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SPRING 2015
WILLISTOWN
FROM THE CHAIR What an honor and privilege it is to serve as the new Chair of Willistown Conservation Trust’s Board of Trustees. The work of this organization and its founders over the past 40 years has created a truly remarkable place of natural open spaces and rural countryside amidst the growing density of suburban Philadelphia. It is this special place, where wildlife, trails, open vistas, clean streams, horse farms and agriculture are valued and conserved by a generous community, that drew me and my family here 10 years ago.
This issue of the Sycamore encapsulates so much of what excites me about the future of this vibrant organization. Protecting land from development is our highest priority, and stories highlighting our work to conserve Hi-Bid Farm, Little Brook Farm and two important trails are testimony to the continuing progress being made here. With impacts reaching far beyond Willistown, we describe the work of many graduate students whose research has been inspired and supported by the Trust’s programs. Here in Willistown we still have natural and open spaces, and good things can happen because of it. This Sycamore helps tell the story of how we share and multiply the goodness of this special place. Enjoy!
CONSERVATION TRUST Jeanne B. Van Alen President/Executive Director BOARD OF TRUSTEES Janice Murdoch Chairman V. Richard Eales Vice Chairman Alice E. Hausmann Vice Chairman Elizabeth C. Hucker Treasurer John F. Stoviak Secretary Timothy B. Barnard, Esq. Bryan D. Colket Gary A. Cox W. Anthony Hitschler William T. Howard Mark T. Ledger Elizabeth R. Moran* Leanne McMenamin Collin F. McNeil Christine S. Seving Peter S. Strawbridge Matthew E. Taylor Carolyn W. Turner James L. Van Alen II Tana Wall *Honorary Trustee
Janice Murdoch Chair, Board of Trustees
V I S I T U S AT W W W. W C T RU S T. O R G
STAFF Chelsea Allen Rushton Farm Assistant Field Manager Sue R. Costello GIS Coordinator Fred de Long Director of Community Farm Program Laura de Ramel Director of Development and Community Outreach Laura Dormans Development Associate Elaine C. Gilmartin Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Blake Goll Nature Education Coordinator Eliza Gowen Community Farm Outreach Assistant Noah Gress Rushton Farm Field Manager
Birds
William R. Hartman, Jr. Director of Stewardship Erik Hetzel Director of Land Protection and Public Grants Lisa Kiziuk Director of Bird Conservation Program Kelsey Lingle Communications Associate
People
Susie MacDonnell Events and PR Coordinator Nancy K. Rosin Director of Annual Fund and Planned Giving
JOIN our email list! ON THE COVER: A young Willistown explorer delights in a Green Frog, one of
season. RIGHT herTdog enjoy the trail at 2 | W IWillistown’s L L I S TOharbingers W N C OofNtheS E R VAT I O: ANgirl T Rand US Run-a-Muck.
Joyce D. Spragins Communications and Technology Manager WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Rd. Newtown Square, Pa 19073 610.353.2562 LAND@WCTRUST.ORG
Willistown Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)3 of the I.R.S. Code. Donations are tax-deductible. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, (800) 732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Contents A Division of GP Strategies
THE SYCAMORE SPRING 2015 VOL. XVI NO.1
N E W S F R O M W I L L I S TO W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T WWW.WCTRUST.ORG
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RESEARCH HOTBED The Trust’s Community Farm, Bird Conservation and Habitat Restoration programs provide launching points for numerous field research projects by graduate students.
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SCARCE LAND, MORE FOOD Rushton Farm’s nature-centric approach to agriculture is being compared with conventional farming practices to help discern which method can best feed the world’s rapidly growing population.
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FINDING THE PATH A newly formed Education Task Force has assembled to help guide the Trust’s education initatives.
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FUNDRAISING UPDATE News about the Willistown Countryside Forever capital campaign, including a new $500,000 gift that creates an endowed fund for internships.
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GAINING GROUND More land and trails have been permanently protected by conservation easements donated to the Trust.
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS Staff and Trustee news. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
REPORT OF GIFTS
SGP Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
Printed by a
(also available as white knockout)
Landfill-Free
Enterprise Printing Company
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
With Thanks to Our Growing
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Constituency
It is late February as I write and only 4 degrees outside, but
the Red-winged Blackbird at the feeder is a happy indicator that spring will soon return to grace the Willistown landscape with new shades of green. For all of us at the Trust this long 2014-2015 winter of sub-freezing temperatures has heightened our anticipation of spring and brings an increased excitement as we plan for the new season. As you read through the articles in this edition of the Sycamore, please accept the deep gratitude we feel for the commitment and dedication of all of you who have supported our programs during the past year. You are part of the remarkable growing constituency of friends, neighbors, and colleagues from near and far who provide the lifeblood for our work and the momentum that propels us to meet ever more ambitious goals - particularly in the key areas of land preservation, education, scientific research and land stewardship. You will read about the outpouring of support which took our 2014 Annual Fund goal over the top, as well as the exciting progress of Willistown Countryside Forever – a Campaign for Land, People and Nature which, in 2014, passed the halfway mark toward an increased goal of $10.5 million. Plans are progressing swiftly on the Rushton Conservation
Center, the proposed new building at Rushton Farm, in hopes that construction will begin in 2015. This building will include a “farm-to-table” kitchen and will enhance the vital research and education programs you will read about, as well as provide a gathering place for community and our many visitors to the Farm, the Bird Banding Station and Rushton Woods Preserve. There is also great news about preserving more of the Willistown countryside—from the acquisition of the beautiful 55-acre Hi-Bid Farm by a community conservation partnership, to the preservation of the Crawford family’s Little Brook Farm, to the launching of the “Legacy Easement” – an innovative way for owners of smaller properties to support the Trust and add to the mosaic of protected land in this area. So, whether you are a long time supporter of the Trust or one of our newer constituents, a conservation easement landowner, a volunteer, an educator, or a researcher using the great reservoir of natural resources in the Willistown area, please take pride in knowing that it is because of YOU that the Trust continues to thrive and to become more of a “force for good nature” with each passing season.
Just a few of the many people who came out to help plant 900 native trees and shrubs along the Crum Creek at Rock Hill Farm. (See story on page 30.)
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Research Hotbed WILLISTOWN’S PROTECTED LANDS AND THE TRUST’S INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING INSPIRE ADVANCED FIELD RESEARCH
Students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Environmental Studies program and other universities find the Willistown area’s 7,200 acres of protected lands a unique and appealing place for field research. Their studies contribute to our understanding of the complex systems here and inform broader scientific understanding of the importance of healthy habitat and species diversity. Recent and current studies conducted by graduate students at Rushton Woods Preserve cover a broad array of topics. VEGETATIVE SAMPLING OF SHRUB-SCRUB Todd Alleger
Todd’s survey of early successional habitat (low, multistemmed woody vegetation in the young stage of growth) surrounding the Trust’s bird banding station provides us with a base-line data set to guide habitat restoration in the future. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND IMPACTS OF THREE FARMING SYSTEMS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA James Dickinson
Utilizing Rushton Farm as a sustainable agriculture model, this study compares Rushton to two other farms that follow more conventional agricultural practices. It seeks to determine which approach can best meet the food demands of our rapidly expanding population. (Read more about this study on page 9.) STOPOVER ECOLOGY OF MIGRATORY SONGBIRDS AT RUSHTON WOODS PRESERVE Alison Fetterman
Using time of day data, this study assesses the energy gains in captured birds by measuring their fat deposits, and the value of Rushton Woods Preserve as a re-fueling stopover for migratory birds. THE BEES OF RUSHTON FARM: A POLLINATOR’S PERSPECTIVE ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE Ben Reynard
This research provided a baseline study of native pollinator diversity at Rushton Woods Preserve and Farm.
A STUDY OF HABITAT USE BY SPRING SONGBIRDS AT RUSHTON WOODS PRESERVE Adrianna Garcia
This research underscores Rushton Woods Preserve as an exemplary secondary habitat, and the importance to bird populations of conserving land close to where people live. NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL DYNAMICS AT RUSHTON WOODS PRESERVE: HABITAT AND PREY RELATIONSHIPS Jay Geipel
Jay’s research used tracking plates to study the small mammal population at Rushton and used the farm as a case study for sustainable agriculture. This research is being continued by David Groff and Amanda Schwartz and is now in its fourth year. THE IMPORTANCE OF HEADWATER STREAMS: A STREAM HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF THE OKEHOCKING RUN Ben Ireland
This research will set the stage for future water quality monitoring and research and will help the Trust implement appropriate land management practices. Ben worked in partnership with The Stroud Water Research Center and contributed to the pool of data associated with the entire Ridley Creek watershed. FOOD SECURITY THROUGH CIRCULAR ECONOMY Edita Stuckey
This study examines how Rushton Farm could fit into a model circular economy, building a persuasive case for selfsufficiency within smaller communities. IMPORTANCE OF SHRUB-SCRUB CONSERVATION AND HABITAT FOR BIRDS Alison Fetterman
This study adds to emerging research that describes the importance of shrub-scrub habitat to bird populations. LEFT: A sample of some of the 47 different species of bees found by Ben Reynard’s research at Rushton Woods Preserve.
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Rushton Farm’s nature-centric approach to sustainable agriculture makes it an ideal research site to compare with other farms for its impact on productivity, economics and the environment.
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A honey bee prepares to gather pollen from a flower in the Rushton Farm cutting garden.
Scarce Land, More Food James Dickinson, a University of Pennsylvania graduate student, uses research at Rushton Farm and Rushton Woods Preserve to help answer the question: Given intense population pressure and scarcity of land, what is the best way to grow food for the world’s rapidly growing population (9.6 billion by 2050) ? We know that small-scale sustainable farming is better for the environment, but can it meet the food demands of a rapidly expanding global population facing an ever diminishing supply of land? Traditional wisdom in agriculture was that in order to have high yields, enormous amounts of land had to be cleared and planted as a monoculture—with acres and acres of a single crop. Coupled with high inputs of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides, these farms were generally considered to be ecological deserts, devoid of the rich diversity of life that exists in natural areas. However, as scientists study more small farms that mix a variety of food crops with natural areas and forest, they
are learning that an incredible amount of biodiversity can co-exist with agriculture and actually benefit food production. Some of this research is now being conducted here in eastern Pennsylvania, as James Dickinson, a University of Pennsylvania graduate student, embarks on a study that will examine Rushton Farm and two other modern agricultural models to determine the impacts each has on productivity, economics and the environment. James learned about Rushton’s unique agricultural approach while a student in the University of Pennsylvania Master of Environmental Science Field Ecology course taught by Lisa Kiziuk, the Trust’s Director of Bird Conservation.
