Visit www.RADNORCONSERVANCY.org for Programs & EventsSpecial thanks to ALL of our community partners.

Please consider Radnor Conservancy in year-end giving plans. Your donation is fully tax deductible.

THE

CONSERVATIONIST

Fall 2018Fall 2018

Letter from the Executive DirectorBoard of Directors

Laura Luker President

Cheryl Tumola Vice President

Joanna Stott Secretary

Scott Miltenberger Treasurer

Gretchen Groebel Executive Director

Lorna Atkinson Beverlee Barnes Sarah Dougherty

Jeff Goggins Eric Janson

Fanny Lacroix Tracy Pulos

Interested in serving on our Board?

Please contact us!

Radnor Conservancy P.O. Box 48

Wayne, PA 19087 (610) 688-8202

www.radnorconservancy.org

email:ggroebel@radnorconservancy.org

As we wind down 2018, I like to think about how the Conservancy has impacted or made a difference in our community, whether by raising awareness or starting new initiatives. We have tried to be consistent with our “Tree” messaging by reminding residents that there is a Radnor Township Shade Tree Ordinance that protects our tree canopy. Large shade trees are one of the greatest natural assets in our community: they help to mitigate stormwater runoff; clean our air; filter pollutants out of water; cool our homes; raise our property values; and, provide needed habitats for bird and animal populations. A permit is needed to remove any tree greater than 30 in DBH, a heritage tree (even a hazardous tree). Please be diligent and work with a licensed and insured arborist who is registered with Radnor Township. Native trees (i.e. trees that naturally do well in our soil and climate) are a perfect legacy to plant with your family and watch grow. We are losing trees at an alarming rate due to disease, storm-damage and age, so planting is crucial. Care for your trees to ensure their long-term health.

We are proud to highlight the achievements of Radnor High School students Sara Takenaka, Abigail Idiculla, and Keara Seasholtz’s who worked on Recycling Projects during their summer 2018 internship with the Conservancy (they are currently Juniors). The interns designed and placed Recycle vs. Waste posters throughout popular hangouts and eating areas in Radnor High School in the hopes that other high school students would make more environmentally conscious decisions regarding their trash. They worked on revising our Comprehensive Radnor Township Recycling Flyer (see inside of newsletter) and gave a convincing presentation to the Township’s Environment Advisory Committee on Our Plethora of Plastic, which focused on trying to ban or majorly reduce single use plastics (like plastic grocery bags and straws). In the upcoming year, all three will continue to push for better environmental stewardship in both the high school and the community as a whole. It does take a mind shift to break old habits regarding plastic use, but it can be a reachable goal.

My hopes for 2019 are for you or your family to get involved in a community or volunteer group – change a habit – consider no more plastic bags, water bottles, or straws, buy compostable disposables, go with native plants for your garden this spring, or plant a tree. Try one thing that will make a positive outcome for our environment. It will make you feel really good!

My warmest regards,

Executive Director

Keara Seasholtz and Abigail Idiculla, 2018 Interns

The internship inspired me to continue to push for a sustainable world and work for a better future. I am so grateful for having the opportunity to directly impact my community in a positive way. –Keara Seasholtz

DCVA Darby-Cobbs Watershed Cleanup in April helped pull bags of plastic trash from

the creek banks in Skunk Hollow Park

Octoraro Native Plant Nursery in Kirkwood, PA

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

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Taking Root: Inspiring Environmental Stewardship in our Community by Joanna Stott

On Friday, September 21st, over 200 supporters of the Radnor Conservancy gathered in the barn/stables on the beautiful Berkley V Farm, estate of Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Nerney, to celebrate the idea of Stewardship in our community. We had the pleasure of honoring Claire Girton, Matt Golas, and Dan Meier – three individuals who are making positive impacts in our community (all volunteer on Radnor Township sub committees). Before the event began, sponsors enjoyed a champagne reception and overview of the history of Berkley V Farm by Mr. Nerney. 12th Street Catering provided the “Radnor Grows” themed food for the evening, and Robert Groebel, husband of Radnor Conservancy’s Executive Director, Gretchen Groebel, brought out his vintage red convertible, 1966 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, and used it to purvey an assortment of bourbon-based cocktails and champagne. The evening also featured an elaborate silent auction with artworks by local artists like Rachel Brown and Mimi Snyder, catered dinners by local chef Palmer Marinelli and Robert Groebel, wine packages by Moore Brothers and Nick & Christine Kondra of Wayne’s Cornerstone, and even a vacation house in Telluride, graciously offered by Betsy Michau, a Planning Committee Member. The success of the evening would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors, auction donors, Planning Committee members and event attendees. Thank you so very much! Funds raised go to purchasing trees for the community, environmental initiatives, and programs in Radnor Township.

