Natural Lands Magazine, no. 162, Spring-Summer 2023

natural lands The magazine of Natural Lands no. 162 | spring/summer 2023

the next wave of sprawl.

contents

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natural lands number 162 • spring/summer 2023

the next wave of sprawl. development has accelerated and Natural Lands is responding.

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plant this, not that.

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getting to the top of the hill.

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native alternatives to invasive plant species.

nature offers comfort during trying times.

NEWS

14 SAVING OPEN SPACE

recent land conservation successes.

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LIGHT, COLOR, TEXTURE, JOY

painter Gregory Blue takes inspiration from Stroud Preserve.

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editor and writer Kirsten Werner art director Kristen Bower principal photography Mae Axelrod contributors Emily Conn, Britt Doerr, Jason Duckworth, Holly Harper, Ann Hausmann, Kelly Herrenkohl, Robyn Jeney, Ethan Kauffman, Samantha Nestory

WELCOME PAULINA JEREZ

Natural Lands Hildacy Preserve 1031 Palmers Mill Road, Media, PA 19063 t 610-353-5587 | f 610-353-0517 info@natlands.org | natlands.org The official registration and financial information of Natural Lands may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999.

Registration does not imply endorsement.

Information filed with the Attorney General concerning this charitable solicitation and the percentage of contributions received by the charity during the last reporting period that were dedicated to the charitable purpose may be obtained from the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey by calling 973-504-6215 and is available on the internet at www.state.nj.us/lps/ ca/charfrm.htm. Registration with the Attorney General does not imply endorsement.

#naturallands facebook.com/NatLands instagram.com/natural.lands linkedin.com/company/natural-lands cover: Shutterstock.com/Konstantin L

tiktok.com/@natural.lands

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from the president At around the time I started my career at Natural Lands in 1997, the Philadelphia Inquirer was shining a bright light on the issue of suburban sprawl, estimating an acre every hour lost to development.

The pace of development slowed around the time of the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 but, as is clear to anyone who travels around the region, it’s beginning to feel like 1997 all over again. The impact on our remaining open spaces has been significant.

This current wave of sprawl looks a bit different from those of the past.

Younger buyers prioritize city amenities in suburban settings over the twoacre home lot. Warehouses are replacing farms at a startling rate. And this wave of sprawl is reaching well beyond the counties immediately surrounding Philadelphia. Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Schuylkill, Monroe, Carbon, and other counties are feeling the effects.

Everyone needs a place to live, shop, work, and go to school. This isn’t about ending development. It’s about accelerating the pace of conservation while encouraging smart land use decisions at the local level.

In our current strategic plan, we committed ourselves to doubling the pace at which we conserve land. This will require additional funding and people. Recently, with generous support from anonymous donors, we added another full-time land protection professional to our staff.

He joins the four others already doing this vital work. We’re also updating the conservationfocused land use ordinances that we have long encouraged local municipalities to embrace.

Last summer, the Pennsylvania legislature made the largest new investment in conservation and environmental programs in many years, and more federal support has become available.

But increased county and local open space funds are essential—a message we are sharing with communities throughout the extended region.

People turned to nature in unprecedented numbers when the COVID pandemic began, and many have made the outdoors an ongoing part of their lives. Some have begun contributing to organizations like member-supported Natural Lands. Others are voting and advocating for open space in their local communities.

Call it a new wave of conservationists. With them—and you—we can respond to this next wave of sprawl and help ensure a sustainable, livable future for the region we love.

Ed Cunicelli

OLIVER BASS, PRESIDENT

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news

top: Samantha Nestory; bottom: David Korbonits

heartwood.

Stoneleigh: a natural garden Villanova, PA | 42 acres

At Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a London planetree— close cousin to the native American sycamore—has towered over the Main House for more than 150 years. Its pale, mottled branches have shaded the gardens below, inspired artists and poets, and offered shelter to songbirds and other critters.

Sadly, the tree is dying.

Weakened by both sycamore anthracnose and canker stain, the London planetree was no longer safe and had to be scaled back dramatically earlier this spring. It now stands as an example of the value of dying and dead trees to the environment, a tree sculpture that will be planted with native vines.

A tree’s death can serve a purpose as vital as its life.

the core of the tree—the heartwood—softens and more insects arrive. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees tap holes into the crumbling wood as they feast on the bugs, creating cavities for other bird species and mammals to use as nesting space or protection from winter’s chill. Mushrooms

Every gardener knows that change is part of tending a gar-

Beetles and other insects bore into the softening wood, creating openings for fungal spores and bacteria. Over time,

sprout from the bark while, on the ground, new plant species emerge in the newly available sunshine.

den. We invite you to visit Stoneleigh to watch how the London planetree changes in this new phase of its existence. W

Carolina Chickadee nesting in the tree sculpture

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both red and blue vote green.

