natural lands
down. but not out.
Warwick Woods: a welcome new addition to Crow’s Nest Preserve. 10 4
Farmers, landowners, and conservation organizations collaborate to protect grassland birds.
from par to public park.
Community input guides golf course transformation.
adding and aiding acres
cover: Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) | photo by Bill Moses
natural lands number 165 • fall/winter 2024
editor and writer Kit Werner art director Kristen Bower senior graphic designer Brittni Hribar contributors Dan Barringer, Oliver Bass, Debbie Beer, Celine Butler, Ann Hausmann, Kelly Herrenkohl, Ethan Kauffman, Martha Moore, Kate Raman, Todd Sampsell, Claudia Winters
Natural Lands 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.
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from the president
Here at Natural Lands, my colleagues and I count ourselves incredibly fortunate to spend our days—and sometimes our entire careers—working to advance a mission about which we are passionate: saving open space, caring for nature, and connecting people to the outdoors and each other.
As part of the development of our next strategic plan, which will guide our work for the coming five years, our staff participated in a survey that included the questions: “Why did you choose to come to Natural Lands?” and “Why do you choose to stay?” The answers were heartening and consistent in theme. In various ways, they pointed to our mission, often noting how personally meaningful it is to them.
In these pages, you’ll read about some of the stellar work of our more than 100-person staff. A project to improve habitat for bird species at risk. An innovative effort to transform a golf course into a publicly accessible nature park. Land protection successes leading to expanded outdoor access across the region.
These stories highlight the creativity and dedication of our staff. They are also stories about partnerships, local involvement, and a shared commitment to working together to improve the quality of life and ecological health of our region.
At a time when coming together can seem illusive, it remains the essential ingredient of everything Natural Lands does. Whether it’s building connection and communication among local farmers and conservation organizations, local residents helping to craft the vision for a park, committed volunteers sharing their valuable time and expertise, or making more open space available for public access, all of this work is made possible by our broad community. We are empowered by our staff, volunteers, Board of Trustees, partner organizations, landowners, public officials, engaged citizens, and generous, devoted supporters. We could not be more grateful.
Land for Life. Nature for all. It’s the heart of our mission and the promise that unites countless individuals in its pursuit. Every day.
OLIVER BASS, PRESIDENT
aprende más.
Our region is rich in diversity, not only in land and wildlife, but also in communities. As part of our efforts to celebrate this diversity and foster a welcoming outdoor experience on our preserves, newly installed interpretive signs include QR codes that link to a Spanish language version of these informative signs.
Said Kelly Herrenkohl, vice president of communications and engagement, “Natural Lands’ mission is ‘land for life, nature for all,’ but we recognize that our work does not yet include, engage, serve, and reflect ‘all’ of the region’s residents. This is one small action towards addressing this challenge, and we will continue our work to make Natural Lands welcoming and inclusive for people of all backgrounds.” n
delco gave.
This May, Natural Lands was excited to be a part of the first annual Delco Gives Day, a 24-hour county-wide day of giving hosted by The Foundation for Delaware County.
Nearly 300 nonprofits participated in this celebration of community spirit and donors contributed more than $1.7 million.
Thank you to those who made a gift to support this effort.
In response to popular demand, we’ve created t-shirts and tote bags with the lingo we used in marketing the Delco Gives campaign. Check them out at natlands.org/store. n
reuniting Stoneleigh and Oakwell.
For more than five years, many watched nervously as the Lower Merion School District (LMSD) explored plans to build athletic fields on 13 acres adjacent to Stoneleigh: a natural garden. Instead, in August 2024, Natural Lands and LMSD entered into an agreement allowing Natural Lands to acquire 10 acres of the site—known as Oakwell—to expand Stoneleigh and reunite these properties that were once one. The remaining three acres will be sold to a separate non-profit organization that intends to conserve those acres and restore the historical buildings they contain.
The agreement of sale is the first step in what will be a lengthy process. “Conservation projects like this one have many moving parts and take time and patience,” said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass. “This is just the first step, albeit an essential one.”