Thanks To Our 2018 Sponsors

The Nerney Family, our event hosts

(L–R) Betsy Michau, Committee Member, Beth Connor, and AnnaMarie Jones

(L–R) Lia Calhoun, Event Sponsor and Committee Member, with Michael Homans

(L–R) Claire Girton, Matt Golas and Dan Meier, our 2018 honorees

(L–R) Peter and Jennifer Paradiso, Liz Feldman, event sponsor with BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors, and Joel Feldman, event sponsor with Raymond James Wealth Management

(L–R) Bobbie Montgomery, Laura Luker (Radnor Conservancy President), Bridget Subak, and Tracy Pulos(Radnor Conservancy Board Member)

Laura and William BuckJanet and John Haas

Lynn and Bruce HernandezVirginia and David ToomeyEvelyn and Harry Groome

Anonymous

Photographs this page by Brenda Carpenter, 2018

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

3

Radnor Trail Council: Trail Updates by Laura Luker

The Radnor Conservancy has always been a big proponent of Radnor’s trail projects. These projects are important because trails allow greater access to recreation, give a sense of social connection, and utilize Radnor’s open space. There is a regional trail movement that has great momentum right now, The Circuit, Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia, Rails to Trails Conservancy, and the Schuylkill River Trail. These trails help connect surrounding Townships, and provide families and individuals with a safe place to recreate and enhance their experiences while preserving and protecting natural assets. The Township Engineering Department and accompanying consultants are managing Radnor’s four trail projects. See Township website for maps & outlines: www.radnor.com/1025/Trail-Projects.

1. Radnor Trail (Eastward Extension) Description of Project: Extend the Radnor Trail to run east under Radnor Chester Road along the old Septa rail, ending at the Blue Route (476), and to connect Encke/Cappelli Park to the Trail and Township Building. The trail segment is part of the larger Circuit Trails Valley Forge to Heinz Refuge Trail. Consultants: Campbell Thomas, TPW Design Studios, Jeff Case PE, Rettew Assoc Inc. Phase: Design & Engineering and Grant requesting

2. Darby Paoli Multi-Use Trail Description of Project: A 1-mile paved multi-use trail connecting the Willows Park to the Sawmill Park. This will be a trail that will parallel Darby Paoli Road with some interior mowed trails. Consultants: Natural Lands, Meliora, and McMahon Associates Phase: Design & Engineering completed

3. TAP Trails Project (Transportation Alternative Program) Three Trail spurs, mostly on road and side walk connectors. These spurs are part of the greater Greenways Open Space Plan, which provides safer walking and biking. Description of Projects: 1. West Wayne Connector will connect downtown Wayne to the Radnor Trail. 2. Penn Medicine/Radnor High School Spur at the corner of Route 30 and Radnor Chester Road, paralleling Radnor High School and King of Prussia Road, up King of Prussia Road to the Radnor Train Station. 3. Villanova University Spur Trail on Route 30 along the length of Villanova’s campus. Will connect to Ithan Avenue, then to Ithan Valley Park, extending to Haverford Township. 3a. Ithan Valley Park connects the existing foot trails of Ithan Valley Park, crossing over Clyde Road, and parallels the Blue Route wall and creek to Barclay Road. Consultant: Simone Collins Landscape Architects Phase: Design, Engineering, and ROW Approvals

4. Radnor Memorial Park to Harford Park Trail Description of Project: A multi-use trail from the Radnor train station and Radnor Memorial Park paralleling the corporate center to Harford Park. Consultant: Meliora Phase: Design & Engineering

Looking at the right-of-way for the future Radnor trail extension

Programs and Happenings in 2018

Solitary Bee House at Chanticleer Garden

Solitary Bee House Workshop Participants

Bat Box Building Workshopat Chanticleer Garden

Memorial Day Parade – our youngest members with important messages

Life Under A Log Walk with LLBean at The Willows

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

4

Invasive Plants in Radnor Township Parks by Lorna Atkinson

My Favorite Eco-Things

Strolling through any one of our Radnor Township parks, one might perceive all to be green and healthy. We are so fortunate here in Radnor to have beautiful open space and parks to enjoy, but many of these open spaces are threatened by invasive and non-native plant species.

