SycamoreSpring2006

Vol. VII, Issue 1 Spring 2006Newsletter ofW I L L I S T O W N C O N S E R V A T I O N T R U S T

For the preservation of the natural resources, rural character, and cultural heritage of the Willistown area.

Bonnie Van Alen, President

T H E S Y C A M O R E

Announcing the “Campaign for the Countryside”A $7 million campaign to protect our remaining critical lands.

Haywagon ride at Kirkwood Preserve...We’re on a roll!

As I write, it is earlyspring in the Willistowncountryside and, as is mycustom, I took a walktoday over to the pondat Rushton Farm. I wasrewarded by the sightof a hundred or sowaterfowl milling andchatting on the pond andcounted six separatespecies of migratoryducks that had chosenthis place as a stopoveron their way north.I thought of theirremarkable beauty and endurance and felt exceedinglygrateful for the many individuals and organizations that, overthe past twenty-six years, have helped permanently preserveplaces like Rushton and nearly six thousand acres in the Trustprogram area. It is a profound thought that these lands willcontinue to provide a safe haven for migrating waterfowl anda myriad of other flora and fauna for years to come ... just asthey have for thousands of years in the past.

While it is a pleasure to dwell on past successes,I am even more excited to let you know of the Trust’s majorcommitment to the future of conservation in the Willistownarea by announcing our ambitious $7 million Campaign forthe Countryside. The campaign will address the compelling needto preserve another five thousand acres of ecologically criticallands that remain vulnerable to development in our programarea, while responsibly providing stewardship to those landswhich have already been protected. The distinctive characterof the Willistown countryside and the beauty of our upperCrum, Ridley and Darby Creek watersheds are at stake.

Statistics show that oneacre every hour, every day,is lost to development inthe region, so it is urgentthat we act now to preservethese precious resources...before it is too late.

The objectives ofthe Campaign for theCountryside, under theguidance of co-chairsDoug Walker and JenniferMoller, are: 1) to assurethe financial stabilityof the Willistown Conser-vation Trust and the

continuence of its land protection, land stewardship,educational and outreach activities; 2) to renovate the farm-house at 925 Providence Road to provide a long-termfunctional office and workspace for Trust staff andcommunity volunteers; and 3) to support a 23 acre additionto the Kirkwood Preserve that includes a headwater tributaryto the Crum Creek and expands the preserve to 83 acres.

The good news is that during the “quiet phase” ofthe Campaign, our Board of Trustees and many of the Trust’sloyal supporters have contributed an amazing $5 milliontoward the $7 million goal, leaving $2 million to be raised bythe close of the campaign at the end of 2006. The generousColket Challenge, described on page two, will hopefullyprovide the impetus to take our campaign over the top. Youwill be hearing more about the Campaign in the comingmonths and when you do, I hope you will consider your owncommitment to the future of this glorious countryside.

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Spring 2006W I L L I S T O W N C O N S E R V A T I O N T R U S T

As I began to thinkabout a message forthis year’s Sycamore, Iwas surprised to realizethat 2006 marks theWillistown ConservationTrust’s tenth year asan independent landtrust. Much has beenaccomplished by theorganization since itsinception in 1996 andI would like to believe thatthe Trust has come to

be regarded as a real asset to the communities it serves.

Partnering with conservation minded individuals over the yearsto preserve well over five thousand acres of open space in theDarby, Crum and Ridley Creek watersheds makes those of usconnected with the Trust feel like we are pursuing a missionthat is, in a sense, ennobling. We hear frequently from thosepeople who with their families are able to enjoy the lovely,unspoiled countryside’s parks, preserves and trail systems thathave been created by the work of the Trust’s staff. We see with

Message from the Chairman

Peter Strawbridge

We are thrilled to announce that our good friendsand neighbors Ruth and Tris Colket have pledged agenerous challenge gift of $500,000 to the Campaignfor the Countryside! The Colkets have offered to matchdollar-for-dollar, up to a maximum of $500,000, anycontribution of $15,000 or more made by December2006. Pledges toward the Colket Challenge may be paidover a period of up to five years. The Challenge willensure the successful conclusion of the campaign.