A recent study, published in Scientific Reports, has found that spending more time outdoors in childhood can prevent near-sightedness.

Interestingly, outside time can also “offset” the effects of myopia inherited from one’s parents.

The research shows that near-sightedness can be delayed or even prevented in children with at least two hours a day spent outdoors.

Scientists believe the brightness of sunlight— which is significantly brighter than the lighting in almost any indoor setting—offers these beneficial effects.

When sunlight comes in contact with the retina, it causes the release of the chemical dopamine into the eye, preventing the eye from growing too long and becoming myopic.

Additionally, Vitamin D—which is triggered by UVB light—helps smooth muscle tissue around the eye’s lens, allowing it to help focus light on the retina.

Many of us who care deeply about nature spent much of our childhood as “free-range kids,” and still find ourselves dependent on corrective lenses. But we’ll support any encouragement to get tomorrow’s conservationists outside more! W

2:1

82%

iStockphoto.com/eakgrunge

farewell, four-eyes?

Is there anything that will unite Democrats and Republicans? Voters in Chester and Carbon Counties will tell you that support for conservation will do just that.

In November, the residents of Westtown Township, Chester County, voted by two to one to approve an Open Space Fund referendum, which will increase both Earned Income Tax and Real Estate Tax. The funds generated from the increase will secure bonds to be used towards the conservation and maintenance of Crebilly Farm, one of the largest remaining unprotected properties in the Township and County.

Further north towards the Poconos, an astounding 82 percent of voters supported the Carbon County Water, Farms, and Land referendum. It will allow the county to borrow up to $10 million over 20 years to preserve open space, clean water, and wildlife habitat. Of the more than 30 open space measures on ballots nationwide, Carbon County’s passed by the widest margin.

Said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass, “To say we are thrilled is something of an understatement. The residents of Westtown Township and Carbon County—on both sides of the political aisle—made their voices heard with a resounding ‘yes!’ for conservation.” W

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the next wave of

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s p r a w l .

For most of us, the words “suburban sprawl” conjure up images of cookie cutter homes, tangled networks of freeways, and traffic back-ups as far as the eye can see.

You may picture the giant metropolises of southern California or central Georgia.

You read that correctly. L.A. is vast and dependent on cars, but it consumes less than half the land per resident than greater Philadelphia. And sprawl in our area is intensifying. According to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the region’s population is expected to grow by 440,000 people, or 7.6 percent, by 2050. The next wave of sprawl is here.

Philadelphia wasn’t always sprawling and tentacled like it is today. In the early 20th century, the city had a compact urban center with a handful of satellite towns, all connected by one of the most extensive rail and trolley systems in the United States. Large swaths of rural land lay between these tightly packed areas of development. The boundary between town and country was distinct.

From 1930 to 1970, however, land per capita in our region doubled. In the period after World War II, Philadelphians became voracious consumers of land as automobility and post-war prosperity fueled a mass exodus from the city center. By the 1990s, land consumption in the region peaked at an astonishing rate of 1.98 acres per new resident, more than three times the rate in the previous two decades. From 1990 to 2000, our region saw an acre of development every 45 minutes.

follow the money.

It’s useful to understand the economic factors at play in our region’s land consumption history.

Where jobs are, people will follow. From 1969 to 2010, the City of Philadelphia lost nearly 250,000 jobs. Meanwhile, out in the suburbs, work opportunities were booming—to the point that, in 2010, the central business district of Philadelphia represented just 15 percent of the region’s employment base. Jobs and population sprawl are not independent phenomena but rather reinforce each other.

The Great Recession and global financial crisis of 2008 dramatically reduced development pressure at the edge of our region. Job losses mounted, housing construction dropped off, and residents of the Delaware Valley retrenched, with a shift away from homeownership and long commutes. Millennials—who now represent the largest generation in America—came of age during this same period. They entered a weak job market that made home and car ownership less attainable. In this environment, cities were not just fashionable, their rental opportunities, walkable neighborhoods, and public transportation offered convenience and flexibility.

opposite: iStockphoto.com/photovs

But, the truth is, greater Philadelphia is more sprawling than Los Angeles.

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Even as the economy recovered, Center City Philadelphia enjoyed a surge in residential development, with young professionals and downsizing empty nesters flocking to rowhouses and rental apartments. The city was growing again for the first time since the mid-century and, by 2015, commanded 30 percent of residential building permit activity in the region, up from its nadir of two percent in 1992.

While Philadelphia stirred with new construction, the region’s overall building activity was still far below historical norms, placing yet another brake on sprawl after the Great Recession. less pressure = less funding.

