Habitat loss in Pennsylvania due to development is increasing, and the state stands at a "crossroads in wildlife conservation," according to a report co-written by Penn State faculty and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary staff.

Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources, said the state still has the potential to save habitats, but they are threatened by increasing urban development.

"We're at a point where we have a good amount of habitat left and programs available to enhance and protect them," Brittingham said.

She said the State College area is a prime example of how urban development spreads out, and forest and agricultural land are among the lost habitats. More than 350 acres of open space was estimated to have been lost per day in 2002, up from 300 per day in 1997, according to the report.

The report, "Wildlife Habitat in Pennsylvania: Past, Present, and Future," was co-written by Brittingham, Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center research assistant Joseph Bishop, and Laurie Goodrich and Patricia Barber of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pa.

Rick Carlson, director of policy at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), said several agencies proposed having the report done at a summer 2001 meeting of state environmental commissioners and councils.

The report was a compilation of existing data and research, Brittingham said.

She said wildlife needs to be monitored better to help reduce habitat loss.

Brittingham added that although the population in Pennsylvania is not growing rapidly, it is spreading out into rural areas and causing more development.

The state's population grew from 11,881,643 in 1990 to 12,281,054 in 2000 -- a 3.4 percent change -- according to U.S. Census Bureau documents. The increase is among the lowest increases in the United States.

A statewide environmental litigation group, Citizen's for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), discussed the report in a press release last week.

Jan Jarrett, director of outreach, said the report was well done, and shows the extreme pressure being put on habitats.

Jarrett said more should be done by the state to address the needs outlined in the report.

She added Gov. Ed Rendell promised a $1 billion environmental funding package.

Rendell spokesman Tom Hickey was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Both Brittingham and Jarrett said there is economic interest in maintaining wildlife habitats, especially in regards to increased outdoor recreation.

"[Outdoor recreation] could be the basis of a new Pennsylvania economy," Jarrett said. "It really needs to be looked at that way."

Carlson said a summarized version of the report should become available in May or June.

The report itself can be accessed on the Web at www.dcnr.state.pa.us/wlhabitat.