“The notion that Rushton Farm is a model for addressing one of the world’s most critical problems is a remarkable affirmation of our work.” – FRED DE LONG, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY FARM PROGRAM
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FARMS COMPARED IN THE STUDY
(1.) A large-scale industrial farm that grows commodity crops such as corn or soybeans with high inputs of chemical and petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides and uses genetically modified crops (GMO).
features of the two contrasting systems, the small- and large-scale farms, can be combined to achieve a balance wherein production is high, while ecological impacts are minimized.
(2.) A medium-scale diversified conventional farm that has adopted the use of some sustainable agricultural techniques, but uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides on some crops and may use some GMOs.
WORLDWIDE RESEARCH ON FARMING PRACTICES AND BIODIVERSITY
(3.) Rushton Farm, whose sustainable agriculture practices include a commitment to chemical-free cultivation; a diversity of crops; small fields with wide unmown borders and hedge rows; non-GMO crop usage; use of cover crops; letting crops go to seed; rotational planting and fallowing; and adjacency to the 80 acres of protected grassland and woodland of Rushton Woods Preserve. COMPARATIVE VARIABLES STUDIED
The study will compare a variety of ecological and economic variables in order to assess the environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness of each approach. Once sufficient data is collected, conclusions can be drawn as to which agricultural method has the most potential to meet the food demands of the future while minimizing damage to ecosystems. The main variables to be examined include: • Use and cost of pesticides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers • Use and cost of water • Use of cover crops, compost, and plastic mulch • Use of GMO crops • Use and cost of equipment • Presence of beneficial pollinator crops and insects • Cost of labor Studies on soil quality and beneficial insect populations on each farm will also be conducted to establish the impact of the practices mentioned above on biodiversity and ecological health at each site. WHICH APPROACH IS BEST?
It is expected that this study will validate the techniques that are currently being employed at Rushton Farm and identify the trade-offs that may be required when choosing to farm in an environmentally conscious manner. It will also shed light on the efficiency of more traditional agricultural practices and whether the widely acknowledged economies of scale justify the impact on the environment and truly result in greater production of crops at more affordable prices. Evaluating the medium-scale farm may indicate whether 10 | W I L L I S TO W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T
The Stanford Center for Conservation Biology conducted a 12-year research project in Costa Rica, much of it focusing on farming practices and biodiversity, including the determination of the economic value of pest-eating birds and croppollinating bees. Their research underscores land as an asset that provides much more than the physical ground needed to grow crops. They’ve found that land supporting the forests and uncultivated areas adjacent to the crops can play a critical role in high-yield food production. Land on one small farm in the Costa Rica study produces 15 food types for people while the adjacent uncultivated land provides habitat for birds, wasps, and bats which provide natural pest control for the majority of pests on the farm. The forest next to fields is also inhabited by hundreds of species of native bees that play an enormous role in pollination and are a boon to production. The study has shown that the presence of abundant and healthy bee colonies boosts yield by about 20%, resulting in an income increase of $60,000 per year for the average farmer. With two-thirds of crops worldwide depending on some form of pollination, the Stanford study concludes that more farms, large and small, need to set aside land for uncultivated areas to integrate nature. If they don’t, the drive to produce more food could wipe out our greatest asset for adapting to the challenges of the future. The University of California, Berkeley has conducted the largest meta-study (a study of studies) to date comparing crop yields of organic and conventional agriculture. The conclusion, published in the December 2014 issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, is that the difference in crop yields between the two is much smaller than previously claimed and for some crops, like legumes, doesn’t exist at all. The study is entitled Diversification Practices Reduce Organic to Conventional Yield Gap, and can be found online at http://bit.ly/165Y8ND.
Rushton Farm is a clear example of how high-yield crop production can be sustained while limiting, or even improving, its impact on the surrounding ecosystem. There is a growing body of research that compares this nature-centric approach to traditional farming methods, which is helping us begin to see
A honey bee has its eye on an okra flower at Rushton Farm.
$3.8m
nature as an asset—one that can be an engine of global food production and essential to human survival. With so many intense pressures on land, it is heartening to imagine a world where humans embrace nature and its critical role in feeding our growing population.
Wide swaths of unmown areas around the small crop fields at Rushton allow for an abundance of native wildflowers that enhance conditions for benefical insects and birds.
$ .8m $ .2m $ .1m $4.9m
This little dew-drop fluff amongst the lettuces is actually a caterpillar, which becomes a beneficial pollinator, and thrives at Rushton Farm.
A honey bee gathers pollen from a garlic plant in bloom at Rushton Farm.
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The new task force will assess the Trust’s education initiatives, such as higher education science and research activities, which has experienced significant growth. Here Alison Fetterman and Ben Ireland, University of Pennsylvania graduate students under the leadership of Lisa Kiziuk, the Trust’s Director of Bird Conservation, examine the fat deposits of a songbird captured at Rushton Woods Preserve Bird Banding Station.
CHARTING A COURSE
New Task Force Refines Education Initiatives Have you ever counted the pin feathers of a bird in your hand or examined aquatic life in a stream under a microscope? The Trust’s primary focus has always been protecting land from development, but as our reservoir of protected lands has grown (now exceeding 7,200 acres) we look for inspiring ways like these to instill in people a deeper understanding of nature and a commitment to the conservation of land. In the early days of the Trust, education outreach activities were limited to an occasional bird walk or “owl prowl” for children. Since 2006, with the formation of the Community Farm Program followed by the Bird Conservation and Habitat Restoration Programs, the Trust has become involved in a number of education initiatives. It is estimated that 1,200 individuals participated in the Trust’s education programs in 2014. These programs attract learners of all ages and backgrounds—college and graduate students, high school students, school children, underserved
youth, and adult students. Activities include scientific research, hands-on training, and experiential learning leveraging the Trust’s myriad bird, farm and land stewardship activities. From banding birds for global bird conservation to scientific research on farming practices, the Trust supports a broad educational offering. A newly formed Education Task Force seeks to assess, refine and prioritize the Trust’s many education initiatives.The primary challenge for the task force is to determine the value and relevance of the Trust’s educational offerings to various audiences and to determine where the most significant impact can be made. The Task Force will perform needs assessments, critically examine the Trust’s resources, and explore education partnership opportunities. Comprised of a talented group of individuals from a wide array of educational backgrounds, the Task Force is wellequipped to guide the Trust’s future education initiatives.
EDUCATION TASK FORCE
AD-HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS Tim Barnard Westtown School; Chester Charter School of the Arts; WCT Trustee Barb Blynn Educating Communities for Parenting; WCT Community Farm Program Committee Pooh Gephart Baldwin School; Philadelphia Futures, Overbrook School for the Blind Lyn Groome Mighty Writers Board Chair Alice Hausmann WCT Trustee; Chair of Community Farm Program Committee Janice Murdoch WCT Board of Trustees’ Chair; Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School Cathy Staples Adjunct Professor of English, Villanova University Honors Program Holly Stoviak Baldwin School, Educator and Administrator Bonnie Van Alen WCT Executive Director & Trustee Sally Willig Master of Environmental Studies Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania WCT Trustee; Shipley School; Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Jim Van Alen Jason Weckstein Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Associate Professor, Department of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science; Associate Curator of Ornithology STAFF LIAISONS Fred de Long WCT Director of Community Farm Program Blake Goll WCT Nature Education Coordinator Bill Hartman WCT Director of Stewardship Lisa Kiziuk WCT Director of Bird Conservation Program
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WILLISTOWN COUNTRYSIDE FOREVER Capital Campaign Update
T
hanks to the generosity of many friends and neighbors, the Trust has raised $6.8 million toward the $10.5 million goal for the Willistown Countryside Forever capital campaign. Funds raised to date have secured the future of the 86-acre Rushton Woods Preserve, and we now have more than half the funds needed for the construction of the new Rushton Conservation Center at the preserve. This new building will enhance the Trust’s research and education programs and will provide important meeting space for students, researchers, and members of the Willistown community. A teaching kitchen will complement the work of our Community Farm program, and our Bird Conservation and Habitat Restoration teams will have a dedicated indoor space where they can carry out a variety of programmatic initiatives. We look forward to breaking ground on this project as funding is completed.
WILLISTOWN COUNTRYSIDE FOREVER
A CAMPAIGN FOR LAND, PEOPLE AND NATURE
$10,500,000 - GOAL
$6.8m RAISED TO DATE
The Second Pew Challenge is Met In the fall of 2013, Tom Curren, Director of the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Northeast Land Trust Consortium, approached the Trust with an exciting opportunity. Given the success of a prior challenge by Pew that helped with the acquisition of the 50-acre addition to Rushton Woods Preserve, a second challenge was proposed—Pew would match donations from private donors at a 1 to 5 ratio, if the Trust could raise $1,000,000 by the end of 2014. Eighteen donors stepped forward to support the this second challenge, and in early December the $1,000,000 goal was met, thus generating a $200,000 match from Pew. These funds will support the acquisition and protection of the 5-Acre White Farmhouse Parcel and the ongoing stewardship of the 86-acre Rushton Woods Preserve.
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The Trust is proud to have been selected to be a partner in the Consortium, which since 2006 has helped land trusts fund the protection of more than 800,000 acres of land in the Northeast from Maine to Pennsylvania.
