The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA) recently recognized the Brandywine Conservancy’s John Theilacker, AICP Certified Planner, with an award for his 22 years of conservation advocacy and land use planning work throughout the Commonwealth. During his time at the Brandywine Conservancy, as an associate director, Theilacker has worked tirelessly helping Pennsylvania municipalities develop practical, innovative ways to balance protecting and enhancing natural resources while supporting community resilience.
“We are thrilled John is being recognized at the State level for the many achievements over his career at the Brandywine ” noted Ellen Ferretti, Director of the Brandywine Conservancy. “In the ever-evolving field of conservation, John’s experience and leadership combined with a willingness to adapt new approaches to long standing conservation issues has won him the appreciation and admiration of municipal leaders as well as his peers. This award is well-deserved.”
A certified planner, Theilacker has co-authored 12 PALTA planning guides for municipal use and is one of the principal authors of the Brandywine Conservancy’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Manual (2003) and the 2008 Lancaster County TDR Practitioner’s Handbook. He has also presented at numerous conferences at the national, state and local levels including the American Planning Association National Conference, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Conference, and several Land Trust Alliance National Conferences and Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conferences. He has been a volunteer member of the West Chester Borough Planning Commission for a number of years, including as the chair of the commission.