During the housing boom of the early 2000s, state, county, and local governments throughout Greater Philadelphia took decisive action by establishing new funding sources for conservation. In the period from 2000-2009, there were 127 successful ballot initiatives for open space bonds or taxes, up from 34 in the prior decade. The bonds alone in that period totaled more than $212 million.

However, in the decade following the Great Recession, conservation funding eroded across the board. With less pressure on our region’s green space, communities felt less urgency to protect remaining land. Underwriting from general revenues at Pennsylvania Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources declined from a peak in 2007 of $99 million to a mere $47 million in 2018.

Similarly, that decade saw little new funding for open space from local and county governments. In the period from 2010 to 2019, new bond funding for open space fell by a whopping 94 percent from the previous 10-year period. The number of new voter referenda at the county or local level dropped by 85 percent. Most of our region’s open space bonds, issued before the Great Recession, have been depleted. the wave is cresting.

Some demographers pointed to declines in marriage, birthrates, and even driver’s licenses as evidence that the Great Recession shift to cities and other walkable environments was permanent. Millennials, they argued, were renting downtown apartments out of choice, not necessity. In 2013, Leigh Gallagher’s book The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream Is Moving was a bestseller.

However, as the finances of Millennial households improve, more of this generation are decamping to the suburbs. Surveys have shown that most of them prefer the suburbs anyway. One such report, released by the National Association of Home Builders, found that 66 percent want to live in the suburbs, 24 percent want to live in rural areas, and a mere 10 percent want to be city dwellers.

effects of sprawl. food

We are losing our region’s farmland to sprawl. In the last century, within a 100-mile radius of Philadelphia, 58 percent of agricultural land has been lost to development.

mood

The benefits of nature— including reduced stress and blood pressure; increased cognitive function, mental stamina and focus; and better moods—are harder to access with less open space.

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Growing Greener: Conservation by Design Every time land is developed, there is an opportunity to add to community open space. All that’s needed are a few straightforward amendments to existing municipal codes.

In 1991, Natural Lands hired nationally recognized planner and author Randall Arendt and pioneered a ground-breaking approach. Called Growing Greener, the program appealed to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which launched a 1997 partnership with Natural Lands, promoting conservation design state-wide.

Simply stated, conservation design rearranges the development on each parcel as it is being planned so that half—or more—of the buildable land is set aside as open space. In a typical subdivision, every available square foot of open land is built upon, except for steep slopes and wetlands. If the same number of homes can be built in a less land-consumptive manner, however, it allows land to be permanently protected as community green space and, ideally, added to an interconnected network of other conservation subdivisions. Conservation design saves, on average, 62 percent of land in new developments as open space.

Since 1997, Natural Lands has worked with more than 140 Pennsylvania municipalities to modify their plans and zoning ordinances, empowering them to break the cycle of wall-to-wall house lots.

Currently, Natural Lands is in the process of reviewing and updating the Growing Greener: Conservation by Design model ordinances, thanks to financial support from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. W

feud

deluge

Adding impervious surface— roadways, buildings, and lawn— adds to runoff and flooding, which degrades the region’s creeks, streams, and rivers.

Loss of trees as land is developed increases temperatures and volatile weather events.

map: Ann Hutchinson; graphics: Vecteezy.com

Studies show climate-induced temperature increases may lead to an increase in aggression and violent crime. Time spent in nature has a significant effect on promoting community ties and reducing violence.

A 2-D rendering of a conservation subdivision in London Grove Township, Chester County

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Even for those Millennials who want to live downtown, many simply can’t afford to. With high demand and the limitations on development that are inherent in urban settings, prices have risen substantially. It is now less expensive to live in traditional suburban towns like Swarthmore, Narberth, and Doylestown or conventional suburbs like Springfield, Penn Valley, or Warminster than in Center City. Twenty years ago, that was not true.

As this generation of Millennials rebuilds their finances, more will choose to have children and, in doing so, follow their parents to the suburbs for the quality public schools, more space, and perceived safety. Demographers believe our cities have already witnessed “peak Millennial” with more young people now leaving urban centers than entering them.

“Greater Philadelphia continues to expand outward, often encroaching upon open lands that are vital to clean water, species migration, and recreation,” said Jason Duckworth, president of Arcadia Land Company and a member of Natural Lands’ Board of Trustees. Jason has received widespread recognition as a progressive developer and advocate of smart growth in the Philadelphia region, and has been instrumental in leading conversations at Natural Lands about how to get ahead of the trends. “Technological, demographic, and market changes in both the industrial and residential sectors are unleashing new pressures on our periphery, threatening what remains of our open lands. And there’s little we can afford to lose.”

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Natural Lands has set the bold goal of doubling our pace of land protection to prevent sprawl from consuming our most important landscapes.

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sprawl is one challenge among many.

During the past 20 years, Natural Lands has protected 45,711 acres in 436 transactions, an average of 22 projects per year. This record of accomplishment has made Natural Lands the largest private land conservation organization in the Greater Philadelphia region.

