Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Tunkhannock Township
Township
Fields and woods in the township
Fields and woods in the township
Official seal of Tunkhannock Township
Location of Tunkhannock Township in Monroe County
Location of Tunkhannock Township in Monroe County
Tunkhannock Township is located in Pennsylvania
Tunkhannock Township
Tunkhannock Township
Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°59′59″N 75°30′04″W / 40.99972°N 75.50111°W / 40.99972; -75.50111
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyMonroe
Area
 • Total38.84 sq mi (100.58 km2)
 • Land38.55 sq mi (99.83 km2)
 • Water0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2)
Elevation
1,841 ft (561 m)
Population
 • Total7,037 Increase
 • Estimate 
(2021)[2]
7,041
 • Density172.57/sq mi (66.63/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code570
Websitelongpondpa.com

Tunkhannock Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,037 at the 2020 census.[2][3] Tunkhannock Township comprises the communities of Blakeslee and Long Pond. The most noteworthy feature of this township is the Tunkhannock creek, which forms "Long Pond", and is designated by the PA DEP as an Exceptional Value Waters (EV).[4] The Bethlehem Authority,[5] Nature Conservancy,[6] Wildlands Conservancy [7] County of Monroe Open Space Program, and PA Department of Forest and Waters[8] have protected thousands of acres. Tunkhannock Township, PA is home to many species of globally rare, threatened, and endangered plants and animals and has been described as one of the last "great places".[9][10][11]

In Long Pond, Pennsylvania National Diversity Inventory found 35 rare, threatened or endangered species or ecological communities. The butterfly community and collection of rare plants found in Long Pond "likely represent the best assemblage of rare and unusual species of any site or habitat in Pennsylvania." Making Long Pond one of the most unique natural areas in the Northeast US.[10]

  1. ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 6, 2022. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ "Search Results". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  4. ^ "Water Quality Standards Review Stream Redesignation Evaluation Report" (PDF). dep.state.pa.us.
  5. ^ Authority, Bethlehem. "Bethlehem Authority". Bethlehem Authority.
  6. ^ "Long Pond Preserve and Hauser Nature Center".
  7. ^ "Maple Tract Preserve".
  8. ^ "Dixon Miller Recreation Area". trails.dcnr.pa.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "PENNSYLVANIA IMPORTANT MAMMAL AREA #38 Long Pond Preserve" (PDF).
  10. ^ a b "THE RARE AND THE DIVERSE THRIVE AT POND PRESERVE THE NEW POCONOS". July 5, 1988.
  11. ^ Latham, Roger Earl; Thompson, John E.; Riley, Sarah A.; Wibiralske, Anne W. (1996). "The Pocono till Barrens: Shrub Savanna Persisting on Soils Favoring Forest". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 123 (4): 330–349. doi:10.2307/2996782. JSTOR 2996782.