THE BOB AND CAROLYN TURNER FUND FOR INTERNS AND CONSERVATION ASSOCIATES
$500,000 Gift Creates An Endowed Internship Fund We are excited to announce that another important goal of the campaign has been met. Bob and Carolyn Turner, easement property owners and long time friends of the Trust, have made a landmark contribution of $500,000 to establish the Bob and Carolyn Turner Fund for Interns and Conservation Associates. The Turners’ generosity will give students and others the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience while furthering their educational and career aspirations in conservation and environmental fields. As paid interns or conservation associates, these talented individuals will in turn help further the Trust’s mission by supplementing staff capacity in their respective fields. The Turners recognize the Fund is a critical initiative for the Trust going forward,
and they feel strongly about mentoring younger people and engaging individuals who bring new ideas, energy, and insights to the Trust. As these interns and conservation associates go on to pursue further studies and career opportunities, they help to spread the Trust’s message and methodologies beyond Willistown, advancing conservation regionally and nationally. Over the past several years, many talented Trust interns have gone on to graduate studies or careers that were directly inspired by their experiences here. We are immensely grateful to Bob and Carolyn Turner for this magnificent gift that ensures our ability to offer these experiences and to attract qualified candidates who are passionate about our mission.
ABOVE: Bob and Carolyn Turner’s gift will support paid internships in a variety of Trust programs, including Bird Conservation, Community Farm, Land Protection and Habitat Restoration.
Two Recent Interns’ Reflections on Their Experience with the Trust I quickly saw that Rushton is much more than just a [bird] banding station. By exposing me to the farm operations, easement monitoring, trustee meetings, outreach events and, of course, bird studies, Willistown Conservation Trust has led me to think differently about what it means to be a conservation organization and work to protect land and natural resources. –Todd Alleger My time spent with [the Trust] was very rewarding and relevant to what I am doing now. Working with pollinators on the sustainable farm [protected by] conservation easements is somewhat of a specialized niche, and it was the type of experience I could only find with the team at Willistown Conservation Trust. – Benjamin Reynard
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Gaining Ground 16 | W I L L I S TO W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T
Willistown’s First Legacy Easement
Murdoch Property Adds to the Mosaic of Protected Lands In March of this year, Janice and Britt Murdoch donated a new kind of conservation easement to the Trust, protecting their one-acre property on Providence Road near Apple Tree Lane. This is the Trust’s first Legacy Easement, designed for properties less than eight acres in size. Located close
to other protected lands, the property is an important part of the Willistown countryside. The easement protects the scenic view of the property from Providence Road and includes a trail easement which connects to other trails to the north and east. It also provides for a stewardship
transfer fee which will benefit the Trust each time the property is sold. Thanks to Janice and Britt, the view of the property and its connecting trail will remain as it is today for future generations to enjoy. To learn more about Legacy Easements, see the story on page 29.
27-Acre Little Brook Farm Preserved Forever Late last summer the beautiful 27-acre Little Brook Farm on White Horse Road in Berwyn was permanently protected from development by the donation of a conservation easement to Willistown Conservation Trust. The property includes a residential complex with a large 19th century stone farmhouse and outbuildings set in a rural landscape along a tributary of the Crum Creek known as Fox Run. The farm features a variety of ecosystems in a remarkably undisturbed state, a diversity of plants and animals in a broad range of habitats, and a gently undulating and rolling meadow mixed with woodlands of mature oak, hickory, tulip poplar and beech trees. Adjacent to the stream are sensitive riparian buffer areas, floodplain and a pond. Little Brook Farm was home to the late Alan Crawford, Jr. for 88 years and his wife Bar continues to reside there. The setting of the farm inspired Alan’s lifelong
love of nature. His journal of birds sighted on the farm spanned an 80-year period and documented over 220 species of birds, a remarkable record of a place he deeply loved. Thanks to the generous donation of the conservation easement by the Crawford family, this special place will remain in its natural state and be enjoyed by people and wildlife forever. As with all of the Trust’s conservation easements, this easement is attached to the land in perpetuity, so even if the land is sold, future owners must abide by its restrictions. The Trust posthumously honored Alan Crawford, Jr. as the 2014 Conservationist of the Year for his legacy of conservation in the Willistown area.
ABOVE: The two-acre pond at Little Brook Farm was
created in 1947 when the stream was dammed. It has accounted for 26 species of waterfowl, 8 species of waders and 5 species of sandpipers. LEFT: A charming springhouse punctuates the idyllic Little Brook Farm.
Little Brook Farm’s conservation easement assures that its natural beauty will remain intact for future generations to enjoy. SPRING 2015 17
Saving Hi-Bid Farm 18 | W I L L I S TO W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T
Another community conservation partnership is saving an iconic 55-acre Willistown equestrian property.
Many Willistown residents and their
The acquisition of the farm has enabled the Trust to work with DGI to create an ideal conservation plan consolidating the 55-acre property into three parcels available for resale to conservation buyers. To date, a conservation buyer has entered into an agreement to purchase one of the parcels subject to a conservation easement that will protect the land and its special resources in perpetuity. The other two conservation parcels were actively being marketed at the time of this printing. The Hi-Bid acquisition represents the 15th community conservation partnership resulting in nearly 2,000 acres of land protected in this way. The success of the Hi-Bid project is a testament to the remarkable commitment of
children have fond memories of riding horses and competing in horse shows at Hi-Bid Farm located off of Goshen and Sugartown Roads, a boarding and lesson barn for over 40 years. The Trust’s sister organization, the non-profit conservation group, Delchester Group, Inc. (DGI), acquired the 55-acre farm in January of this year. To complete the acquisition, DGI organized a group of conservation-minded investors from the community to purchase the property and hold it until conservation buyers can be found. The farm has long been considered a significant property in the Willistown area in terms of its extraordinary scenic, natural and recreational values. So when Bob Holman, brother of Hi-Bid’s late owner Joe Holman, contacted the Trust in early 2014 about his need to sell the We would love to see the farm continue to be used as a community property, conservation horse farm, but in any case we can all be relieved that its natural and planning began in scenic resources will be preserved and it will not be developed into 13 earnest. As one might imagine, there were house sites. — Bonnie Van Alen other parties interested in developing this the Willistown community to preserve critical exquisitely beautiful landscape to the maximum properties that might otherwise have been allowed by zoning—13 house sites—so it was truly fortunate that Bob Holman first approached developed, so that future generations may enjoy them as we do today. the Trust and DGI. SPRING 2015 19
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Bog bridges raise pedestrians above the sometimes boggy trail at Asbridge Preserve.
The Newbold trail provides an important connection for equestrians riding to or from Radnor Hunt via Hillview Road and eased trails on the Rubin Property.
Expanding the Trails Network Walking Trails are Growing at Ashbridge Preserve Surrounded by acres of private property protected from development by conservation easements, the network of trails originating at Ashbridge Preserve just experienced an important growth spurt, thanks to a trail easement donation by a generous private landowner and the construction of additional bog bridges within the Preserve In December of 2014, Preserve neighbors Randy and Karen Thurman amended their existing conservation easement to augment the existing trail easement on their property. The additional trail easement area makes possible nearly two miles of pedestrian trail loops starting from Ashbridge Preserve, extending the uniquely beautiful trail network there. A series of over 50 “bog bridges� have also been installed at the Preserve, providing dry
footing over hundreds of feet of potentially wet trails. Unlike conventional bridges, bog bridges are constructed of two parallel and connected wooden planks which rest on the ground, raising the pedestrian just above the sometimes boggy trail. The bridges were constructed by Kavanaugh Tollefson, a college student who has worked as an intern on the project for the past two summers. The Trust is actively working with landowners on additional conservation easements in the area which will continue to expand the Ashbridge trail network. The envisioned trail network extending beyond the Preserve includes an additional 10 miles of trails. Stay tuned!
Important Equestrian Trail Link Secured For horseback riders looking for an interesting trail loop or a path to riding facilities at Radnor Hunt, the trails connecting Hillview Road to eased trails on the Rubin property on Providence Road have been a favorite for years. In September of 2014, landowners Arthur and Douglass Newbold made one of those trails permanent by donating an equestrian trail easement to the Trust. The trail easement ensures that this important trail linkage will remain open to equestrians forever, even when the property is sold. The Willistown area has enjoyed a long history of equestrian sport and the Trust is strongly
committed to preserving the open space and equestrian assets of this unique area. With miles of trails winding their way through Willistown, most of the trails are owned by private landowners who generously share them with the community. Working with landowners such as the Newbolds, the Trust works hard to secure easements to permanently preserve this beautiful and historic community asset for generations to come. The result is an expanding network of scenic and diverse trails that supports an equestrian tradition attracting riders from all over the region. SPRING 2015 21
STAFF AND TRUSTEE NEWS
Movers and Shakers LEFT TO RIGHT: Eliza Gowen, Erik Hetzel, Leanne McMenamin, and John Stoviak.
Eliza Gowen joined the Trust in February of 2015 as part-time Community Farm Outreach
Assistant. Eliza has been a faithful volunteer at the Trust for many years, serving on the Community Farm Program Committee since 2009 and as co-chair of its Volunteer Committee. She has always been passionate about local healthy food and sustainability and brings with her a variety of professional and volunteer experience at non-profit, educational and government institutions. Eliza has lived in the Berwyn area with her husband James and three children for 20 years, moving here from Boston.
Erik Hetzel is the Trust’s new Director of Land Protection as of November 2014.
Erik comes to the Trust from private land planning practice, where he provided consulting services across a broad spectrum of planning projects that included comprehensive planning, environmental and fiscal impact analysis, site planning and design, expert witness testimony, and zoning ordinance development. With a diverse background in geography, planning, and project management, Erik’s experience working with both public and private sector clients affords him a unique and balanced perspective on the challenges of land protection. Erik lives in Paoli and loves exploring the Willistown countryside with his wife Sandra, their two young sons, and their Siberian Husky, Koda.
Leanne McMenamin joined the Trust’s Board of Trustees in April 2014. A lifelong
equestrian, Leanne grew up riding in the Willistown area. With a background in sales and marketing, she has extensive volunteer experience in the non-profit world including the Philadelphia Zoo, the Franklin Institute, and the Academy of Natural Science. She and her husband Rob have long been active supporters of the Trust, serving as co-chairs of our Celebrating Rushton event in 2012 and our Barns & BBQ event for three years. Leanne, Rob, and their son reside on a farm in Willistown along with a growing menagerie, including two miniature donkeys.
John Stoviak became a Trustee in July 2014. A partner with Saul Ewing, John specializes in
litigation for business, energy and environmental clients as well as representation of colleges and universities. John is a graduate of Harvard University and Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law. He is the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Haverford School. John and his wife Holly are strong conservationists and avid supporters of Trust programs. They have two adult children, and live in the Willistown area.