Take Skunk Hollow for example: the trails here should pass through woodland with diverse layers: the canopy, the understory, and the forest floor. Near the edge of Skunk Hollow, the tree canopy is hidden under a blanket of invasive vines, such as Porcelain-berry and Oriental Bittersweet. These non-native species cover the trees, shading the leaves and adding weight. Eventually, this phenomenon can kill a tree or decrease its chances of survival in the event of a storm. In a woodland area already struggling with a lack of natural regeneration due to overabundance of deer, the loss of canopy trees can be fatal. This issue is prevalent throughout the region and in our township parks.

Back at ground level, healthy woodland in this region features multiple layers filled with native shrubs and trees like Spicebush, Dogwoods, and Redbuds as well as native perennials, ferns, and ephemeral wildflowers. Much of what is flourishing at Skunk Hollow is Privet and Burning Bush – popular landscaping plants which have escaped from gardens and naturalized.

Both of these shrubs grow and spread quickly, outcompeting native plants. They produce a thick layer under the canopy preventing sunlight from reaching plants growing on the forest floor. The predominance of invasive plants equals a loss of diversity and richness, not only of plant life, but also insects, birds, and other animals. Most non-native plants provide little benefit to wildlife. If we work to remove invasive plants and vines from our parks, we start to create more vibrant wildlife habitats for everyone to enjoy. It is important to preserve open space, but we must care for what we have. Invasive plants can be just as much of a threat to natural habitats as development. Look out for volunteer opportunities in the parks and check out native plants at your local plant nursery – our own backyards are important wildlife habitats too!

Oriental bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus. A woody vine that can choke and cover a tree and out-competes other plants.

Invasive vine covering trees at the trailhead in Skunk Hollow.

Euonymus alatus, known variously as winged spindle, winged euonymus or burning bush – found throughout Skunk Hollow.

Compostable products by Eco Products

Refillable Water Bottle,“smart choice”

Aardvark paper straws Great Read by Nancy LawsonReusable bags by Baggu

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

5

Getting Your Garden Ready for Winter – the Sustainable WayText by Tess Kuracina, Assistant Horticulturist, Chanticleer Garden, Photos by Lisa Roper

At Chanticleer Garden we always strive for beauty and creativity, but an equal commitment of ours is sustainability. Of course, we are doing this on a forty-seven acre scale; however, many of our sustainable efforts can be applied to your home garden.

One of the practices that we adhere to is that no leaf that falls from our trees is thrown away. Some may be added to our in-house composting operation, but the majority stay in the garden beds. Often times ornamental beds can get overwhelmed with the quantity of leaves falling into them, and we deal with this by reducing the physical size of the leaves. We often times mow leaf piles with a push mower, then collect these chopped up leaves and mulch the beds with the smaller leaf pieces. This leaf mulch is more naturalistic looking, attracts more beneficial insects and fungus, and insulates the soil better than hardwood mulch.

Another easy way to garden sustainability is to make sure that you are providing many habitats for the insects and animals that might rely on your yard this fall and winter. Try to grow plants that have long persisting seed heads or late fall fruit and leave them standing until the spring. This will not only provide continuous winter interest for you, but also a vital food source at a time where food can be scarce. Avoid being too tidy. Leaving piles of wood and herbaceous material provides habitat for a huge variety of creatures. If you have a clean sensibility, you could hide these piles behind evergreen trees and shrubs or at the back of your property. Alternatively, you could use creating these winter habitats as a chance to make an artistic installation that both you and animals can enjoy all winter.

Time to Branch Out: Introducing the Pagoda Dogwood by Ethan Kauffman, Director of Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden

The pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is something of a paradox. Sounding straight from the Far East, this spectacular small tree is actually an eastern US native found in nearly every county in Pennsylvania, and is more corn rows and rock walls than rice fields and koi ponds.

So how did it get such an evocative name? It turns out that the distinctly horizontal branches, which are attached to the trunk in neatly tiered layers, are reminiscent of the ancient towers of South Asia. Topping out at less than 25 feet tall and 10 feet wide, it is the perfect sized specimen for most residential, commercial, and community sites. Pagoda dogwoods are also wonderfully adapted to a wide range of growing conditions, and thrive in both sun and shade. In fact, it often lives (literally) in the shadow of its more famous cousin, the flowering dogwood.