Under the plan, the additional acreage would create space for expansive new garden areas at Stoneleigh and provide more opportunities to showcase the beauty and benefits of gardening in an ecologically sustainable way. Early 20th century landscape designs by the famed Olmsted Brothers span both properties and would be connected again for the first time since Oakwell was subdivided in the 1930s.
The buildings on the property would be restored and adapted, creating exciting improvements to the guest experience at Stoneleigh. As Stoneleigh is now, the portion that Natural Lands seeks to acquire would be placed under conservation easement with the Lower Merion Conservancy.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand Stoneleigh and immensely grateful to the leadership of the Lower Merion School District,” added Oliver. “They have worked diligently with us to explore options for the property. Together, we’ve identified a plan that, if successful, will preserve the important natural and historic resources—including the much-loved trees and mansion—and grow Stoneleigh from its current 42 acres to more than 52.” n
Horned Lark female feeding her young in
down. but not out.
Claudia Winters, Natural Lands’ assistant preserve manager for Sadsbury, Willisbrook, and Green Hills Preserves, is a self-professed birder. But really, she is a wildlifer. She has a passion for myriad critters and the natural areas that protect and sustain them.
Claudia’s appreciation for the outdoors began at an early age. “Starting when I was very young, I would climb the pine trees out in the yard. I was so small that I could get almost all the way to the top. From 50 feet up, I would look out over the surrounding farms and fields as the tree top swayed in the wind.”
As a bird lover, she’s kept looking out and up, usually with binoculars at the ready.
Except when it comes to looking for Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, or Grasshopper Sparrows during spring breeding season. These native songbird species all build their nests on the ground, tucked between clumps of meadow grasses. To spot these tiny nests, Claudia has to look down and be careful where she steps.
“They pick a spot, usually a little depression in the ground, and then weave dried grasses into a tiny cupshaped nest,” said Claudia. “They’re so well camouflaged.”
this page: Jim Moffett; opposite: Travis Potter
Bobolink in a grassland meadow
Nationwide, grassland birds are struggling. Researchers estimate many species have lost more than half their population since 1970. One quarter of these are “Tipping Point Species”: birds that are predicted to lose another 50 percent of their population in the next 50 years.
These bird species spend their winters in the southern U.S., Central, or South America. They migrate north in the spring to breed in the grasslands of the northern U.S. and southern Canada. With the decline of native prairies and meadows, these species have adapted well to hayfields and pastures. However, as more farms are lost to development, grassland species are struggling to survive.
Fortunately, the meadows and farm fields of Natural Lands’ preserves are ideal nesting habitat for groundnesting birds. That is, of course, unless the land is mowed before the baby birds have fledged.
“We can control when we mow our fields or when our farmers harvest their crops. All Natural Lands properties with native grassland or farmland are managed through delayed mowing practices with a ‘no-mow before’ date of July 15th,” said Claudia. “But we need to spread the word to other landowners and farmers if we’re going to give these birds a fighting chance.”
That’s why Natural Lands has joined up with Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) to partner on the Grassland Bird Collaboration, which WCT launched in 2022. With a grant from the Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative, the Collaboration reaches out to Chester County property owners and the farmers who work these lands. “We work with these partners to provide guidance on best management practices to benefit the three focal species: Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Grasshopper Sparrow,” said Claudia.
Grasshopper Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Bobolink
Savannah Sparrow
Horned Lark
Field Sparrow
bird species decline since 1970.
GRASSLAND BIRDS
720 MILLION
GRASSLAND BIRDS LOST
3 in 5
BOBOLINKS
3 in 4
EASTERN MEADOWLARKS
2 in 3
GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS
source:
The Grassland Bird Collaboration (GBC)
These birds don’t just rely on our fields and meadows for nesting. They also use them as stopover sites or staging grounds, before or during migration.
One of the most vital land management practices is to delay mowing during the breeding period. Mowing before birds complete their nesting cycle removes available habitat. Implementing a “no-mow” period when there are babies and fledglings in a field allows young birds to develop in a safe environment before the nesting grounds are disturbed.
So far, the Collaboration has enrolled more than 1,000 acres of privately held land to participate in “bird-sensitive” field management practices. The goal is to expand that number to 1,500 acres.