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RIGHT: (Top, L to R) Fred de Long, Blake Goll, Bill Hartman. (Bottom, L to R) Lisa Kiziuk, Jodi Spragins and Bonnie Van Alen.
Staff Presentations, Awards and Professional Advancement
Outstanding in Their Fields Fred de Long Presented The Finances of Farming: Starting a Farm on Conserved Land at the Yale Conservation Finance Camp. (June 2014)
Fred de Long and Lisa Kiziuk Presented Food and Feathers to The Weeders Club. (October 2014)
Presented Enriching the Environment: Agricultural Conservation Strategies at the Farmers Roundtable in Hershey, Pennsylvania. (September 2014)
Consulted on sustainable agriculture and biodiversity for a World Wildlife Fund-sponsored study of China’s food supply and the South American rainforest.
Blake Goll Taught a 5-week class, Birds, Bird Banding and Conservation at Widener University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Exton, Pennsylvania. (October 2014)
Lisa Kiziuk, Blake Goll and Doris McGovern Provided bird banding demonstrations/regional field ecology sessions for the following groups:
Presented at the Annual Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania Conference, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (April 2014) Presented at the Annual American Young Birder Conference in Delaware. (September 2014) Presented educational sessions to the Melton Center, The Saint James School of Philadelphia, and Westtown-Thornbury Elementary. Bill Hartman Attended two full-day classes on Restoration Ecology and Native Wildflower Meadows at Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. (April 2014) Blake Goll and Bill Hartman Co-authored “A Walk in the Woods, Rediscovering Chester County at Ashbridge Preserve” in County Lines Magazine. (November 2014) Lisa Kiziuk Adjunct Professor for University of Pennsylvania Master of Environmental Studies Course Creating Gateways to the Land with Smarter Conservation. (Fall 2014)
University of Pennsylvania Landscape Architecture Program; University of Pennsylvania Master of Environmental Studies Program; Villanova University Poetry Class; Goshen Friends; Melton Center New Directions; Natural Lands Trust; Delaware Nature Society; Westtown School’s First Grade; Pennsylvania Young Birders; VOYA; Abington Friends School; Germantown Academy; Open Connections; Young Scholars Charter School; Zoo Crew Naturalists; Birding Club Delaware County; Widener Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and Delaware Dunlins. Jodi Spragins Authored “State of Barns” in County Lines Magazine. (September 2014) Bonnie Van Alen Received an honorary doctoral degree from the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University. (June 2014) Together with Trust co-founder Alice Hausmann, received the 2014 Kitchen Table Award from the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls for their positive impact on the county. (February 2014)
SPRING 2015 | 23
PROGRAMS & EVENTS March
May
Winter CSA Gathering Sunday, March 15 4 - 6 pm CSA members meet the farm staff and learn about the upcoming season.
Plant Sale Saturday & Sunday, May 2-3 10 am – 3 pm Rushton Farm
Early vegetable and annual flower seedlings, raspberry canes, and a limited supply of perennials.
Woodcocks and Cocktails Friday, March 27 6-7:30 pm Rushton Woods Preserve
Hear and see Woodcocks performing their courtship rituals. Email land@wctrust.org.
Wednesday “Just Show Up” Volunteer Day at Rushton Farm Begins Every Wednesday through October beginning Wednesday, May 6 9 am – 4 pm Rushton Farm
This is a great way to get your hands dirty, help the farm, and learn about sustainable agriculture. Food and Feathers Saturday, TBD Rushton Woods Preserve 9 am – 3 pm
PA Young Birders Spring Migration and Songbird Banding Saturday, May 16 8 – 11 am Rushton Farm
Come learn about the spring migration and how the banding station contributes to global bird conservation. Email bhg@wctrust.org to sign up. First CSA Pick Up Of The Season Tuesday, May 27 2 – 7 pm Rushton Farm
Experience the Trust’s unique programs at Rushton Woods Preserve. Witness bird banding during migration, taste fresh food harvested from Rushton Farm, and learn about agroecology.
April Spring Migration Banding Begins Thursday, April 16 Sunrise to around 11 am Rushton Woods Preserve
Come meet Willistown’s most colorful inhabitants up close. To express interest and to receive regular banding schedule updates, email lkr@wctrust.org. CRC Creek Week - Stream Clean Up Saturday, April 25 9 – 11 am
Location TBD Help us clean up the stream at the Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association’s annual stream clean-up. Email wrh@wctrust.org to sign up.
Barns & BBQ Saturday, May 9 3:00 – 10 pm Six Barns in Willistown
Tour of six barns followed by a bountiful BBQ. Space is limited, by advance reservation only. More information at wctrust.org.
24 | W I L L I S TO W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T
June PA Young Birders Kids Get Out and Bird! Saturday, June 6 8 – 11 am Rushton Farm
Bird fun for kids ages 8 – 12. Email bhg@wctrust.org to sign up.
Check wctrust.org for updated calendar.
July
September
October
Fall Migration Banding Begins Thursday, September 10 Sunrise-early afternoon Rushton Woods Preserve
Come meet Willistown’s most colorful inhabitants up close. To express interest and to receive regular banding schedule updates, email lkr@wctrust.org. Owl Banding Begins October—TBD Rushton Woods Preserve
By reservation only. Email lkr@wctrust.org.
Tomato Tasting Tomato Tasting Saturday, July 25 5 – 7 pm Rushton Farm
Tomatoes are the stars! Enjoy wine, beer & fabulous tomato preparations from Rushton Farm.
August Tomato Gleaning A Saturday in August TBD Rushton Farm
PA Young Birders Fall Songbird Banding and Open House Saturday, September 19 8 – 11 am Rushton Farm
Bird fun for kids ages 8 – 12. Email bhg@wctrust.org to sign up.
Radnor Hunt Horse Trials & Pig Roast Saturday, October 10 Competition: 8 am – 5 pm Pig Roast: 5 pm Radnor Hunt Pony Club and Radnor Hunt This “horse triatholon” has been taking place in the Radnor Hunt countryside for over 40 years. Proceeds benefit organizations that support the local equestrian community, including Willistown Conservation Trust. www.radnorhuntht.org Food and Feathers Saturday, October 3 Rushton Woods Preserve 9 am – 3 pm
Experience the Trust’s unique programs at Rushton Woods Preserve. Withness bird banding during fall migration, taste fresh food harvested from Rushton Farm, and learn about agroecology.
Help harvest the last tomatoes on the vines before nighttime temperatures ruin their flavor. All produce from the gleaning will be donated to families and individuals in need via West Chester Food Cupboard.
Run-A-Muck & Countryside Bash Saturday, September 19 Heartwood Farm 2:30 pm – dusk
You can Run or Muck (walk) on a beautiful cross-country trail this Fall, and stay for the Countryside Bash! Young, old or canine—all gather in this spectacular setting for a day of running, mucking and raucous fun. There’s nothing like it! Registration at wctrust.org.
November
.
Radnor Hunt Pony Club Chase for Conservation Sunday, November 8
Proceeds from this annual trail ride crossing through miles of Willistown’s open space and protected lands benefit the Trust. www.radnorhuntpc.org
SPRING 2015 25
The Sycamore Society
MARY HUNT DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY
The Sycamore Society honors individuals and organizations who annually contribute $1,000 or more to the Trust. Gifts listed below include contributions to the Annual Fund, Willistown Countryside Forever capital campaign, and other special gifts from January 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015.
P L AT I N U M S YC A M O R E S ($25,000 or more)
Anonymous (4) Franny and Franny Abbott Ms. Carol Ann Atterbury Elizabeth G. Atterbury The Boudinot Foundation Dick and Nancy Eales Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Genuardi
Kirby Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Layden, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. McMenamin Mr. and Mrs. Collin F. McNeil Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Moller Donna and Bill Oliver The Quaker City Foundation
The Reinvestment Fund Mr. and Mrs. Kevin T. Ryan The Tally Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Turner, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James L. Van Alen II Ms. Lida A. Wright Alejandro and Janine Zozaya
G O L D S YC A M O R E S ($10,000 to $24,999)
Anonymous (1) The Claneil Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James E. Gerry Mr. Steven C. Graham and Ms. Christina W. Morin Tucker C. Gresh Alice and Peter Hausmann
Karen K. and Thomas B. Helm Mr. and Mrs. W. Anthony Hitschler Mr. and Mrs. J. David Hucker Britt and Janice Murdoch Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Newbold IV Mr. M. Night and Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan Lang and Marilyn Smith
Mr. Stephen Sordoni Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Stolper Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Warden Don and Nancy Weaver Mrs. Ethel Benson Wister
S I LV E R S YC A M O R E S ($5,000 to $9,999)
Mr. and Mrs. James Bruder Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. Tristram C. Colket, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Cox Griffiths Construction, Inc. Messrs. Hinkle-Brown Mr. Francis M. Jennings and Ms. Terri Cappelli
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Martha and Doug King Mrs. Lawrence E. MacElree John Milner Architects, Inc. E. Murdoch Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James A. Nolen IV Mr. and Mrs. Seymour S. Preston III Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Radcliffe Mr. and Mrs. John F. Stoviak Mr. Matthew E. Taylor and Ms. Francie Ingersoll
LEFT: Barns & BBQ guests enjoy
cocktail hour at one of the barns. The Barns & BBQ barn tour was the Trust’s largest fundraiser in 2014.