What’s driving the choices Natural Lands makes about where to direct, accelerate, and expand its conservation efforts? Certainly, this newest wave of sprawl is an important factor, but so too is our changing climate, loss of species diversity, and inequitable access to both open space and the conservation movement.

“Where will sprawl be worst and how do we account for this as we prioritize our efforts? How do we factor in other forces like the impacts of climate change and protecting biodiversity?” said Todd Sampsell, vice president of conservation for Natural Lands.

“The number of acres saved is important, but we must identify and pursue the right opportunities to preserve intact ecosystems, protect watersheds, and establish greenways—for wildlife and people. Smaller parcels in more urban and suburbanized areas, if they can help alleviate flooding and excessive heat or allow for better nature access for nearby populations, may be just as important as larger parcels in more rural areas.”

Natural Lands is fortunate that the scale and reach of our conservation efforts position us to have a meaningful impact on the future. While we continue to follow the course that has underpinned our success for decades, we know that “forever” depends on the choices we make today. We must be proactive, act quickly, and assert ourselves.

“Natural Lands has set the bold goal of doubling our pace of land protection to prevent sprawl from consuming our most important landscapes,” said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass. “We need more boots on the ground to meet this goal, and thanks to seed funding from a generous donor, have recently added the first of what we hope will be two additional full-time land protection specialists to our staff. This, along with successful open space votes and continued support from county, state, and federal partners, will equip us to do this work. The time for more and accelerated conservation has come.” W

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from Great Recession to Green Hills.

A Swallowtail butterfly on monarda at Green Hills Preserve

Natural Lands,” said Jack Stefferud, senior director of land protection. “When an approved subdivision goes belly up, it’s an opportunity for conservation. The opportunity becomes reality when we can get the funding to underwrite saving the land.” W

Green Hills Preserve Mohnton, PA | 201 acres

If you are interested in learning more about leadership gift opportunities to elevate our land protection efforts, please contact Ann Hausmann, vice president of development, at 610-353-5587 ext. 242 or hausmann@natlands.org.

top: Erin Smith; bottom: Tianna G. Hansen

The 201-acre Green Hills Preserve is an expanse of rolling grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands that was once destined to become the “The Villages of Green Hills,” a 670-house subdivision that would have left little green in these hills.

When the developer’s fortunes changed due to the economic downturn of the Great Recession, conserving the property was suddenly a possibility.

After more than two years working to piece together critical funding from 10 different sources, Natural Lands purchased the property, establishing Green Hills as Natural Lands’ first nature preserve in Berks County.

The Great Recession also resulted in the addition of 141 acres to Natural Lands’ Peacedale Preserve in Landenberg, Chester County. Prior to that, the small preserve was an isolated parcel with no trails or public access.

“We’ve worked hard to build relationships with developers over the years so that, when their fortunes change, they know they can turn to

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hearts-a-bustin (Euonymus americanus)

plant this, not that.

Late last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced plans to ban the sale of burning bush, Euonymus alatus.

burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

NAT U R AL LAND S

Burning bush is an invasive species, meaning it is not native to our region and spreads without any natural checks. The plant originates from northeastern Asia and was brought to North America around 1860 as an ornamental shrub. Popular for its bright red fall foliage, the plant is spread by birds that carry berries into the woodlands where it crowds out native species, upsetting the forest ecosystem.

While burning bush will enjoy a grace period until January, 2025, when the ban takes effect, landowners can act now to remove and replace these shrubs on their property with native species. Not only will making the swap prevent invasive spread, the alternatives suggested on the right will improve the biodiversity in your landscape. They’ll attract beneficial insects that feed birds and small mammals.

Other recently banned plants in the Keystone State include Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)— most commonly known for its cultivar ‘Bradford’— Asian and European privet species (Ligustrum sinense, Ligustrum japonicum, and Ligustrum vulgare), and Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergia).

“To see how easily these invasive plants spread into natural areas, just hike into the woods anywhere around here. Our land stewardship staff and volunteers spend thousands of hours every year trying to manage invasive species on our preserves,” said Gary Gimbert, Natural Lands’ vice president of stewardship. “When they take hold, they create a monoculture. Native species can’t compete, which means the animals and insects that depend on the natives struggle for food and shelter.”

Gary added, “Hopefully people are beginning to realize that plants don’t care about property boundaries. So, if it’s in your yard, it’s also going to end up in forests and fields.” W

not that

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Red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) offers striking scarlet stems, as its name implies.

Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) has green leaves that drop away in winter, leaving a display of bright red berries that persist until songbirds gobble them up.

Southern arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) sports clusters of white flowers in spring and fall color ranging from yellow to red. It is the host plant of the Blue Azure butterfly.

Eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) offers red fall foliage and berries that are favored by birds and other wildlife.

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is gorgeous in autumn with leaves of red, yellow, orange, and purple.

opposite (top to bottom): David Korbonits, Pixabay.com; this page (top to bottom): Samantha Nestory, Pixabay.com, David Korbonits, David Korbonits, Adobe Stock/ihorhvozdetskiy

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plant this

not that

red maple (Acer rubrum)

Norway maple (Acer platanoides)

white oak (Quercus alba) black oak (Quercus velutina) flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

Callery or

Carolina silverbell (Halesia carolina)

“Bradford” pear (Pyrus calleryana)

shadbush (Amelanchier arborea) blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) southern arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)

burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

top to bottom: 1, 5, 7, 8 David Korbonits; 2, 4, 6 Samantha Nestory; 3 Laura Cruz

American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) winterberry (Ilex verticillata) northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)

privet (Ligustrum spp.)

highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) broom sedge (Andropogon virginicus)

silvergrass (Miscanthus spp.)

switch grass (Panicum virgatum) Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) Appalachian barren-strawberry (Geum fragaroides) golden ragwort (Packera aurea) largeflower valerian (Valeriana pauciflora)

English ivy (Hedera helix)

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Susan Rex and Britt Doerr had one of their first dates outdoors, a picnic along French Creek. Britt said it was love at first sight. When Susan looked at him, he felt like he was the only person on Earth. It turns out, Susan had this remarkable ability to make everyone feel that way. She made quick, heartfelt connections.

So too was her connection with nature. Meaningful, personal, steadfast.

Susan and Britt spent much of the six years of their whirlwind romance seeing America’s wild spaces. They visited the Blue Ridge Mountains, Zion National Park, and Yosemite, just to name a few. Britt would pack as much sightseeing into each trip as possible.

“She didn’t always appreciate my

Closer to home, they explored Natural Lands’ preserves. The couple’s New Year’s Day tradition was to hike Stroud Preserve in West Chester so Susan could clamber up the giant hay bales and take a photo that she’d post to social media with the cheesy caption, “Hay, it’s the New Year!”

Like so many others, Britt and Susan found the preserves to be a haven during the early months of the pandemic. They turned to them for an escape and to feel more normal in an unsettling time. She sometimes chided Britt to be in the moment when they were hiking. “Put your phone down! We’re here right now.”

In August, 2020, when Susan was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer, Stroud Preserve became a lifeline.

The preserve felt so peaceful in contrast to the upheaval in his life.

When Susan felt well enough, she wanted to spend time at Stroud.

Hiking up the hill along the Gray Trail became a personal challenge—one thing in her power when it felt she had so little control over her body anymore. She’d say, “I’m going to walk up that hill and I’m not going to stop until I reach the top. I might go slow, but I’ll get there.”

In her last weeks of life, being outdoors still brought Susan peace, even if Britt had to push her in a wheelchair.

Susan’s friends and family made donations to Natural Lands in her memory when she died in August, 2022. Their outpouring of gifts was just a small reflection of the way

forced-march approach to vacation,” says Britt. “She’d say, ‘Do we have to see five national parks on one trip to Utah?’ and I’d tell her, ‘You never know if we’ll be back here again.’”

For them both.

Britt wasn’t permitted to stay with Susan during her chemotherapy treatments at Chester County Hospital because of COVID, so he’d drop her off and drive to Stroud for long walks.

she touched their lives. And of the authentic way Susan loved… people, animals, and nature.

Susan reached the top of the hill.

We are honored to have been a part of her climb. W

Britt Doerr

getting to the top of the hill.

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saving open sp Montrose

July 1 – December 31, 2022

Wellsboro

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Carbondale

Natural Lands has been protecting open space since 1953. In that time, we have

Scranton

completed hundreds of conservation projects,

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each unique in its own way. Saving Open Wilkes Barre

Space is the first of our three mission tenets, Williamsport and we go about it in a few different ways:

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4

we save land to keep and care for Natural Lands is unique among the region’s

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Hazelton

conservation organizations because of our large

476

network of nature preserves. We are committed

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to restoring habitats and stewarding natural

Lehighton

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resources on these 23,000 acres, and to sharing these special places with everyone.

PA

we save land to give away

Allentown

Because of our expertise in buying land outright

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(and in securing grant money to pay for it), we

Quakertown

help conservation-minded entities acquire open space by buying land and then “flipping” it to

Reading

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these partners to care for in perpetuity. Through

Pottstown

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this approach, we help add hundreds of acres to 76

Coatesville

York

West Chester

1

476

Media Chester

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acres, is privately held by individuals who

Wilmington

have chosen to restrict its development through

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DE

a conservation easement. An easement is

MD

a voluntary, legally binding agreement that

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Salem

permanently limits a property’s use based on

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landowner wishes and applies to present and Frederick Baltimore

eak

eB

ay

70

esap

Holly Harper

276

PHILADE

Lancaster

Much of the land we protect, another 25,000

future owners of the land.