Chester County is well positioned to support this conservation effort thanks to local mushroom farms and their demand for mulch hay. Mushroom houses prefer later-season hay that has been left to mature and dry in the fields. Providing for the mushroom market creates a double benefit: less disruption both to farming practices and to grassland birds during their crucial breeding period.
“The unique local agricultural market provides a great opportunity to work with farmers to meet our
conservation goals,” says Zoë Warner, project manager for the Grassland Bird Collaboration. “This enables us to increase the wildlife benefit of conserved land within a large contiguous preservation belt. The land will not simply be ‘open space.’ It will provide valuable and essential breeding grounds to help reverse the precipitous decline of grassland birds.”
“These birds don’t just rely on our fields and meadows for nesting. They also use them as stopover sites or staging grounds, before or during migration,” said Claudia, who coordinates Natural Lands’ involvement in the Grassland Bird Collaboration, including monitoring breeding pairs of grassland species at Bryn Coed, ChesLen, and Stroud Preserves. “We found that Bobolinks, in particular, feast on insects and seeds in preparation for their 6,000-mile journey back to South America. Especially when most of the surrounding fields have been mowed, the grasslands enrolled in the program are a lifeline to these amazing animals.” n
The meadows at Bryn Coed Preserve provide essential habitat for grassland birds during breeding season.
aiding the effort.
Volunteers Mike Niven and Kristen Cooney, both members of Natural Lands’ Force of Nature®, are also trained volunteer bird surveyors and serve an important role with the Grassland Bird Collaboration.
Mike and Kristen collect and submit data using eBird—a free, online program that allows users to track bird species—at designated monitoring sites on both nature preserves and private properties enrolled in the Grassland Bird Collaboration program. Like fellow surveyors, they follow specific protocols to record all avian observations. Their monitoring focuses on Bobolinks; Eastern Meadowlarks; Horned Larks; and Grasshopper, Field, and Savannah Sparrows.
Said Mike Niven, “I really enjoyed assisting with the collaboration because it allowed me to see how the scientific process works and gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that I am potentially helping. I know that it will take years to make a difference, but I am looking forward to seeing if some of these species return to Chester County in higher numbers.” n
I know that it will take years to make a difference, but I am looking forward to seeing if some of these species return to Chester County in higher numbers. ”
top:
Amanda Osborne-Lomax; opposite: Don Miller
Volunteer bird surveyors
from par to
Nationally, more golf courses have closed than have opened every year since 2006, and the pace of closings has accelerated since the economic slowdown in 2018. Currently, there are 673 golf courses in PA and 348 in New Jersey—that’s double the amount of Wawa locations in the two states. The average course size is 150 acres.
These combined factors mean golf courses are prime targets for developers.
Take the Edgemont Country Club, which shared a border with Ridley Creek State Park in Delaware County, PA. The 190-acre property was purchased in 2021 by Toll Brothers and turned into a luxury townhome development. The family-owned course, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2013, owed more than $2.2 million, including two mortgages and unpaid real estate taxes. Co-owner Peter Mariani told reporters that the property’s development value exceeded its value as a golf course.
Limekiln Golf Club in Horsham, Montgomery County, closed in 2019. The 209-acre property— also purchased by Toll Brothers—was developed as an over-55 community with 475 dwellings.
The same fate awaited Loch Nairn Golf Club. The course, located in New Garden Township, Chester County, was established in 1979 and stayed in the Smedley family since. Founder H.C. Smedley personally planted some 700 trees on its 106 acres. But, over the decades, the revenues dropped so the family decided to sell.
But the Loch Nairn story had a different outcome. Instead of a subdivision, the golf course is being transformed into a township-owned park that will be called Smedley Preserve.
Loch Nairn Golf Club
Kate Raman
public park.
“New Garden Township reached out to Natural Lands for help in acquiring the property a couple of years ago,” said Natural Lands Project Manager Kate Raman. “In addition to finding grant funding sources to underwrite the purchase price, we were also involved in helping the township create a multi-phased Master Plan for the site. The plan will guide the conversion from golf course to nature preserve.”
