Our Mission: To restore the environmental and economic vitality of communities and industrial sites by becoming a test bed for innovation and research for emerging technologies as well as promote conservation practices throughout the United States.
Our Beginning
People said we were crazy -- we're on the backside of an office building that was less than 20% occupied, in a greenhouse with water pipes which ruptured because they were never drained for winter and which had multiple glass panels broken from teenage vandals. But despite the neglect we saw the opportunity to build something unique. The building had state of the art research labs which were abandoned as companies left Pennsylvania with the collapse of the coal industry. And that greenhouse -- well it would become our first project.
“Environmental protection is not a burden but a source for innovation. It will increase competition, create jobs, and lift the economy.”
Our Research
Blacklegged (deer) ticks have now been observed in all 67 counties of Pennsylvania, according to researchers at The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The range expansion took place in just decades, as similar studies conducted in the mid-1960s found no specimens.
DEP’s Vector Management Program, in collaboration with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, published the findings on the risk of tick-borne disease in Pennsylvania in the Journal of Medical Entomology on April 14. The study was authored by the DEP Vector Management team of Mike Hutchinson, Maria Strohecker, Andy Kyle, and Matt Helwig and Indiana University of Pennsylvania Professor of Biology Dr. Tom Simmons.
The research found Ixodes scapularis, the blacklegged tick, and Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, present in all 67 counties of Pennsylvania
Lyme Disease Bacteria
530,450
reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States from 1990 - 2014
84,433
reported cases of Lyme disease in Pennsylvania from 1990 - 2014
20%
of all Lyme disease cases will result in Chronic Lyme disease
Today
The U.S. Ecological Advanced Research and Conservation Hub (USEARCH) is a 501(c)3 non profit corporation in addition to the community green spaces we operate, research on Lyme disease is conducted in five laboratories, lab support spaces, three conference rooms, teaching lab, conference center and restored greenhouse.
We are focused on four strategic areas: 1) Technology incubation and demonstration; 2) Education and training; 3) Research and development; and 4) Public Policy. The US Ecological Advanced Research & Conservation Hub is making a significant impact in Northeast Pennsylvania. Other than creating green spaces for the community, the research being pursued by USEARCH into Lyme disease could have a significant impact on our understanding of the causes of chronic Lyme disease.
Get Involved
If you live near one of our gardens, get involved to receive portions of each harvest. We accept volunteers regardless of skill level. There is a rotation in roles, but we’ll teach you all the skills you need to know. Teenagers 14 years and older can earn community service credits for school in addition to getting produce for their families. Donations are also vital to our growth, as we use them for seed, fertilizer, tools, and outreach.