B RO N Z E S YC A M O R E S ($2,500 to $4,999)
Mr. Timothy B. Barnard and Ms. Meredyth Patterson Mr. and Mrs. L. Clarke Blynn Mr. and Mrs. Bryan D. Colket Mitchell and Jackie Davis Dr. Ronald E. DiSimone and Dr. Patricia Ann Torna
Mr. and Mrs. Drew Fox GBH Foundation Dr. Leslie J. Green and Dr. Ethel M. Ziselman Mr. Robert Griffiths The Hamilton Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William T. Howard
Mrs. Henry A. Jordan Ms. Susan A. Kokat Kreischer Miller Orion General Contractors, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. John B. McGowan, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. McNeil Mr. and Mrs. John Joseph Mullen
S YC A M O R E S
Donald E. Red Mr.and Mrs. Gregory W. Shockley Mr. and Mrs. Steven L. Spinner Mr. and Mrs. Gerard H. Sweeney Mr. and Mrs. David B. Thayer Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Van Alen Mrs. William L. Van Alen, Sr. Margaret and Tom Whitford
($1,000 to $2,499) Anonymous (3) Sandra K. Baldino Barnard, Mezzanotte, Pinnie and Seelaus, LLP Caroline and Olin Belsinger Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Bissinger, Jr. Betsy and Luke Block Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Borgh, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas S. Briggs Broadacres Trouting Association James Brown Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning Bryn Mawr Landscaping Co. The Bryn Mawr Trust Company Wealth Management Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Campbell, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. W. Morgan Churchman III Warren Claytor Architects Mr. and Mrs. Warren I. Claytor Comcast
Country Properties Mr. and Mrs. John F. Cozzi Credit Suisse Mr. and Mrs. Craig W. Cullen, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James M. D’Arcy Mr. and Mrs. James M. Davidson Mr. and Mrs. Emery W. Davis Dr. and Mrs. Sanford H. Davne Elizabeth Prince de Ramel Ms. Laura de Ramel Carol and J.R. Delich Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. DiValerio, Jr. Mr. Raymond E. Dombroski and Ms. Colleen J. DeMorat Mr. and Mrs. John H. Donaldson Dr. John P. Dormans Michael E. and Elizabeth S. Drummond Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Duprey Elite Group LLC Ms. Ann Ercolani and Mr. Drew Conboy
Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Erdman Lynn and Steve Flynn Dr. Kimberley H. Galligher and Mr. Russell T. Galligher Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gansky Mr. Brook Gardner and Ms. Jodi Spragins Mr. and Mrs. George W. Gephart, Jr. Germeshausen Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Goll Dr. and Mrs. Robert P. Good Kat and Steve Gord Ms. Yolanda Gray GreenWeaver Landscapes, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Groome III Dr. Stephen Gross and Karen Gross Anne and Matt Hamilton Ms. Charlotte Hamilton Dorrance H. Hamilton Mr. and Mrs. John W. Hardin
Mr. John G. Harkins, Jr. Philip J. and Elizabeth A. Harvey Beverly S. Hattersley Mr. Scott T. Hattersley Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Hofmann Mr. and Mrs. Gary M. Holloway Margot and Bob Keith Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Kenworthy III Mr. and Mrs. Jerome R. Keough Dick and Nancy Klavans George Krall Mr. Robert Kraut and Ms. Meghan Moran-Kraut Ms. Catherine LaFarge Mr. and Mrs. D. Christopher Le Vine Mr. and Mrs. J. Richard Leaman, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark T. Ledger Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Leisenring Dr. and Mrs. N. Blair LeRoy Mr. and Mrs. Thompson A. Maher
The Annual Fund provides annual operating support for the Trust’s Land Protection, Bird Conservation, Community Farm, and Habitat Restoration Programs.
Donor Support
S YC A M O R E S - C O N T ’ D ($1,000 to $2,499)
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mamigonian Marlborough Farm, LLC Ms. Victoria B. Mars and Mr. David R. Spina John and Nima Marsh Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mason McCausland Keen & Buckman Mr. and Mrs. William L. McLean IV Dr. F. Arthur McMorris and Dr. Joanna Balcarek McMorris Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. McNeely Mr. Barry A. Mendelson Mr. and Mrs. John D. Milner Ms. Caroline A. Moran Moran Family Charitable Foundation Mr. Bruce R. Morgan and Dr. Cynthia Graves Natural Lands Trust Staff Mr. and Mrs. John J. Nesbitt III The New York Community Trust
C. Warren and Sandra Ormerod Ms. Keith M. Pension Mr. and Mrs. William J. Petrauskas Mr. Lance Piecoro Radnor Hunt Pony Club Ranieri & Kerns Associates, LLC Mr. and Mrs. David W. Rawson Reed Smith LLP Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Resnick Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Rohr Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Rorer Ms. Suzanne M. Roth and Dr. George T. Graham Ms. Sarah Sanz Tom and Rosann Scanlon Mr. and Mrs. Karl R. Schoettle, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Seving III Sila Heating & Air Conditioning Mr. and Mrs. John A. Simkiss, Jr. The Simkiss Family Foundation
Mark D. Slouf Custom Building and Design Dr. and Mrs. John Spurlino Edward and Elizabeth Stone Mr. and Mrs. Steven L. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Dylan Supina Sandie Sutherland Eric and Susan Swanson Joseph and Cathy Swift Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Swope Dr. and Mrs. Robert B. Taggart Mr. and Mrs. Anson W. H. Taylor III Mrs. Anson W. H. Taylor, Jr. Dr. Sharon Taylor and Mr. Joe Cannon Mr. and Mrs. Stuart A. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Ralph H. Thurman Mr. Gary M. Tocci Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Trala, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark D. Turner U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation
Mr. and Mrs. James L. Van Alen, Jr. Mr. Charles F. Van Doren Veritable, LP Veterinary Referral Center & Emergency Services/Rebound Animal Wellness Center Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Vincent Vinton Family Foundation Yvonne and Brock Vinton Mr. and Mrs. Bayard Walker, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William G. Warden III The Honorable and Mrs. Thomas D. Watkins Ted and Susan Wentz White Horse Village Ms. Josephine Winsor Ms. Effie Wister Ms. Sabina F. Wister Mr. and Mrs. William R. Wister III Mr. and Mrs. Jerold T. Wright Dr. Kathy Zoll and Mr. Joseph C. Zoll
You did it ! You met the Tally Ho Challenge!
L
ast October, the Tally Foundation pledged to contribute $1,000, up to a total of $30,000, for every new Sycamore Society gift made by the end of 2014. Thirty donors stepped up to meet this challenge! These gifts, combined with donations from others throughout the year, propelled the Annual Fund past its goal. The Trust could not carry out its mission without your annual support. Thank you!
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We are grateful for the following donors who have generously supported the Trust’s conservation efforts from January 1, 2014 through February 28, 2015. LEFT: By getting people out on the land in myriad ways, the Trust hopes to build a deeper appreciation for Willistown’s open spaces. Last September, over 500 people enjoyed the glorious countryside and Run-a-Muck trail.
CONSERVATIONISTS ($500 to $999) Anonymous (3) Aqua America, Inc. The F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. Benner & Sons Painting and Wallcovering Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Benson Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Brown CertaPro Painters of the Main Line Conlin’s Digital Print and Copy Center Mr. and Mrs. Peter F. Cooke, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Robert Corrato Countryside Consulting Creative Financial Group Mr. and Mrs. William O. Daggett, Jr. EarthShare Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Funchion Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Gillespie Green Roots Landscaping Jeff and Diane Groff Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel P. Hamilton, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William R. Hartman, Sr. The Herr Family Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Hurley III Stock and Eleanor Illoway Mrs. Anne D. Koffey Mr. and Mrs. Karl M. Kyriss Frank and Anita Leto Mr. and Mrs. Wade L. McDevitt Jay and Mary McElroy Jim and Judy Milne Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Nagy The Owen Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Quinn Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Roach, Jr. Missy Schwartz, Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Mr. and Mrs. Nathan G. Schwartz Sarah and Gary Sheehan Mr. Kevin Socha Julie and Robert Spahr Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Strawbridge Mrs. George Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Darren Tan Mr. and Mrs. Alexander S. Van Alen Mr.and Mrs. David L. Van Schaick Vanguard Group Foundation Voya Foundation Lee and Bill Warden Weeds, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Zimmerman STEWARDS ($250 to $499) Anonymous (4) Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Baxter, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bellanca Mr. and Mrs. David M. Boucher Dr. and Mrs. Steven W. Breecker Mr. and Mrs. W. Thacher Brown Dr. and Mrs. Barry H. Burkhardt Mr. D. Hughes Cauffman
Protect your property with a
Legacy Easement
Join the 40-Year Legacy of Conservation in the Willistown Area
While most of the Trust’s conservation easements protect large properties, a Willistown Conservation Trust Legacy Easement is specially designed for properties in the Trust’s focal area less than eight acres in size. It can be tailored to protect those special features of your property that mean so much to you.
Become part of an open space movement that has protected over 7,200 acres of land in the Willistown area. And ensure that your land stays the same, forever. A stewardship transfer fee will benefit the Trust each time the property is sold. And Willistown Conservation Trust will uphold the terms of the easement forever.
Additionally, you will enjoy the special benefits of the Legacy Society–the valued
group of supporters who have made the Trust a planned giving priority. You will also receive a free habitat assessment of your property and an appropriate nest box from our bird conservation team.
W I L L I S T OW N
CONSERVATION TRUST
Legacy Society
Is Your Property A Candidate? • Is it located within the Trust’s 28,000-acre focal area? • Is it less than eight acres in size? • Is it located close to other protected lands? • Does it contain natural features that exemplify the Willistown countryside? To learn more, contact us at land@wctrust.org or 610.353.2562, ext. 11.
SPRING 2015 | 29
STEWARDS - CONT’D ($250 to $499)
CRUM CREEK MAKING IT EVEN BETTER A stalwart group of over 50 volunteers planted 900 trees and shrubs along Crum Creek and a related tributary at Ruth and and Tris Colket’s Rock Hill Farm in Willistown in November of 2014. The Colkets were eager to enhance this Willistown treasure and were delighted at the opportunity to share and promote ecological improvement of our local streams. Organized by Stroud Water Research Center and the Trust, the riparian (streamside) planting will have a powerful impact on improving the water quality of the stream.
The plants, all species native to southeastern Pennsylvania, were installed to create buffers along the streams. Their root structure helps to intercept runoff sediment and pollution, and their spreading limbs and canopy provide important shade which lowers the water temperature of the stream. This improves water quality and habitat for aquatic wildlife while providing food, cover, water, and breeding areas for many other kinds of wildlife, especially birds. Crum Creek and many of its tributaries meander through Willistown, connecting places and people, and telling a story of ecology and local land use. Designated by the state as a “High Quality – Cold Water Fishery”, Crum Creek and its surrounding flood plains are a vital source of drinking water for over 200,000 households and businesses; a recreational, scenic and educational resource enjoyed by all ages; and habitat for a rich variety of native plants and wildlife.