The Master Plan takes into account environmental improvements—like replacing impervious turf grass with native meadows. It also includes visitor amenities such as the addition of nearly four miles of walking trails, some of which will utilize old golf cart paths.
The property includes a tributary to White Clay Creek and serves as a natural sponge, absorbing floodwaters when the creek expands during storms. The Plan
calls for additional trees to be planted to prevent erosion, provide shade, and help with groundwater absorption. Tree species identified in the Master Plan include those that are more resilient in the face of climate change and associated temperature extremes.
“According to data from Chester County, had this property been developed, the community would have had to spend $250,000 in annual maintenance and operations and nearly half-a-million dollars more on stormwater infrastructure,” said Kate. “Instead, once restored to meadow and woodlands, the property will provide those ecological services at no cost.”
Equally significant is the fact that the land, once only able to be visited by those willing to pay greens fees, will be open to everyone, free of charge. n
Some of the native trees and plants included in the Master Plan for Smedley Preserve
Partners: Conservancy Grant Program, Commissioners of Chester County, Pennsylvania; New Garden Township; PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation – Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; Stroud Water Research Center; Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation; White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Program; William Penn Foundation’s Delaware River Watershed Initiative; and an anonymous donor.
American holly (Ilex opaca)
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
oxeye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Key
communities.
masters of the master plan.
Community input is a key ingredient to any Master Plan, especially when it comes to creating publicly accessible parks and preserves.
“New Garden Township’s residents, elected officials, and municipal volunteers know their community and the site best, as they live, work, and recreate here every day,” said Kate Raman. “They know what they and their neighbors need and want in their new public open space. The continued input from the public combined with their review and comments has led to a better Master Plan.”
The design team shared a rough draft of the plan with a community task force, made up primarily of nearby neighbors. Their comments and critiques informed revisions to the next draft.
The design team conducted key person interviews, collecting input from residents, local subject matter experts, and funders. These conversations helped the design team, in consultation with township staff, make decisions about elements to be included and removed from the plan, and ensured that the site would be a strong candidate for grant funding in the future.
The public was encouraged to attend an open-house meeting to review and critique the draft plan.
A focus group participated in a site walk around the entire property. This was a different combination of neighbors than attended the task force meeting, providing a new set of voices and perspectives. Their feedback allowed our design team to fine tune the draft, adding more landscaping at strategic locations, and to make other important revisions.
The township’s Board of Supervisors approved adoption of the Master Plan at their regularly scheduled, advertised meeting. The public was encouraged to attend to provide final comments, which will be incorporated at implementation or detailed design phases. n
The Noun Project
Jumiati, Alzam (2), Atif
Arshad and Linda,
Juicy Fish
Community Input: Smedley Preserve
adding and aiding
Crow’s Nest Preserve Manager Dan Barringer looks out across the meadow that was, until recently, a large inground swimming pool. Wildflowers are just beginning to emerge through the cover crop of rye. “It took 150 truckloads of donated fill to cover the site,” he notes. “New meadows never look great the first year after seeding, but next year it should be stunning.”
Just behind him, a group of exuberant 9- and 10-yearolds—part of Crow’s Nest’s summer camp program— shout and laugh as they build shelters, swings, and hammocks among the trees.
This is Warwick Woods, an 82-acre wooded property that was added to Crow’s Nest Preserve in early 2020. It was once the site of a private campground that had 150 campsites and seven major buildings, including a general store, game room, bath houses, pavilion, and swimming pool. When the campsite’s owners decided
it was time for them to close their business and sell the land, Natural Lands jumped on the opportunity to conserve it by adding it to the adjacent preserve.
Just four years later, barely a trace of the campground’s infrastructure remains. A total of 27,000 square feet of impervious surface was removed, along with four wells, 150 electric meters, water spigots at every campsite, and overhead utility lines and poles.
“It took a lot of people to return this land to a more natural state,” offers Dan. “In addition to staff effort, strong partnerships and amazing volunteers are to thank for these results.”