In the landscape, pagoda dogwood is one of the few legitimate four-season plants. Creamy white clusters of flowers appear in late spring, followed by inky-blue berries in summer. The leaves turn a scrumptious reddish maroon in autumn, while winter serves up a striking silhouette of spreading branches.

Perhaps best of all, this elegant species is more beneficial to our local environment than its more commonly encountered exotic relatives. Many birds eat the fruit, while the foliage hosts numerous insects, and provides cover for a variety of other animals. Try this graceful, underused native flowering tree in your garden; not only will your friends and neighbors thank you, but your wildlife will too.

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

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Recycling Initiatives in Radnor Township Parks

Fall Street Tree Planting and Spring Shade Tree Giveaway

The Radnor Conservancy has donated 7 new recycling bins to the township. These are a “trial.” Please help make this a success, so other parks can participate. New bins are located at Warren Filipone and Bo Connor Parks in Radnor Township. We also plan to bring this initiative to the business district. If you are interested in sponsoring a recycling can, please contact Gretchen Groebel at ggroebel@radnorconservancy.org

Follow these few simple rules

1. Recycle EMPTY bottles and cans 2. Remove CAPS from the bottle3. Trash goes into trash cans 4. Tell your friends and family

It’s important for us to promote the restoration of the aging tree canopy through the Fall Street Tree Planting (this is in conjunction with Radnor Township and generously funded through Chanticleer Garden, where residents sign up and pay $35 to have a substantial 8-10 foot tree planted in their front yard). Each fall this program plants 35-40 trees. At our Spring Shade Tree Giveaway, the Conservancy purchases and donates on average 175 to 200 native trees to Radnor residents, free of charge. This year we will have more trees to offer. They are usually in 2-3 gallon containers and can easily be transported by car and planted. Each resident can sign up for two trees that they can plant in their yard and we ask that they are watered and cared for, especially the first year after being planted.

Plant a living legacy that your children and grandchildren will see grow!

SAVE THE DATE for the Spring Giveaway, April 27 and 28, 2019 and look for online signup late March 2019 at radnorconservancy.org and radnor.com

Steve McNelis and representatives from the Public Works Department, committed to the success of this program.

Gretchen Groebel and Ward 6 Commissioner, Jake Abel.

Jack Reardon, left and Tanner Cook, both 3, show how easy it is to recycle plastic bottles.

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

7

Radnor Township Tree Surveyby Matt Golas, Shade Tree Commission Board Member

Welcome New Board Member, Eric Janson

The Radnor Shade Tree Commission is conducting a survey of the township’s street trees as part of a 2018 master plan that includes implementing a street tree charter; better serving our residents through proactive communication; resetting and balancing the township’s budget as it relates to our tree canopy’s health; and partnering more effectively with other stakeholders, such as the Conservancy.

To date, we have examined 2,200 street trees using the Urban Forest Metrix toolkit that records the species, maps the GPS location, measures the diameter, height and drip lines, and rates the condition, structure, risk of failure, preservation value, and longevity of each tree.

We also photograph each tree and record any cable or power line interventions. So far we have identified 55 hazardous trees; 274 with a high risk of failure; 666 trees with cable and power line issues; and 310 ash trees (nearly all in decline).

Other takeaways:• South Wayne has great sidewalks and the street trees planted there 15 years ago have thrived.• Garrett Hill is an area of opportunity with many treeless spots.• Thriving trees – Little Leaf Lindens.• Predominant Trees - Maples, Cherries, Sycamores.• The most successful trees under wires are the Trident Maple and Chinese Lacebark Elm• The Beaupre area has many Silver Maples that are nearing life’s end.

We expect to survey until leaf fall. The township has approved the purchase of another Urban Forest Metrix license so we are seeking two volunteers to help with the surveying. Volunteers MUST be knowledgeable about tree identification and health.

Eric grew up in Wayne and attended Radnor Schools K-12. He holds a Master’s Degree of Interior Design and has spent the last 22 years founding and running an IT support firm that specialized in supporting Architectural, Engineering, and Design firms. The firm was sold to a key employee in 2018. Eric has been involved with Radnor Troop 284 as a Scoutmaster, with his two sons, for many years having been a member and Eagle Scout as a youth. He is also the Building and Grounds Chair for the Radnor ABC house and has served on their board for 6 years. He has a strong interest in Trees and Trails in Radnor Township and has completed the Philadelphia Horticultural Society Tree Tender program. Backpacking is a passion, having completed a number of long distance thru-hikes. Eric is preparing to backpack the Pacific Crest Trail in 2021, with “shorter” trips between now and then in preparation.