Lansdale

Norristown

2

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we save land through conservation easements

Doylesto

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state parks, forests, and municipal open spaces every year.

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NJ

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ace.

CHESTER COUNTY, PA

1 Castle Rock Farm 115 acres West Bradford and Newlin Townships

Two years ago, the Giangiulio family placed a conservation easement on a 54-acre section of their land, known as Castle Rock Farm. This past summer, they repeated the process on an additional section of the farm, placing another 115 acres under permanent protection.

Castle Rock Farm includes 1,400 feet of Broad Run Creek, designated by the Department of Environmental Protection as a “High Quality” waterway. The land along the creek is particularly important to protect because of its capacity to slow and filter stormwater and reduce flooding during severe weather events.

“News about the implications of our warming climate seems to come almost daily these days,” said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass. “Undeveloped open spaces like Castle Rock Farm—along with the 125,000 acres Natural Lands has preserved over the decades—play an essential role in climate mitigation. This land not only absorbs greenhouse gases, it also prevents significant greenhouse gas emissions that would result had the land been developed.” He added, “We applaud the Giangiulio family for choosing to preserve their farm, a decision that benefits us all—both today and for generations to come.”

2 Isabella Furnace 18 acres West Nantmeal Township Key Partners: Conservancy Grant Program – Commissioners of Chester County, PA; Debby Flint; the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation; WeConservePA Conservation Easement Assistance Program The 26-acre Isabella Furnace complex is an incredibly well-preserved remnant of the region’s iron and steel heritage. In addition to several historic buildings—some of which have been converted to a private residence— the property includes 18 acres of forest and a stream.

These woodlands and floodplain are now forever preserved through a conservation easement with Natural Lands.

Owner Debby Flint spoke of the unique attributes of the property, a place she has called home for 36 years.

“The land we’ve preserved is a beautiful combination of floodplain and rocky hillside. Perkins Run, which flows through the property, is clear and fresh. The stream is what remains of an old, 10-acre lake that once supplied power to the furnace, so the area is a significant part of the history of the furnace.” She added, “Our area is experiencing rapid growth and I felt the property must be preserved from development.”

Indeed, according to the Chester County Planning Commission, an estimated 146,000 new residents are anticipated by 2045—a population increase of 30 percent.

Megan Boatright

Key Partners: Conservancy Grant Program – Commissioners of Chester County, PA; Marshallton Conservation Trust; Newlin Township; West Bradford Township

Castle Rock Farm

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IsabellaFurnace

Development often means the destruction of forests that offer essential climate mitigation services like storing carbon, cooling the atmosphere, soaking up floodwaters after heavy rainfall, filtering drinking water, absorbing carbon dioxide, and generating oxygen.

Woodlands also provide crucial habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife.

“We are grateful to Debby Flint and the other partners who helped fund this conservation project,” said Robyn Jeney, land protection project manager for Natural Lands. “The acres of forest in her care will now be protected forever. Those trees are working for all of us, every day, even if we can’t always see it.”

LANCASTER & LEBANON COUNTIES, PA

3 Murry Property 158 acres Rapho Township, Lancaster County; South Londonderry and West Cornwall Townships, Lebanon County

Robyn​ Jeney

Key Partners: Federal Highlands Conservation Act; PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – Bureau of Recreation and Conservation – Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund – Land Trusts In October, Natural Lands purchased and transferred 158 acres to State Game Lands 145 in Lebanon and Lancaster Counties, bringing the state’s holdings there to nearly 3,000 forested acres.

The property provides refuge for songbirds like Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, and several species of warblers that spend winters in warmer climes but use

large, connected forests in our region as their breeding grounds. Many of these migrant species have declined because the woods they rely on are disappearing or being subdivided. Forests that are fragmented into smaller plots by roads and developments favor predators that thrive along the edge of the woods, such as raccoons, snakes, Blue Jays, domestic cats, and Brownheaded Cowbirds.

In addition to providing habitat for wildlife, the wooded property is home to three plant species designated by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as “threatened” and one listed as a species “of special concern.”

The addition of the property to Game Lands 145 will benefit outdoor recreation opportunities by expanding the Game Lands’ boundary and enhancing its availability for hunting, hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and bird watching.

The Horse-Shoe trail—which stretches 140 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park to the Appalachian Trail northeast of Harrisburg—traverses the border between the property and the Game Lands. With the transfer of this land to the Game Commission, the trail corridor is permanently protected as are its scenic views.

