. It’s becoming a math equation.

Speaking of math, Nemec might be a former second-overall pick, and he’s had some success in the NHL, but many teams would be hesitant to give him the same contract Luke Hughes got. Of course, there was more to the Hughes situation, as they were not going to give him a deal that coincided with Jack Hughes’s deal. Nemec doesn’t have that type of leverage. 

Will this Simon Nemec contract “demand” hurt a potential return for the Devils?

Teams looking to upgrade their defense while also getting younger would be interested in Nemec. However, the most viable option many believe with Nemec is using him to get a star forward. Whether it’s a move to get Quinn Hughes on the roster or to get someone huge like Jason Robertson or Robert Thomas, Nemec would be the central piece to the trade.

These teams would be looking to save money. If Nemec is asking for that sizable salary, does it make sense for Dallas or St. Louis to do that?

If they do, it would make the deal less desirable than Nemec on an entry-level contract. Heck, even Nemec on a $5 million per year contract would make him really desirable, even if it was a bridge deal. 

At the end of it, teams are going to take a chance on Nemec, including the Devils, if it doesn’t hit the price Mehta is looking for. 

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A Luzerne County legislator introduced a bill this week intended to allow local governments to place a moratorium on data center applications.

Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Luzerne) introduced House Bill 2533 on Wednesday.

“Our municipalities, which decide local land use policies, have struggled to understand the myriad environmental and community impacts of this new industry and to review and revise their zoning ordinances to keep up with the influx of interest from data center developers,” Walsh said in a co-sponsorship memorandum. “I am therefore proposing to give municipalities the option of placing a moratorium on data center applications so that, if they choose, they can revise their ordinances and establish conditional use policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks which they determine protect the community’s interest.”

It is a companion bill, he said, to Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh)’s Senate Bill 1345.

They both would allow an 18-month moratorium on both unapproved and new data center applications.

The two legislators also introduced legislation they say would repeal the state Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption program enacted in 2021, which the legislators say incentivizes data centers to locate in Pennsylvania by exempting computer data center equipment from the Sales and Use Tax when it is sold to, used or consumed in a certified data center by an owner, operator or qualified tenant. This is in the form of House Bill 2532 and Senate Bill 1344 respectively.

“While we all appreciate the technological advances that are driving the development of new data centers, I am certain most Pennsylvanians want a more thoughtful approach to where and under what requirements they can operate and don’t want to subsidize them with tax incentives,” said Coleman. “The bills Rep. Walsh and I partnered on will do just that.”

Data centers have been a hot topic issue across Pennsylvania as communities have rallied to oppose developments, including in Columbia and in the Annville area.