Staff from a neighboring stone quarry owned by Polycor, Inc. donated time and equipment to remove all the man-made structures, and their community connections made possible the donation of clean fill for the in-ground pool.
Warwick Woods
acres.
Junior ROTC youth from nearby Owen J. Roberts High School worked to create a trail through the former campsite and picked up debris left behind after the structures were demolished. They also pulled invasive garlic mustard and hauled out broken equipment from the woods.
Natural Lands’ own Force of Nature® volunteers have spent many hours at the site. They planted a native woodland garden on the embankment where the general store once stood, transforming the space from dump to divine. They also helped cut down invasive giant reed (phragmites) along the edge of a large pond on the property and planted a “habitat island” buffer of young trees, fenced as a group to prevent deer browse. And, of course, they picked up seemingly endless demolition debris.
Says Dan, “There was one volunteer day of digging debris out of the ground when our Force of Nature crew was covered ears-to-toes in mud, but they were grinning the whole time.”
This preserve addition was made possible by Chester County –Preservation Partnership Program, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), RJM Foundation, Warwick Township, and the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation.
While Natural Lands is perhaps most known for preserving and caring for land, the organization also prioritizes connecting people with nature and each other. The Warwick Woods restoration has engaged a wide variety of people already and will continue to do so. By investing their time and resources in the project, these friends deepen their relationship with the natural world and their commitment to Natural Lands’ mission.
For visitors that want to see the Warwick Woods addition—which brings the total acreage of Crow’s Nest to 712—the best access is via a section of the HorseShoe Trail that passes through Crow’s Nest Preserve for 6/10 of a mile. The entrance is just west of Trythall Road. We are also building a trail that connects Crow’s Nest Deep Woods Trail to Warwick Woods via the Horse-Shoe Trail from the northwest. One more Eagle Scout project to add boardwalks will complete that section of trail. Also look for upcoming events—including more volunteer opportunities—planned for this sylvan space in the coming months and years.
“It’s a truly spectacular setting, filled with songbirds, diabase boulders, and ephemeral pools teeming with life,” Dan shares.
And, on a hot July afternoon, an ebullient group of
Plantings at Warwick Woods
Summer campers playing in Warwick Woods
saving open sp
January 1 – June 30, 2024
Natural Lands has been protecting open space since 1953. In that time, we have completed hundreds of conservation projects, each unique in its own way. Saving Open Space is the first of our three mission tenets, and we go about it in a few different ways:
we save land to keep and care for Natural Lands is unique among the region’s conservation organizations because of our large network of nature preserves. We are committed to restoring habitats and stewarding natural resources on these 23,000 acres, and to sharing these special places with everyone.
we save land to give away
Because of our expertise in buying land outright (and in securing grant money to pay for it), we help conservation-minded entities acquire open space by buying land and then “flipping” it to these partners to care for in perpetuity. Through this approach, we help add hundreds of acres to state parks, forests, and municipal open spaces every year.
we save land through conservation easements
Much of the land we protect, another 26,000 acres, is privately held by individuals who have chosen to restrict its development through a conservation easement. An easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement that permanently limits a property’s use based on landowner wishes and applies to present and future owners of the land.
ace.
BUCKS COUNTY, PA
1 Handschin property
28.6 acres
East Rockhill Township
Key Partners: The Highlands Conservation Act (administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service); Lancaster Bird Conservancy; Open Space Institute’s Delaware River Revolving Loan Fund, which is made possible with funding from the William Penn Foundation; PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation (via the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund – LT); Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Lands #139 is now nearly 29 acres larger thanks to the addition of the Handschin property, which Natural Lands purchased and transferred to the state. It will be available to the public for recreation.
The Handschin property is also immediately adjacent to the 168-acre Perkasie Regional Authority (PRA) lands, which contain three public water supply wells that are fed by an underlying aquifer. Ground water is the only available water source in the Perkasie area, so land protection is essential. Undeveloped open space helps remove pollutants from rainwater and allows it to slowly seep into the ground and recharge the aquifer—making it especially important to the nearly 13,000 customers PRA serves.