“Once again Natural Lands has stepped up and done the difficult work to help bring important tracts like these to the Game Commission to conserve for wildlife and the citizens of Pennsylvania,” said Game Commission Wildlife Habitat Management Director Dave Gustafson. “Their work in securing funding means that this tract comes to the PGC with no net cost to the Agency.”

Natural Lands has added more than 650 acres of land to date to the PA Game Commission’s holdings.

LUZERNE COUNTY, PA

4 Bearhill Downs 275 acres Bear Creek Township Key Partners: Open Space Institute – DRWI Forestland Capital; Open Space Institute – Appalachian Landscape Fund; Open Space Institute – DRWI Transaction Grant; PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources BRC – Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund – Land Trusts; PA Game Commission

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a peak in the drag racing era. It was also a time when natural areas seemed to be endless in our region, and protection of forest lands was not a part of people’s focus. The Pocono Mountains are becoming suburbia rather than the beautiful forested natural area it once was.”

LUZERNE & SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES, PA

5 Catawissa Recreation Area 5,541 acres Hazle Township, Luzerne County; East Union, Kline, and Delano Townships, Schuylkill County Key Partners: Butler Enterprises, Bureau of Forestry, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of Environmental Protection The Catawissa Recreation Area is a 5,541-acre property now owned by the state of Pennsylvania, which plans to develop it into a unique ATV and dirt bike facility while also preserving and stewarding the site’s extensive forested areas.

When a commercial real estate broker approached Natural Lands about the property, we reached out to the Bureau of Forestry as a more logical buyer. In collaboration with the Bureau, Natural Lands worked to negotiate the purchase and identify funding sources.

“The Catawissa Recreation area is a testament to DCNR’s commitment to providing outdoor recreation opportunities for all users,” said State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger. “With that said, we will remain positive stewards for these public lands and want to assure the public that conservation is at the core of this project, as it is our agency’s mission.”

The vast, forested expanse includes areas of unusual plant communities found along ridgetops. The species there—scrub oak and pitch pine—are specifically adapted to acidic, dry, and nutrient-poor soils found there. They offer habitat for several rare butterflies and moths, one of which is globally endangered.

“The ecology, the economy, and recreation: it all fits together on this site,” said Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). “It’s the biggest opportunity in my tenure in this role, to bring it all together.” W

Kate Raman

Just before the close of 2022, Natural Lands purchased 275 acres of forested land and transferred ownership to the PA Game Commission. The land is now part of Game Lands area 91 and open to the public for recreation and hunting.

Once known as Pocono Drag Lodge, the site’s drag race strip operated in the 1960s and was an iconic part of the region’s car racing heritage. Pocono Drag Lodge was a quarter-mile, National Hot Rod Association-sanctioned dragstrip that opened in 1963 and closed permanently in 1970. During those seven years, it was a major site for the NHRA, hosting racers the likes of Arnie Beswick, Sox and Martin, Red Lang, Butch Leal, and even stock car legend Richard Petty and his ’64 Barracuda.

The property is 90 percent wooded, offering abundant habitat for wildlife while also absorbing stormwaters and capturing carbon. The forest has begun to reclaim areas once cleared for the old raceway, filling itself in with pine, oak, teaberry, witch hazel, and mountain laurel.

The PA Game Commission plans to remove all the derelict buildings on the property, including the old concession stand and starting gate, further returning the area to a natural condition.

Said John Levitsky, the former property owner, “Pocono Drag Lodge was developed by my family during

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Gregory Blue

light, color, texture, joy.

Mid-summer, greens of the woods Stroud Preserve | West Chester, PA | 571 acres

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Gregory Blue is a West Chester-based painter, but he considers himself an observer first and foremost.

“When we take the time to look closely, to look with the awe and wonder of a child, we come to understand our connection to the world,” he offers.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania and lifelong lover of outdoor exploration, Gregory began to paint “plein air” in 1985. When he discovered Natural Lands’ Stroud Preserve at the recommendation of his daughter, he was inspired. “It has

become a sanctuary, a reconnection to the natural world that has always been the haven for my imagination, a place where I can think, the place where I feel most at home.”

The connection to this particular landscape compelled Gregory to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from his work inspired by Stroud Preserve to Natural Lands.

“In a world turned upside down by a pandemic, divided by political

turmoil, and racked with extreme weather and natural disasters, many of us have returned to nature as a remedy. Spending time under the open sky and among the trees is grounding and helps us live mindfully in each moment. I hope my work will inspire the same awareness and appreciation for our world and the natural beauty that surrounds us all.” W Learn more at natlands.org/gregoryblue.

Mae Axelrod

Gregory Blue in his studio

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welcome.

clockwise Mae from Axelrod top left: Debbie Beer (2), Ed Cunicelli

Natural Lands proudly welcomes Paulina Jerez to our Board of Trustees.