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LEFT: The community came out in droves to help plant the 900 native trees along the Crum Creek in Willistown. Shown here, Chris Karnes and host Ruth Colket dig in along with neighbors, friends and volunteers from the Trust, Stroud Water Research Center and CRC Watersheds Association.
Mr. and Mrs. Paolo P. Costa Mr. and Mrs. Rafael Costa Mark and Michele Cruise Mr. and Mrs. James S. Denham IV John and Rosemary Diederich Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Diliberto Sallie and Saunders Dixon Mr. and Mrs. John A Eichman IV Mr. and Mrs. Dennis J. Elko Mr. and Mrs. John J. Fahey, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Familetti Mr. and Mrs. James E. Gowen II Ms. Karen King Gress and Mr. Robert J. Gress Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hahn Hermitage Homeowners Association Board Ms. Alexandra B. Hettinger and Mr. Peter J. Bohn Mr. and Mrs. James H. Hill Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Jones JP Morgan Chase Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Anthony C. Keane The Ladenheim Family Tim Lewis Nick and Cass Ludington Ms. Mary E. MacLachlan Mr. Ralph W. Marsh Mrs. Gwynne G. McDevitt Mr. David A. McElhinny Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McGovern Mrs. John B. McGowan, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. McKenna, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel W. Morris, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Moser, Jr. Jay and Nancy Mossman Janneke Seton Neilson Mr. and Mrs. James A. Nolen III Mr. and Mrs. Steven Oblack Oliver Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Ned and Rachel Owen Bob and Susan Peck Ms. Ruth H. Pike Vince Pompo and Bob Yungman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey C. Rugen Ms. Anne Satterthwaite Alice and David Sharp Mr. and Mrs. Eric Snyder Cathy and Jim Staples Mr. and Mrs. Jack M. Taylor Mr. Jim Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Richard I. Torpey, Jr. Mr. George Weymouth PROTECTORS ($100 to $249) Anonymous (7) Mr. and Mrs. E. Page Allinson Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Andres Ardrossan Beagles, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. David Arnold Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Auten Ms. Laurie M. Bachman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Baena Bank of New York Mellon Community Partnership Mr. and Mrs. R. Gregory Barton Mr. and Mrs. James L. Beam Nancy and Hank Belber Ms. Jean Bomm Mr. and Mrs. Scott Boyance Ms. Elaine Brody Henry and Martha Bryans Mr. and Mrs. George A. Buckland Mr. Leonard A. Busby Mr. and Mrs. John Butterworth Ms. Susan C. Butterworth Ms. Jennifer Cahill Mr. and Mrs. Edward R. Carpenter, Jr.
Ilene Chester and Frank Tobin Jackie and Tom Cobb Mr. and Mrs. John Joseph Collins III Sandy Collins Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Cooker Mr. and Mrs. Donald P. Coulston Robin and Alan Crawford III Vince and Kali Curran Ron D’Angeli Charles A. Daly IV and Julie Daly Drs. Paul and Caroline Davis Mr. and Mrs. C. Frederick de Long, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Dowling Mr. and Mrs. Ford B. Draper, Jr. Ms. Lisa Dudash and Mr. John P. Forde Ms. Maureen A. Ebel Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Fastuca Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm E. Flint Focus Fitness of the Main Line LLC Mr. and Mrs. Keith Fox Mr. Edward D. Frank II and Ms. Susan G. Lea Dr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Frazier Germantown Academy Mr. and Mrs. James E. Gibson Aidan and Elaine Gilmartin Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Gilpin, Jr. GlaxoSmithKline Mr. and Mrs. K. David Graham Mr. and Mrs. James A. Grant, Sr. Great Valley High School, Ms. Aura Lester’s AP Environmental Science class Mr. and Mrs. Perry C. Gresh Ms. Pamela Hamilton Tracey and Gil Hanse Mrs. John A. Harris IV Mrs. Joseph C. Hastings Mr. James W. B. Hole and Ms. Heidi Thiermann Mr. and Mrs. A. Dunham Hollister, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Francis B. Jacobs II Johnson & Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McBee Johnston III Ms. Lucy M. Kiziuk Ms. Margaret Kramer Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kreuzberger Dr. George L. Lasota and Dr. Jeanne A. Hanache Mr. and Mrs. David P. Lavins Mr. and Mrs. Christopher A. Lawler Mr. and Mrs. Dana Thompson Lerch Ms. Pamela E. Lewis Joan W. Mackie Dr. and Mrs. W. Steven Mark Mr. and Mrs. David F. Martin Miss Deborah Anne Mathes Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Matje Mr. and Mrs. Anthony McCague Robbi and Jim McErlane Ms. Katherine D. McKenna and her father, Mr. Stephen McKenna Mr. James Meehan Mr. Scott Melville Mr. and Mrs. David S. Merker Arno and Lynd Meyer Ms. Akiko Mitsui and Mr. James Heath Mr. and Mrs. John Day Mohr Mr. and Mrs. Carl G. Morgan Mr. Scott Morrison Anne and Gary Murphy Ms. Diane Murray The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware Jim and Kayo Nolan Mr. Andrew A. Orr and Ms. Elizabeth Evert Orr Mr. and Mrs. Richard Owens Mr. and Mrs. Martin R. Page Laura Sauer Palmer and David Palmer Ms. Edith G. Parnum Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Pesthy Mrs. Eleanor R. Peterson
Ms. Lili Pew Philadelphia Water Color Society Frank and Sharon Pici Ms. Cindy Pierce Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Radano Mr. and Mrs. Leonard B. Randolph Cliff and Rita Reves Mr. and Mrs. George W. Richards III Mr. David G. Rogers and Ms. S. Faye Rogers Bonnie Schaefer Rosen Dr. Robert A. Ruggiero, Jr. and Dr. Mary C. Penrod Ruggiero Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sayer Mr. and Mrs. William A. Scari, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Schellenger Mr. and Mrs. Manfred Seidel Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Sevareid Ms. Nancy J. Shilcock Mr. and Mrs. Mitch Shiles Mr. Joseph A. Smith, Smith Generators Ms. Louise Schorn Smith and Mr. Nick Santoleri Mr. and Mrs. Sidney V. Smith, Jr. John and Fay Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stagnaro Mr. and Mrs. RJ Stedman Ted and Kitty Stokes Ms. Sarah B. Stokes The Strange Family Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Tegler Ms. Mary Ann Thomas Mr. and Mrs. Justin N. Thompson Mr. Christopher N. Thorpe Mr. and Mrs. Peter Townsend W. Scott Tuttle Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Tyler Bruce and Caron Ulmer Ms. Barbara R. Washburn Mr. David E. Watt Mr. and Mrs. William Y. Webb The Weeders Mr. and Mrs. Bradford F. Whitman Mr. and Mrs. David R. Wilmerding, Jr. Colonel and Mrs. Robert B. Wiltshire Paul and Marcia Woodruff Mr. Minturn T. Wright III Mr. and Mrs. V. Scott Zelov Ms. Jo-Ann Zoll FRIENDS (up to $99) Anonymous (2) Mr. and Mrs. Gerald M. Alexander Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Auchincloss, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Paul A. Barenberg Dr. William G. Baxt and Dr. Judy L. Meinkoth Mr. Timothy M. Beadle Debbie Beer and Adrian Binns Ms. Katherine Bennett Mr. Peter A. Bergson Ms. Barbara L. Bird Mr. Rodger A. Bovenkerk Mr. and Mrs. Angelo A. Brutico, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William T. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Cantlin Mrs. James T. Carson Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Caspar Mr. Lloyd Cole Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cortese Mr. Christopher B. Cryer Mr. and Mrs. John S. Custer, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Davis Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Davis Mr. and Mrs. Clarence De Armond III Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. DiPasqua Ms. Laura A. Dormans Dover Chemical Corporation Mrs. Beverly S. Ensor Ms. Virginia G. Fanfera Mr. Thomas J. Farrell III and Ms. Alison D. Ogelsby
W I L L I S T OW N C O N S E RVAT I O N T RU S T
A N N UA L F U N D
6
REASONS WHY Donors Supported the Annual Fund
Look what donors had to say in a recent survey: Because I think everybody that drives to or through the Willistown area must experience, as I do, at least a subtle uplift of spirit and reminder of the value of natural beauty in the way we undertake our daily lives. Because we see that what the Trust is doing for the conservation of open space, habitat and wildlife for the benefit of all our children is of critical importance.
Because of how we’ve witnessed our scout troop of disabled boys respond to participation in catching, holding, banding and releasing birds. The experience for them is the most impactful and even life-changing of all our programs.
Because as members of the CSA, I love bringing my kids to show them how our food is produced and the relationships among the crops, farmers, bees and the birds. We believe it’s extremely important that the next generation, and beyond, is filled with awe, respect for, and the importance of stewardship of the natural world. We love the Trust for so many reasons. The woods, SPRING 2015the31 trees, the meadows, the streams, the birds the trails
LEFT: Radnor Hunt Pony Club presents
a giant check to the Trust for $2,000 from proceeds of the 2014 Chase for Conservation. Over 100 riders enjoyed the marked trail ride crossing hundreds of acres of protected lands in the Willistown area.
