Natural Lands announced on August 5 that it has taken ownership of the 101-acre Meng Preserve in Lower Frederick Township. The property was once the home of Eva R. Meng who gifted the land in her will to Valley Forge Audubon Society in 1994. The preserve will remain open to the public for passive recreation. “Natural Lands has held the conservation easement on Meng Preserve read more
5
August
31
July
Heritage Conservancy Helps Conserve Property, Protecting Drinking Water
In conjunction with local townships and state and federal agencies, Heritage Conservancy recently facilitated the placement of a conservation easement on the 35.5-acre Seifert property, which is located on Martin’s Lane in Springfield Township, Bucks County, and Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County (the property crosses county lines). The property is located adjacent to read more
15
July
French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust Preserves Family Farm
French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust recently permanently preserved the Thompson Farm in Charlestown Township, Chester County. In 1960, Jim and Mary Jo Thompson bought 450 acres, and in July, 2019 the Thompsons placed an easement on 23 acres of the property to ensure its protection forever. The property borders another preserved property and encompasses hillsides read more
2
July
Lebanon Valley Conservancy Preserves 172 Acres of Farmland
The Lebanon Valley Conservancy (TLVC) has announced the preservation of 172 acres of land in the Lebanon Valley, located along the Kittatinny Ridge. This valuable agricultural land has been preserved through a grant of conservation easement, in partnership with the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. The preserved land includes 71.75 acres of the Nye farm and just over 100 read more
25
June
Foundation for Sustainable Forests Protects 436 Acres in Warren County
The Foundation for Sustainable Forests recently conserved 436 acres of working woodlands in Warren County’s Southwest and Eldred townships. The conserved lands are comprised of three parcels within the Caldwell Creek watershed, a priority area of conservation for FSF. In 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation read more
12
June
Delaware Highlands Conservancy to Preserve Foster Hill Farm
Foster Hill Farm, the former Milford home of local philanthropist and business owner Dick Snyder, has been bequeathed to the Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC). The farm will soon be transferred to the Conservancy and will be placed under conservation easement. In his typical altruistic spirit, Mr. Snyder made the Conservancy the beneficiary of Foster Hill Farm knowing that read more
3
June
LCAC Preserves 142-Acre Farm Near Gettysburg Battlefield
Ask Barb Wolf about farming, and she goes directly to the heart of the matter: “It’s what we do, and who we are.” The Wolf family has been farming their 142 acres in Cumberland Township for 98 years, and three generations. Phil and Barb are full-time farmers, and they can’t imagine a future in which their hay and wheat fields are paved over to make room for a housing read more
8
May
6.04(a) of Model Conservation Easement Updated…Again
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association added six words to §6.04(a) of the Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants to clarify the provision’s intent. Users are encouraged to adopt this change immediately. The revised subsection reads as follows (revisions in red): Notice to Holder. Before Owners begin or allow a Subdivision, Improvement, activity, or read more
26
April
Countryside Conservancy Introduces White Rock Farm Preserve
Countryside Conservancy is thrilled to introduce the White Rock Farm Preserve, the Conservancy's newest and—at 107 acres—largest preserve to date. Located in Dimock Township, it's also the Conservancy's first preserve in Susquehanna County. The Conservancy owns and manages an additional 510 acres in Lackawanna and Wyoming counties, the majority of which is open to the public read more
23
April
Local Nature Writer, Family Donate Conservation Easement on 648 Acres to WPC
The land described by nature writer Marcia Bonta in her books is now permanently protected, thanks to the donation of a conservation easement to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy on her family’s 648-acre property in southcentral Pennsylvania. This is among the largest conservation easement donations in the Conservancy’s 86-year history. For nearly 50 years, Bonta and her read more
15
February
Chestnut Hill Conservancy Protects Two Properties
The Chestnut Hill Conservancy now holds a conservation easement on 3.5 acres along Bethlehem Pike, Stenton Avenue, and Bells Mill Road, ensuring that this prominent gateway to Chestnut Hill will be protected in perpetuity. This and an earlier easement on the property brings the total land protected by this one family to 11.6 acres, an astounding amount of protected land within read more
12
February
Natural Lands and PHLT Protect Native Trout Stream
On February 12 Natural Lands and Pocono Heritage Land Trust (PHLT) announced the preservation of two nearby but separately owned parcels totaling 340 acres of land near Brodhead Creek, a stream running through the Pocono Mountains known for its clear, cool water and healthy trout population. The land trusts hold conservation easements on the properties, ensuring they will never read more
25
January
Natural Lands Protects 137 Acres of Historic Ker-Feal Property
Natural Lands, the region's oldest and largest land conservation organization, has acquired a conservation easement on 137 acres of the historic Ker-Feal property. Located in West Pikeland, Chester County, Ker-Feal was built in 1775 and purchased by Dr. Albert C. Barnes, founder of the Barnes Foundation, and his wife Laura in 1940 for use as a country getaway. Natural Lands read more
21
November
Stoneleigh Saved
Thanks to a staggering groundswell of support—consisting of vocal community members, township officials, members of the Pennsylvania legislature, the Lower Merion Conservancy, and many others—Natural Lands' Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden is no longer at risk of being developed. This past spring, the Lower Merion School Board announced it had targeted the 42-acre Villanova read more
2
November
Heritage Conservancy Preserves 76 Acres in Quakertown Swamp
Heritage Conservancy is happy to announce that the Herrmann property, a 76-acre property located along Rich Hill Road in the heart of the Quakertown Swamp in Richland Township, is now preserved in perpetuity. This preservation success was 15 years in the making, and its completion means that a vital keystone piece of the Quakertown Swamp is now protected. Considered a high read more