For Paulina, spending time outdoors has always been a great conduit to connecting with other people, especially her own family. Perennial visitors to our country’s national parks—from Everglades to Acadia to Sequoia—Paulina and her family treasure time on the trail. “Especially with my kids, I find walking together in nature gives us unique time to talk with each other in ways that we don’t get to do in our normal day-to-day.

Hiking together with no phones, no ear-buds, no distractions… that’s special time.”

Paulina, who serves as senior counsel for the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, loves the fact that Natural Lands offers access to nature—free of charge—across the Greater Philadelphia region. “The beauty of conservation is that, while it ultimately benefits future generations, we get to enjoy it right now. We have such an opportunity to get even more people connected to the outdoors,” she says.

“I’m energized by Natural Lands’ mission, particularly the organization’s vision for ‘Nature for All.’” “We’re thrilled to have Paulina join us,” says Peter Hausmann, chair of the Board of Trustees. “Her intelligence, expertise, and mission-driven mindset— both in her work at the SEC and in her volunteer commitments—will make our Board even stronger.”

Paulina is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and earned an MBA and JD from American University.

She serves on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater, Phillips Exeter Academy. She is also a member of the

Partners in Equity Council for the Philadelphia Federal Executive Board, where she works to promote inclusive and nurturing work environments across federal agencies.

“Natural Lands is very fortunate to have Paulina involved. The combination of her professional experience, commitment to equity, and energetic passion for our mission make her an ideal addition to our Board,” says Oliver Bass, president of Natural Lands.

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JULY 1, 2021 – JUNE 30, 2022

the business of forever.

Natural Lands deploys our financial resources in the most impactful manner possible to advance day-to-day efforts to save open space, care for nature, and connect people to the outdoors and each other while simultaneously ensuring we meet our perpetual

how we were funded

30%

total revenue: $15.8MM

endowment distribution

59%

memberships, contributions, and grants

11%

earned income and other

obligations to the lands we preserve and steward. Our financial management is anchored in a culture of fiscal discipline, guided by strategic planning, and complemented by thoughtful risk-taking and innovation.

how we used those funds

14%

total expense: $15.6MM

connecting people to the outdoors

9%

administration and oversight

For more information, please see natlands.org/ourfiscalapproach

30%

9%

caring for nature

mission

board of trustees Peter O. Hausmann chairperson Susan P. Mucciarone vice chairperson Jane G. Pepper vice chairperson Barbara B. Aronson Lloyd H. Brown Rayenne A. Chen Jason Duckworth Regina A. Hairston Gail Harrity Jeffrey Idler

land for life. preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders.

fundraising

nature for all. creating opportunities for joy and discovery in nature for everyone in our region.

president’s council Paulina L. Jerez Ann T. Loftus, Esq. Stephan K. Pahides Robert K. Stetson Douglas W. Tallamy, Ph.D. Andrew I. VandenBrul David W. Weaver William Y. Webb emeritus trustees

Henry E. Crouter John A. Terrill, II William G. Warden, IV Theodore V. Wood, Jr.

38%

saving open space

Franny and Franny Abbott Beth and Scott Albright Jim Averill Timothy B. Barnard and Meredyth D. Patterson Joanna Jane Bartholomew Bob Berry and Laura Snead Paul S. Black Clarke and Barbara Blynn Maggie Brokaw Raj Chopra Eleanor Davis Phoebe A. Driscoll Charlotte Friedman Lin and Ralph Hall Catherine “Kate” Harper

NextGen council Kathy Hodgkiss David N. Hunter, Sr. Steven and Ann Hutton C. Scott Kulicke Frank and Anita Leto Joyce I. Levy and Phyllis A. Rosenberg Meg Maffitt Victoria B. Mars Christy Martin Amy McKenna Leah and Jason Morganroth Hugh G. Moulton J. Kenneth Nimblett Fred Redekop James L. Rosenthal

Missy Shaffer Steve Shreiner Julia H. M. Solmssen Robin and John Spurlino Karen Thompson Jim B. Ward Lee and Bill Warden Penelope P. Watkins Ardythe Williams Susan P. Wilmerding Debra Wolf Goldstein Theodore V. Wood, Jr. Minturn T. Wright, III Sherley Young Eliza and Peter Zimmerman

Leah and Jason Morganroth co-chairs Jarrodd Davis Alicia Forero Rachael Griffith Anna Haslinsky Riley Hennessy Elissa Klinger Hunter McCorkel Joseph Monfort Ranney Moran Alexandria Placido

NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

make a date with nature.

Did you know Natural Lands offers more than 300 events and programs every year?

Check out natlands.org/events for a full listing of upcoming events and opportunities to connect.

Bill Moses

Hildacy Preserve 1031 Palmers Mill Road Media, PA 19063

Media, PA Permit #138