Severely trimmed American Sycamores on Bryn Mawr Avenue

Ash on S. Roberts Road with wire and cable intervention

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

8

Radnor Conservancy, Radnor Birdtown, and the Radnor Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) initiated our first meadow project in April 2017. A 2,000 square foot area of turf grass located uphill of the Skunk Hollow Community Garden is being converted to a meadow as a pilot study to help assess meadow planting as a land management practice that could be used to replace mowed lawns in areas that are not used for active recreation. Reduced lawn mowing means reduced maintenance costs, reduced gasoline usage, reduced air and noise pollution, reduced herbicide and fertilizer use, and improved native wildlife habitat. We hope that the meadow will be a boon to the bee colony at the Community Garden.

The first step of the meadow process was completed in April 2017 by laying down layers of newspaper over the area, covering it with a few inches of mulch to smother underlying vegetation. Spring 2018, we removed the mulch and newspaper to find a bare patch of earth. The smothering appeared to have done its work. In May 2018, a group of volunteers planted 100 seedlings, or “plugs,” of various native plant species generously donated by the Jenkins Arboretum. A mixture of four native grass seeds were spread across the site to fill in the areas between the plugs.

The first couple of weeks after planting, we watered the area every few days to ensure that the plugs survived the beginning of the warm season and that the native grass seed germinated. The regular rainfall events helped the plugs thrive through the early part of the summer. Unfortunately, the constant water supply also helped invasive weeds find a foothold in our pilot area, primarily crabgrass. Volunteers made a valiant effort to keep the crabgrass in check but ultimately it appeared to overwhelm the native grasses we had seeded. The individual plugs continued to thrive and we are hopeful they will return in the spring.

Some lessons learned and next steps:• The mulch-and-newspaper smothering was not entirely effective, but it allowed the plugs to get a head-start in establishing their root systems and growing through their first season.• For 2019, we are considering options to hinder the invasive crabgrass growth including the use of an organic pre-emergent weed treatment and the planting of plugs of the native grasses (instead of seeding). In support of the Skunk Hollow Community Garden and for the protection of the garden’s bee colony, we are committed to finding non-chemical solutions for the establishment of the meadow.• Meadow species typically spend their first growing season establishing their root systems. We expect to see the plug plants produce more flowers with each successive season.

Species we planted at the pilot project – Plugs: Eupatorium, Eryngium, Asclepias, Rudbeckia, Penstemon, Aster, Solidago Grasses: Purple love grass, Prairie dropseed, Switchgrass, Little bluestem

Please contact The Radnor Conservancy if you would like to volunteer with meadow planting or maintenance in the spring and summer of 2019. The time commitment can be just an hour on a beautiful spring Saturday or Sunday morning at the Willows Park. The Conservancy also promotes other volunteer-powered environmental projects in the Township’s parks.

Skunk Hollow Meadow Pilot Project by Dan Meier

Stay-cation for Spring Break 2019?

Check this out – explore downtown Wayne’s most striking architectural details and along the way keep your eyes peeled for environmental icons like the Maple and Oakleaf, and tree characteristics like bark, fruit, and flowers. This is a partnership between Radnor Conservancy and Radnor Memorial Library. Stop into RML to pick up your guide, and visit all of the stops to qualify for a fabulous, free children’s book on the environment.

Program runs April 13 – 20, 2019

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Radnor Recycles! Save Money • Save Resources • Save the Environment 

Recycling Tips  Interesting Facts

● Do not put recyclables into plastic bags,except clean shredded paper, which must be

placed into clear plastic bags. Garbage bags

slow the recycling process and are likely to

be thrown out, along with their contents.

● Do not put non-recyclable waste into

recycling bins.

● Lightly rinse food containers and let dry

before placing into recycling bin; they do not

have to be completely clean.

● Bottle caps can be recycled, but remove

them from bottles and containers.

● Labels can stay on bottles and containers.

● Staples, paper clips and binder clips can

stay attached to paper.

● Shattered glass can be recycled as long as

it is from bottles or jars. Shattered glass

from non-recyclable items, such as windows

and mirrors, cannot be recycled.

