When William Penn organized the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he did it around the idea of the township. Today, the 'Townships and Boroughs' provide the most immediate level of government to the residents of Pennsylvania: zoning, planning, waste water management, and some roadway construction are all under their jurisdiction. While there are obvious benefits to a localized decision-making process, there are also serious and potentially dangerous disadvantages. Township borders are discrete, but the landscape is continuous. Because of this, the policies and actions of any single township can and do impact others in the region. Remember that water flows downhill without consideration of township lines and that bear travel throughout the Pocono region irrespective of political boundaries. Cordinating the planning process to take into account issues larger than the township is essential in building the Monroe County of the future. As shown in the map 'State Lands' the the area' principal conservation lands are already provided and managed at a larger-than-municipal level. These include State Game Lands and State Forests.
Much of Monroe County's natural landscape is privately
owned.