Former landowner Chris Handschin said he held on to the property for so long because he couldn’t bear the idea of it being developed. The conservation outcome
has him “over-the-moon happy and grateful that this little patch of Eden will remain natural land.”
“Protecting and conserving any piece of land with all of these attributes is always a win for the public and wildlife, but even more important in highly developed landscapes where every acre protected is precious,” said Dave Gustafson, who heads the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management. “Natural Lands continues to step up and take the lead to conserve these valuable tracts of land for current and future generations.”
CHESTER COUNTY, PA
2 Keen property
94.6 acres
East Nantmeal Township
Key Partners: The Conservancy Grant Program, Commissioners of Chester County, Pennsylvania; East Nantmeal Township; the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation
The Keen property was the last, largest remaining unprotected woodland tract surrounding the historical Village of Nantmeal. A conservation easement means the property can stay in private ownership and will ensure the scenic vistas, rolling terrain, wetlands, streams, and woodlands all remain forever. The project includes a trail easement that will be held by East Nantmeal Township. This will allow for future public access for hiking, walking, bicycling, or horseback riding along Fairview Road.
The dense forest provides essential habitat for songbirds and other wildlife and helps to filter rainwater before it flows into the 4,000 feet of Beaver Run Creek that meanders through the property. Classified by the PA Department of Environmental Protection as “Exceptional Waters,” the creek drains into French Creek, then Schuylkill River, and eventually Delaware River.
“The property abuts the two other large properties already under conservation easement with Natural Lands, and it’s only about three miles from our 712-acre Crow’s Nest Preserve,” said Jack Stefferud, senior director of land protection for Natural Lands. “Being able to stitch together a large swath of protected lands, one project at a time, is incredibly rewarding. Contiguous open parcels mean migratory pathways for wildlife, more carbon storage and climate cooling services, and cleaner air and water for us all.”
3 Painter property
14.3 acres
Warwick Township
Key Partners: Jacqueline Painter; Warwick Township
“The Painter property is quintessential Chester County: stone farm buildings surrounded by picture-perfect pastures, meadows, and forest,” said Todd Sampsell, vice president of conservation for Natural Lands. “But its real beauty lies in the environmental services this land provides. It absorbs and filters rainwater, stores carbon, helps clean our air, and provides habitat and food for insects, birds, and other wildlife.”
Thanks to a conservation easement, its beauty and benefits will remain forever.
The farmstead is located within the North Warwick Historic Archaeological District and has been identified by Warwick Township as a Class 1 historical resource. The conservation easement—a voluntary, legally binding, and permanent land protection agreement—allows the farm to stay in private ownership while ensuring it remains protected from development in perpetuity.
“Keeping this land as open space will allow wildlife to flourish, support ongoing efforts for a healthy environment, and encourage appreciation and stewardship of nature,” said landowner Jaqueline Painter. “For my family and me, there is a personal benefit knowing that this plot of land and farm, which were settled by my paternal ancestors in the 1700s, will be spared from future development. Knowing this warms our hearts, and we are grateful for this opportunity. I am hopeful that Natural Lands will be successful in preserving more and more land for the benefit of future generations.”
Keen Property
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA
4 Smith property
21.8 acres
Limerick and Lower Frederick Townships
Key Partners: Phil Smith and Gail Gosser-Smith; an anonymous donor
The Smith property, now protected with a conservation easement held by Natural Lands, can be viewed from both Gerloff and South Ryanford Roads and contributes to the scenic, wooded beauty of the area. The land is directly adjacent to 38 acres of open space owned by Limerick Township, which itself is connected to 486 acres of State Game Lands, 52 acres of open space owned by Lower Frederick Township, and Natural Lands’ 101-acre Meng Preserve. Collectively, this region is known as the Stone Hill Conservation Landscape, an expanse of nearly 7,000 forested, boulder-strewn acres that are essential habitat for myriad plants, animals, and insects.
Landowner Phil Smith is an open space, trails, and historic preservation advocate who has long worked to advance open space protection and trail development in Western Montgomery County. In fact, Mr. Smith received a Planning Advocate Award from Montgomery County for his lifelong advocacy for open space preservation
through civil leadership and personal generosity. Phil and his wife, Gail Gosser-Smith, acquired the property with the intention of placing a conservation easement on it.