● If space permits, try not to crush

containers before recycling. A container is

most likely recycled when it retains its

original shape.

● Save as much of an item as possible: e.g.

throw away parts of a pizza box that have

pizza grease and recycle the rest.

● Radnor Township’s Residential recycling goes

to the Republic Services Recycling Center

in King of Prussia, where recyclables are

sorted by material type.

● Around 15% of recycling that is sent to

Republic Services is not recyclable and must

be thrown away as residual waste. Republic

Services must transport this waste to a

landfill, at a fee.

● Recycling saves taxpayer money: Radnor

Township spends less per ton recycling waste

than sending garbage to landfills.

● This table outlines items by the guidelines for

Radnor curbside recycling. If you have any

items you don’t know how to recycle, check

out http://www.terracycle.com/en-US.● Curbside recycling occurs once a week, and

the recycling schedule can be found by this

link:

http://www.radnor.com/DocumentCenter/

View/14309.● Dry cleaning bags, metal and plastic

coat hangers can be recycled, but you

need to drop off at a special location. Lookup

or Contact www.plasticfilmrecycling.org or

email help@plasticfilmrecycling.org

Disclaimer: The designers of this poster and Radnor Township do not endorse any mentioned companies. 

For more recycling information, go to the Radnor Township recycling website: http://www.radnor.com/345/Refuse-Division-Trash-Recycling or the Delaware County recycling website:  http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/recycle/index.html 

By 2018 Radnor Conservancy Interns Abigail Idiculla, Sara Takenaka and Keara Seasholtz and  2017 Radnor Conservancy Interns Niles Huang and Sophie Samaha in collaboration with the League of Women Voters 

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

11

Radnor Troop 284 by Eric Janson

Planting for Birds by Donald and Will Park of Radnor Bird Town

On May 17, 2018 the Friends of Radnor 284 was successful in purchasing a 2.2 acre parcel from the township, a portion of the property acquired as part of the open space purchase from the Ardrossan Farm. The story began in 1960 when the troop first moved to the property. Previously the troop had met at a cabin located on what is now Odorisio Park. When that property was purchased from the Scott Family by the Radnor Township School District, the troop was required to move and was offered use of the one room schoolhouse at the corner of Darby-Paoli and Godfrey Roads. The Schoolhouse, sitting on just less than one acre of land, in 1960 was is bad shape when the Scouts began using the property. Improvements such as replacing windows, roof and installation of wood burning stove were completed. The scouts and parents performed most of the labor.

As the rumors of the sale of all or portions of the Ardrossan property began to circulate, thoughts of acquisition became more front of mind. In 2014, The Friends of Radnor 284, a 501c3, was formed with the express purpose of acquiring a portion of the Wheeler Field for use by Radnor Troop 284. The township was contacted, and an interest expressed in purchasing the property. Alumni, alumni parents, current parents, scouts and community members came forward raising, to date, nearly half the original goal.

Radnor Township used a grant from the Natural Lands Trust to acquire the land, which was “spend a million, receive a million.” This left 2.2 acres available for the FOR284 to purchase from the township, at the same price paid. The land would now have a conservation easement placed on it, so development would never be possible.

Once Radnor Township acquired the property, FOR284 entered into an agreement of sale and proceeded with the subdivision process. After, four years of working on the project, FOR284 closed on the property this past May. In the future, FOR284 will work with the township when the Darby-Paoli Trail is constructed as the trail will come across the land in the right-of-way and some easements may need to be granted. As the Troop prepares for the 100th anniversary in 2020, the acquisition of a small piece of this property is an exciting time for the scouts of Radnor Troop 284.

When my first grader announced, “Dad, we need birds!” the resulting project led to an education for us both. The Stokes Bird Gardening Book explained “[t]here are four main things that birds need from their environment: food, water, nesting spots, and shelter.” In Noah’s Garden, Sara Stein noted “all of us live within an ecosystem... Nature is in our own backyard.” We needed to reconsider our yard as more than grass and trees. The word “habitat” appeared often in our readings and steered us to Audubon of PA where Audubon at Home’s “six principles” offered us a template: 1. Plant natives 2. Remove invasive plants 3. Reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides 4. Conserve water 5. Protect water quality 6. Protect the birds and wildlife [that] call your property home.