In Honor of Bryan D. Colket Mrs. Lili Pew In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Cox Mr. and Mrs. Warren I. Claytor
HOOFPRINT IMAGES
In Honor of Fred de Long and the Rushton Farm crew Louise Schorn Smith and Mr. Nick Santoleri In Honor of Laura de Ramel Mr. and Mrs. James S. Denham IV In Honor of Girl Scout Troop 41242 Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stagnaro FRIENDS - CONT’D (up to $99) Ms. Elizabeth Feinberg and Mr. Thomas L. Haynos Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Feldman Ms. Pamela Ferber Mr. and Mrs. Anthony L. Fernandes Jody and Alan Fitts Dona and Thomas Foerster Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Frame John and Suzanne Gaadt Mr. and Mrs. Rex R. Gary The Gerstenfeld Family Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. Gilardi Mr. and Mrs. Bruce T. Gilbert Ms. Penny Goulding Mr. and Mrs. Clelland N. Green Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Groux, Jr. Mr. Carl J. Grunwald Tara and Les Haggett Andrea Hanaway, MD Ms. Lisa Hancock Paul Nigel Harris Mrs. Mary C.C. Heiserman Mr. and Mrs. Jack Henn Mr. and Mrs. John R. Hicks Ms. Kristin Morsman Jacoby Bruce and Lauren James Mr. and Mrs. G. James Jarratt III Beth E. Johnson Mr. Trevor P. Johnson and Ms. Melissa Bailey Johnson Ms. Gabriella Kecskes Mrs. D. Scott Kelley Dr. David M. Kenosian Ms. Marjorie P. Kinkead Ms. Leslie F. Kurtas Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Latyak Mr. and Mrs. John Lear Mr. Ken Leister Mr. Donald R. Levan Mr. Karl A. Malessa Mr. and Mrs. Daniel P. McHugh Mr. Robert McIlhenny Ms. Mary Hundt McLoughlin Ms. Linda S. Miller Mr. and Mrs. Chris Moran Mr. Robert L. Moser, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Alex Mowday Mr. and Mrs. Britton Murdoch Judi Myers Mr. and Mrs. James C. Nelson III
John Odell and Maryanne Buschini Roberta W. Odell Mr. and Mrs. John F. Osgood Dr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Palmaccio, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James Patterson Barbara Pettinos Mr. and Mrs. David V. Prevost Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Randolph, Jr. Mrs. A. Lee Reeser Tom Reeves Ms. Barbara J. Rhoads Mr. and Mrs. J. Permar Richards III Mr. Todd W. Richards Ms. Avery Rome and Mr. Jeff Price Dr. Shari Nathanson Rosenbloom, Ph.D. Ms. Carol Rubin Dr. Mark A. Saks and Dr. Emily K. Saks Frances and Keith Sharkan Mr. and Mrs. John M. Skrocki Mr. and Mrs. William T. Spane Mr. and Mrs. Gordon F. Stone Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Tankel Philip and Merle Taylor Mr. Ihor Terleckyj and Mrs. Olenia M. Czerwoniak Mrs. Edmund Thayer, Jr. Craig and Judy Thomas Mr. and Mrs. Aaron R. Thurlow Mr. and Mrs. Peter Unger Mr. and Mrs. Paul Velho Mr. Mitchell Waddell Philip and Carolyn Wallis Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Warner Mr. and Mrs. Hugh D. Willig Mr. George C. Wood Mr. and Mrs. Charles Zeien CORPORATE, FOUNDATIONS, and MATCHING GIFTS Bank of New York Mellon Community Partnership The Boudinot Foundation The Claneil Foundation Comcast GBH Foundation Germeshausen Foundation GlaxoSmithKline The Hamilton Family Foundation Johnson & Johnson JPMorgan Chase Foundation Kirby Foundation Moran Family Charitable Foundation E. Murdoch Family Foundation
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The New York Community Trust The Owen Family Foundation The Quaker City Foundation The Reinvestment Fund The Simkiss Family Foundation The Tally Foundation U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation Vanguard Group Foundation Vinton Family Foundation Voya Foundation MEMORIAL GIFTS In memory of Wayne Congar Mr. and Mrs. Dennis J. Elko In memory of Alan Crawford, Jr. Veritable, LP In memory of Jill Red Ms. Catherine LaFarge In memory of John H. Richards III Mr. and Mrs. Gerald M. Alexander Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Auchincloss, Jr. Dover Chemical Corporation The Gerstenfeld Family Jeff and Diane Groff Hermitage Homeowners Association Mr. and Mrs. James H. Hill Mr. and Mrs. A. Dunham Hollister, Jr. Stock and Eleanor Illoway Mr. and Mrs. Francis B. Jacobs II Mrs. D. Scott Kelley Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Matje Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. McKenna, Jr. Mr. Scott Melville Mr. and Mrs. Samuel W. Morris, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Moser, Jr. Mr. Robert L. Moser, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. John F. Osgood Mr. and Mrs. George W. Richards III Mr. and Mrs. William A. Scari, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Karl R. Schoettle, Jr. In memory of Douglas C. Walker Mrs. Henry A. Jordan Natural Lands Trust Staff TRIBUTES AND SPECIAL GIFTS Christmas gift for Stephen McKenna Ms. Katherine D. McKenna
In Honor of the Goll/Mamigonian wedding guests Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mamigonian In Honor of Peter D. Quinn’s Birthday Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Quinn In Honor of Justin Thompson Focus Fitness of the Main Line LLC Tree Planted at Kirkwood Preserve in honor of new baby Mr. and Mrs. Justin N. Thompson Community Farm Program GBH Foundation Mr. Scott T. Hattersley Mrs. Henry A. Jordan Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mamigonian Cathy and Jim Staples The Weeders White Horse Village Bird Conservation Program Ms. Jean Bomm Mr. Rodger A. Bovenkerk Ms. Susan C. Butterworth Mr. and Mrs. Rex R. Gary Germantown Academy Girl Scout Troop 41242 Kat and Steve Gord Ms. Catherine LaFarge Mr. Ken Leister Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mamigonian Mr. and Mrs. David S. Merker The Owen Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Sevareid Ms. Nancy J. Shilcock Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stagnaro Cathy and Jim Staples The Weeders White Horse Village Easement Endowment Fund Mr. and Mrs. J. David Hucker Henry’s Garden Mrs. Henry A. Jordan Internship Fund Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. L. Clarke Blynn Dr. and Mrs. Robert Corrato Dr. John P. Dormans Dick and Nancy Eales
Alice and Peter Hausmann Mr. and Mrs. William T. Howard Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Hurley III Mr. and Mrs. J. Richard Leaman, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John B. McGowan, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. McMenamin Mr. and Mrs. John D. Milner Ms. Caroline A. Moran Mrs. J. Maxwell Moran Britt and Janice Murdoch Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Newbold IV Donna and Bill Oliver The Reinvestment Fund Ms. Sarah Sanz Ms. Anne Satterthwaite Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Gerard H. Sweeney Mr. and Mrs. David B. Thayer Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Turner, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James L. Van Alen II Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Van Alen Margaret and Tom Whitford Mr. and Mrs. V. Scott Zelov Dr. Kathy Zoll and Mr. Joseph C. Zoll Trail Fund Anonymous (1) Ms. Carol Ann Atterbury Ms. Barbara L. Bird Sandy Collins Mr. and Mrs. Craig W. Cullen, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. DiPasqua Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Frame Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gansky Dr. and Mrs. Robert P. Good Mrs. Mary C.C. Heiserman Mr. and Mrs. G. James Jarratt III Mr. Trevor P. Johnson and Ms. Melissa Bailey Johnson Mr. and Mrs.Richard D. Jones Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kreuzberger The Ladenheim Family Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Latyak Mrs, Gwynne G. McDevitt Robbi and Jim McErlane Mrs. J. Maxwell Moran Donna and Bill Oliver Dr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Palmaccio, Jr. Mr. Todd W. Richards Ms. Anne Satterthwaite Joseph A. Smith Generators Mr. and Mrs. Eric Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Dylan Supina Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Tankel Mr. Ihor Terleckyj and Mrs. Olenia M. Czerwoniak Beneficiary Income Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Brown EarthShare Mr. and Mrs. Anthony C. Keane Radnor Hunt Pony Club’s Chase for Conservation Josephine Winsor’s Blacksmith Shop Studio Support for Acquisition of White Farmhouse Parcel at Rushton Woods Preserve and Rushton Farm II Initiative Anonymous (5) Elizabeth G. Atterbury The Boudinot Foundation Diana Sinkler Clagett in memory of her parents Mr. and Mrs. James M.R. Sinkler The County of Chester – Preservation Partnership Program Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Genuardi Margot and Bob Keith Kirby Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Collin F. McNeil Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Moller
A Common Yellowthroat warbler, gently captured in the mist nets at Rushton Woods Preserve in July of 2014, prior to its release. The Trust’s federally licensed banding staff carefully installs a tiny ID band on each bird’s leg and records data that is then submitted to the the U.S. Geological Survey. This data contibutes to global bird conservation and helps measure the impact of the Trust’s land protection, sustainable farming and habit restoration initiatives.
E. Murdoch Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Newbold IV PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources William S. Sudhaus Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Warden Ms. Lida A. Wright EVENTS 2014 Barns & BBQ Barn Hosts Lisa and Sandy Davne Lynn and Tony Hitschler Jennifer and Chris Moller Betty Moran Margaret Anne and Jim Nolen Barns & BBQ Co-Chairs Leanne and Rob McMenamin Janice and Britt Murdoch Presenting Sponsors Griffiths Construction, Inc. John Milner Architects, Inc.
