25 Pa. Code § 9.315
One of the highest uses for which natural areas are best suited is scientific research. Natural areas are valuable as environmental baseline areas to be used in monitoring long-term environmental changes, as outdoor laboratories for furthering knowledge and understanding of complex ecological processes, and as a basis for evaluating resource management practices and techniques. Research activities in natural areas also will provide useful information necessary for the development of natural area protection and management strategies. Therefore, it shall be the Environmental Policy of the Commonwealth to encourage natural area research for better understanding impacts of man's activities on the environment and for guiding the protection and management of natural areas.
25 Pa. Code § 9.315
This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 9.311 (relating to natural areas policy statement).