“It is my firm belief that the planet is in crisis and, equally, it is my firm belief that everyone can contribute towards conserving our Earth’s natural environment,” said Mr. Smith. “Why we chose to conserve our land is best explained by mis-quoting Henry David Thoreau: ‘In wilderness is the preservation of the world.’”
He added, “The finalization of this conservation easement enables me to further contribute to a better future for the Earth and those creatures that inhabit it.”
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NJ
5 Daniel property
61.9 acres
Lawrence Township
Key Partners: Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Natural Resource Restoration; South Jersey Land & Water Trust
After many years of working to protect the nearly 62-acre Daniel property, our conservation team finally crossed the finish line earlier this year by purchasing the land and transferring it to South Jersey Land & Water Trust. Previous efforts were thwarted by lack of available public funding.
The property is an in-holding surrounded almost entirely by The Nature Conservancy’s 1,600-acre Lummis Pond Preserve. n
Smith Property
art along the trails.
Saunders Woods Preserve in Gladwyne welcomed a collection of original paintings by local artist Ann Hopkins Wilson earlier this year. The nature-inspired works were displayed for six months along the walking trails there, carefully lashed to the trunks of mature trees.
collection, which has also been displayed at Bartram’s Garden and Awbury Arboretum. Lawrence and Dorothy Saunders, who donated the property to Natural Lands in 1988, always wanted their 25-acre “Little Farm,” as they called it, to welcome the community and to be a place where nature would inspire art and education.
Said Martha Moore, Natural Lands’ engagement director, “We’re always looking for creative ways to help people enjoy our preserves and understand the scope of our work. Saunders Woods is a beautiful place to visit any time, but Ann Wilson’s work added a new dimension. We were delighted to have her pieces grace our trees for a time. Her art serves as a unique reminder to our preserve visitors of how saving open space and caring for it well protects the natural world that supports us all.” n
mission land for life. preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders.
nature for all. creating opportunities for joy and discovery in nature for everyone in our region.
board of trustees
Susan P. Mucciarone chairperson
Jane G. Pepper
vice chairperson
Beth Albright
Barbara B. Aronson
Lloyd H. Brown
Rayenne A. Chen
Jason Duckworth
Regina A. Hairston
Gail Harrity
Peter O. Hausmann
Jeffrey Idler
Paulina L. Jerez
Ann T. Loftus, Esq.
Stephan K. Pahides
Robert K. Stetson
Andrew I. VandenBrul
William Y. Webb
emeritus trustees
Henry E. Crouter
John A. Terrill, II
William G. Warden, IV
Theodore V. Wood, Jr.
president’s council
Franny and Franny Abbott
Scott Albright
Jim Averill
Timothy B. Barnard and Meredyth D. Patterson
Joanna Jane Bartholomew
Jessie and Richard Benjamin
Bob Berry and Laura Snead
Paul S. Black
Clarke and Barbara Blynn
Maggie Brokaw
Raj Chopra
Eleanor Davis
Phoebe A. Driscoll
Charlotte Friedman
Debra Wolf Goldstein
Lin and Ralph Hall
Catherine “Kate” Harper
David N. Hunter, Sr.
Steven and Ann Hutton
C. Scott Kulicke
Joyce I. Levy
Meg Maffitt
Victoria B. Mars
Christy Martin
Amy McKenna
Leah and Jason Morganroth
Hugh G. Moulton
J. Kenneth Nimblett
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
Theodore V. Wood, Jr.
Minturn T. Wright, III
Sherley Young
Eliza and Peter Zimmerman
NextGen council
Jason Morganroth
Leah Morganroth co-chairs
James Burnett
Jarrodd Davis
Eduardo Dueñas
Jake Faber
Alicia Forero Hamilton
Anna Haslinsky
William “Riley” Hennessy
Elissa Klinger
Marion Leary
Hunter McCorkel
Bob McCaughern
Joe Monfort
Latiaynna Tabb
Jennifer Trumbore
Photo by Jillian Sabre