Auction Supporters Brushwood Stable Mr. Samuel T. Freeman, Freeman’s Auctioneers and Appraisers Heritage Metalworks, Ltd. Ms. Lisa Kiziuk, WCT Director of Bird Conservation Terence Decker, Old Oak Tree Landscaping & Sawmill Greg and Libby Russell Chef Brian Storey 2014 Run-a-Muck Hosts Esther and Paul Gansky Run-a-Muck Co-Chairs Jayme and Brian Colket Catharine and Gary Cox Christine and Fritz Seving Jody and Dale Vandegrift Scrumptious Supper Sponsor Brushwood Stable Blue Sky Band Sponsor Kreischer Miller
Race Trail Sponsor Sila Heating & Air Conditioning Climbing Rock Sponsor Reed Smith LLP Pet Parade Sponsor Veterinary Referral Center & Emergency Services/Rebound Animal Wellness Center Finish Line Sponsor Catharine and Gary Cox Major Muckety-Muck Sponsors Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects Barnard, Mezzanotte, Pinnie and Seelaus, LLP James Brown Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning Bryn Mawr Landscaping Co. Bryn Mawr Trust Company Wealth Management
SPRING 2015 | 33
WCT OUTDOOR CLASSROOM Partnership Schools and Programs Whether it's working with urban youth, complementing science honors classes from area schools, or hosting service learning field trips for first graders, the Trust uses the protected Willistown countryside as an outdoor classroom for students of all ages and backgrounds. Abington Friends School Abington, PA Agnes Irwin School Rosemont, PA Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School Philadelphia, PA Charles A. Melton Arts & Education Center West Chester, PA The Episcopal Academy Newtown Square, PA Germantown Academy Philadelphia, PA Goshen Friends School West Chester, PA Mighty Writers Philadelphia, PA Open Connections Newtown Square, PA Temple University - Fox School of Business Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Masters Environmental Studies Program Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Department of Landscape Architecture Philadelphia, PA The Shipley School Bryn Mawr, PA Villanova University Villanova, PA Westtown School Westtown, PA Westtown Thornbury Elementary School West Chester, PA Widener Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Exton, PA Young Scholars Charter School Philadelphia, PA Zoo Crew Naturalists Philadelphia, PA
Major Muckety-Muck Sponsors CONT’D Warren Claytor Architects Country Properties Credit Suisse Gardner/Fox Associates GreenWeaver Landscapes, LLC Ranieri & Kerns Associates, LLC Sycamore Racing LLC Muckety-Muck Sponsors Aqua America, Inc. Elite Group LLC The F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. Benner & Sons Painting and Wallcovering CertaPro Painters of the Main Line Conlin’s Digital Print and Copy Center Countryside Consulting Green Roots Landscaping McCausland Keen & Buckman Missy Schwartz, Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Mark D. Slouf Custom Building and Design Weeds, Inc. White Horse Village Supporting Sponsor Oliver Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Prize Sponsors Braxton’s Animal Works, Inc. Out There Outfitters 2014 Harvest Celebration Sponsors Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects James Brown Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning Bryn Mawr Trust Company Wealth Management Warren Claytor Architects Country Properties Credit Suisse Gardner/Fox Associates GreenWeaver Landscapes, LLC Kreischer Miller Ranieri & Kerns Associates, LLC Sycamore Racing LLC Sycamore Society Party Hosts Mr. M. Night and Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan EVENT PATRONS Anonymous (5) Elizabeth G. Atterbury Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Benson Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Bissinger, Jr. Betsy and Luke Block Mr. and Mrs. L. Clarke Blynn Mr. and Mrs. James Bruder Mr. and Mrs. Angelo A. Brutico, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan D. Colket Mr. and Mrs. Tristram C. Colket, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Cooker Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Cox Mr. and Mrs. Craig W. Cullen, Jr. Vince and Kali Curran Mitchell and Jackie Davis Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Duprey Dick and Nancy Eales Lynn and Steve Flynn Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gansky Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Goll Dr. and Mrs. Robert P. Good Mr. Steven C. Graham and Ms. Christina W. Morin
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Ms. Yolanda Gray Mr. and Mrs. Clelland N. Green Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Groome III Anne and Matt Hamilton Dorrance H. Hamilton The Hamilton Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John W. Hardin Messrs. Hinkle-Brown Mr. and Mrs. J. David Hucker Mrs. Henry A. Jordan Mr. and Mrs. Anthony C. Keane Kirby Foundation Ms. Lucy M. Kiziuk Mrs. Anne D. Koffey Ms. Susan A. Kokat Ms. Catherine LaFarge Mr. and Mrs. D. Christopher Le Vine Mr. and Mrs. J. Richard Leaman, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Leisenring Dr. and Mrs. N. Blair LeRoy Nick and Cass Ludington Mr. and Mrs. Wade L. McDevitt Mr. and Mrs. John B. McGowan, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. McMenamin Mr. and Mrs. Chris Moran Mrs. J. Maxwell Moran Mr. and Mrs. John Joseph Mullen Britt and Janice Murdoch Mr. and Mrs. Britton Murdoch Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Nagy Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Newbold IV Donna and Bill Oliver Mr. and Mrs. William J. Petrauskas Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Radcliffe Mr. and Mrs. Kevin T. Ryan Mr. and Mrs. Frederick T. Seving III Mr. Stephen Sordoni Mr. and Mrs. Steven L. Spinner Mr. and Mrs. John F. Stoviak Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Strawbridge Mr. and Mrs. Darren Tan Mr. Matthew E. Taylor and Ms. Francie Ingersoll Mr. and Mrs. Stuart A. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Turner, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James L. Van Alen II Mrs. William L. Van Alen, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Warden Don and Nancy Weaver Margaret and Tom Whitford Mrs. Ethel Benson Wister Alejandro and Janine Zozaya
Volunteers from VOYA Financial spent a day in May at Rushton Farm, helping with a variety of spring farm chores.
volunteers INTERNS Todd Alleger James Dickinson Denise Ecker Alison Fetterman Jesse Kemper Larken Wright Kennedy Kavanaugh Tollefson VOLUNTEERS David Abse George Armistead Joy Atwell Laurie Bachman Sidne Baglini Greg Bannett Tim Barnard and Meredyth Patterson Cindy Barradale Maureen Barry Priscilla Baysinger Debbie Beer and Adrian Binns Donna Beers John Black Clarke and Barb Blynn Olivia Bouler Jennifer Braxton David Brennfleck Martha Bryans Jua Bua David Bunn Steve Burgess Brian Byrnes Alicia Caruso Ted Cary Brendan Cawley Warren and Caroline Claytor Mary Coe Bryan and Jayme Colket Ruth Colket Malinda Collins Sandy Collins Maureen Conlon Tammy Cooke Gary and Catharine Cox Patricia Cox Alan and Robin Crawford David Crawford Woody and Carolyn Cullen Pengcheng Dai Rachel D’Angeli Patty Darden Joe Davis
Steve Davis Chase and Shannon Davis Andy Davis Kris Debolt Sarah Deutsch Jack DeVuono Colleen DiMattesa Sandra Drain Amanda Dunbar Dick and Nancy Eales Abel Engler Mackenzie Esterly Jesse Estlow Kate Etherington Tiana Fair Paul Farnschlader Jack Fields John Fisher Ed Fleth Tom and Christine Foga Drew and Gina Fox Lori Frustuci Diana Funchion Brook Gardner Jeff and Kelly Geibel Elizabeth Gephart Jean Good Kat Gord James and Eliza Gowen Lynnette Granto Karen Gress David Groff Christina Hack Lou Hahn John and Janet Ham Minh Hang John and Elyse Hanlon Meg Hardesty Kevin Hare Pamela Harrison Barbara Hartman Meg Hauler Alice and Peter Hausmann Azeez and Erika Hayne Frank and Erin Herz Tony and Lynn Hitschler Diana Hoppe Bill and Lyn Howard David and Beth Hucker Joseph Hudson Sarah Hutchin Jared Ingersoll
Our sincere thanks to the following individuals who offered their time and talents to help the Trust. List reflects volunteer activities between January 1, 2014 and February 28, 2015. Jason and Sarah Ingle Fred and Olga Jackson Oleg Jakubowicz Torben Jenk Kristen Johnson Sheryl Johnson Cassie Kane Alex Keane Tony and Kari Keane Patricia Kelly Andy and Denise Kerns Bill Keyser Frank Kivuyo Susan Kokat Heather Kostick Henry Labick Steve and Jean Ladenheim Phylipp Lafosse Elizabeth Lakata Bob Lange Marilyn Latyak Sally Layden Mark Ledger Ted Leisenring Ken Leister Linda LeRoy Mary Levine Paige Lewis Kristine and Jason Lisi J.P. Lisi Kaitlin Lisi Jaroslaw Lupinski Bob MacDonnell Jenn and Todd MacFarlane Mary MacLachlan Doris McGovern John McGowan Mike McGraw Chris and Gina McHugh Leanne and Rob McMenamin Gene McMillen Dr. F. Arthur McMorris Greg McNaull Collin McNeil Angel Mecca Elizabeth Millard Chris Miller Jennifer Moller Daniel Moran Brian and Jill Muck Janice and Britt Murdoch
Moiya Murphy Pete and Pam Nagy Amir Naraghi Matt and Heather Naylor Paddy Neilson Monique Neiman Per Neiman Arthur and Douglass Newbold Shu-Chen Niu Bill and Donna Oliver John O’Neill Michael Opendak Tim Owen Rocco Pace Martin Page Carol Palmaccio Edie Parnum Skip and Karen Petrauskas Victoria Pittenger Richard Pitts Eileen Provost Mohammed Quadri Brian Quindlen Pat Reed Thomas Reeves Tom and Mahala Renkey Todd Richards Bill Rizzo Avery Rome Salomon Romero Andres Rosada, Jr. Mike Rosengarten Matthew Rosin Steve Rudner Jyotsna Sankuratri Anne Satterthwaite Richard Scanlan Cindy Scheeler John Schwanholt Johnna Seal Alice Sevareid Fritz and Christine Seving Win Shafer Anvi Shah Jessica Shahan Jeremy Shannon Brian Shay Deacon Shorr Devlan Siddons Maureen Siddons John Silverthorne
Dani Smith Lang and Marilyn Smith Vince Smith Eric and Genevieve Snyder Holly Spinner Chip Spitz Ellyn Spragins Catherine Staples Mike Starecky Liz Stone John and Holly Stoviak Steven Strawbridge Peter and Liz Strawbridge Art and Doris Strawbridge Dixon Stroud Dan Sullivan Sandie Sutherland Susan Swanson Bernadette Sweeney Ken and Liz Tankel Lance and Debi Taylor Marilyn Taylor Dr. Sharon Taylor Matthew Taylor Craig and Judy Thomas Justin and Carolyn Thompson Doug Tietbohl Bob and Carolyn Turner Paige Turner David and Lindsey Turner Jim and Bonnie Van Alen Jimmy Van Alen Rob and Colby Van Alen Dale and Jody Vandegrift Sue Vestri Jeff and Barbara Vincent Jane Walker Tana and Michael Wall Jeff Warden Rick and Kathy Warden Zoe Warner Michael Wignore Ian Wilson Josephine and Henry Winsor Effie Wister Narumon Wongwilai Chuck and Vicki Wooters Lida Wright Abbie Wysor Daniel Youngblood
This list may be incomplete. Please forgive any omissions or errors.
SPRING 2015 35
The Sycamore WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Road Newtown Square, PA 19073 www.wctrust.org
JOIN US ON MAY 9th
for a tour of six of Willistown’s most beautiful barns and working lands, followed by a Bountiful BBQ. From restored 19th century gems to authentic Chester County reproductions, there’s a barn sure to please everyone. Cocktails, local cheese, and Chef Greg Shockley’s (Sage Catering) new interpretation of American BBQ promise to make a memorable evening. More information and online registration at www.wctrust.org.
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOUTHEASTERN, PA PERMIT NO. 96