Karen Lanier’s Wildlife in Your Garden helped us understand the value of native plants. “A few good reasons to select native plants are that they generally have deeper roots and prevent excessive runoff during heavy rains. They help filter and slow down stormwater.” Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home also concluded that native plants are invaluable to birds. He advocates that birds and the insects they consume are acclimated to native plants through their collective evolution. We consulted the Audubon website, a database that included pictures and valuable notes about which birds would be attracted to the plants.

In choosing a location, we encountered numerous invasive plants. Lynn Steiner’s Grow Native explained the value of removing these invasive species. “The plants we choose don’t always stay in our gardens. And the plants that we bring into our gardens from other areas of the country and the world can have serious effects on our natural areas and our native pollinators, birds and other fauna.” Her book also offered a list of native counterparts to replace invasive species. We removed barberries, privet, winged burning bush and English ivy.

Many of the plants we researched could be combined to create a multi-layered habitat. Our existing trees comprised the uppermost level. We added native viburnums, chokeberries and serviceberries for the shrub layer. These could provide food for the birds, both in terms of berries and insects. We also decided to plant cardinal flower, bee balm, aster, goldenrod and swamp milkweed. These and some native grasses comprised the lower layers of habitat. Throughout the process, we attempted to group together plants that shared similar water and light requirements.With determination and patience, we were rewarded with colorful flowers, insects, butterflies, numerous birds and even a resident hummingbird, to my son’s unabashed delight. Not everything turned out like we hoped, but the experience and results proved gratifying. Most importantly, we learned that even the small changes we make can prove valuable.

Visit www.RADNORCONSERVANCY.org for Programs & EventsSpecial thanks to ALL of our community partners.

Please consider Radnor Conservancy in year-end giving plans. Your donation is fully tax deductible.

THE

CONSERVATIONIST

Fall 2018Fall 2018

Visit www.RADNORCONSERVANCY.org for Programs & EventsSpecial thanks to ALL of our community partners.

Please consider Radnor Conservancy in year-end giving plans. Your donation is fully tax deductible.

THE

CONSERVATIONIST

Fall 2018Fall 2018

RADNOR CONSERVANCY

Spotted Lanternfly AlertThe spotted lanternfly is an invasive planthopper (type of insect) in the U.S. It is native to certain parts of Southeast Asia. Spotted lanternflies feed on the sap of a plant and when there are high populations of them, they can cause significant damage. They feed on over 70+ plants, including important forestry and agricultural crops. Spotted lanternfly was first discovered in the United States in Berks County, PA in 2014. It has since spread throughout 13 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, which the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has designated as a spotted lanternfly quarantine zone.

Spotted lanternflies go through five stages of growth after hatching from eggs. The first four stages are called nymphs, which are incapable of flight. The young nymphs are black with bright white spots and are roughly the size of a pencil eraser. The fourth stage of spotted lanternflies, prior to adulthood, is vibrantly red with patches of black and equally distinct bright white spots. The adult spotted lanternfly is a leafhopper with wings about 1” long. Adults have grey wings with black spots. When the spotted lanternfly opens its wings, it reveals a bright red underwing. Spotted lanternflies live through the winter only as eggs. Adults lay eggs in masses in the late fall on trees, under bark, posts, lawn furniture, cars, trailers, outdoor grills, and on many other surfaces.

If you find a spotted lanternfly or a suspicious looking egg mass in a municipality where it is not known to exist, you should try to collect it and put it into a container filled with alcohol (rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, etc.) to kill and preserve it, or at least take a good picture of it. Report your sighting online to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, or call Penn State Extension at 1-888-4BADFLY (1-888-422-3359).

*Inspect any pre-cut Christmas tree before bringing it into your home. Look beyond the needles for the oval-shaped eggs. You’ll see a bunch of them clustered and covered with a waxy coating.

Go to Penn State Extension for the latest updates https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.

Visit www.RADNORCONSERVANCY.org for Programs & EventsSpecial thanks to ALL of our community partners.

Please consider Radnor Conservancy in your year-end giving plans. Your donation is fully tax deductible.

Spotted lanternfly has a preference for Ailanthus altissima, commonly known as

tree of heaven, a rapidly growing deciduous tree that is abundant in the Northeast.

IMAGE: EMELIE SWACKHAMER

P.O. Box 48 Wayne, PA 19087

Radnor Conservancy Mission:

To preserve and enhance Radnor’s

open space and natural assets through

engagement and education of the

Radnor Community in sustainable

environmental stewardship.