We urge all who care for ourmagnificent environment totake advantage of theColkets’ generous offer andto join them in supportingthe campaign. If you’ve already given, consider makinganother gift. If you haven’t yet made your commitment,please do so as soon as possible. This challenge will doublethe impact of your gift.

The Colket Challenge Gift to theCampaign for the Countryside

them the beautiful woodland trees change color and shapeas the season’s progress. We listen with them to the softmurmuring of the meandering creeks as they wind their wayto the sea. We smell the delicious aromas of the meadow grassesand observe the busy work of the array of wild creatures asthey pursue their day and night-time activities in the air, waterand on land.

It is the recognition of the value of these life-enrichingexperiences and the desire, even obligation, to pass them on toour children, grandchildren and future generations that is atthe heart of what we do, and what motivates us at theWillistown Conservation Trust. These experiences sooth andrestore us and, most importantly, reconnect us with ournatural heritage.

To those of you who have supported the Trust throughcontributions to our annual fundraising appeal, we express ourheartfelt thanks. And to those many friends who have alreadymade pledges to the Trust’s Campaign for the Countryside, it isyour early commitment to this vitally important campaign thatwill enable the Trust to sustain and build upon the good workthat has been done and of which we are all the beneficiaries.

Much of the Willistown countryside has been preserved through the foresight of those who came before us.Now it is our turn to be wise and generous stewards and pass these lands along intact to future generations.

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W I L L I S T O W N C O N S E R V A T I O N T R U S TSpring 2006

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On March 31, Anson W. H.Taylor, Jr., a devoted trustee and closefriend of the Trust, passed awaysuddenly following an afternoon ridein the countryside. Anson positivelyinfluenced land conservation in theWillistown area for more than 25years and his loss will be felt deeply.

While Anson took up riding later inlife—he had his first riding lesson atage 37— equestrian activities becamehis passion. He rode two to three timesa week, fox hunted regularly anddevoted his philanthropic pursuitsto keeping land open for horseenthusiasts both locally and aroundthe country. He played a personal rolein protecting the Willistown area,placing conservation easements on hisown lands and guiding the protectionof adjacent lands through Fox CreekAssociates partnership.

Anson became a trustee of theWillistown Conservation Trust in 2001 and was a guidingforce in the areas of governance, land protection, finance andfundraising. In January 2006 he was elected Secretary of theBoard and was making great strides to prepare the Trust forformal accreditation by the Land Trust Alliance. He providedthoughtful counsel in countless areas and was actively engagedin securing gifts for the capital campaign to strengthen thework of the Trust.

Last October, Anson was honored for his work in conservingland and access for equestrians by a host of friends andcolleagues at Radnor Hunt. He was recognized by the manyorganizations whose work has benefited from his passion and

personal drive, including theEquestrian Land ConservationResource, Radnor Hunt, RadnorHunt Pony Club, BrandywineConservancy, the Willistown TrailsAssociation and the WillistownConservation Trust. Anson waspresented with a calligraphy scrolllisting his many contributions to eachorganization and the closingparagraph captures the spirit of hiswork: “Anson W. H. Taylor, Jr. shallbe forever held in the highest regardand affection for carrying out theabove activities with dedication, greatgood humor, an endearing personalstyle and a steadfastness to his idealof promoting the horse and equestrianactivities in all conservation projects,and he shall be seen as a model for allwho benefit from his legacy.”

Our hear ts go out to his wife,Marilyn; his children Stuart, Laura andLance; his daughters-in-law Jane and

Debi; and his two grandchildren. To honor Anson’s memory,the Willistown Conservation Trust has established the AnsonTaylor Fund for the Countryside. Anson had an abiding lovefor the Willistown area and he was committed to raising fundsso that the Trust could continue its land conservationactivities. Income from the fund will be used to further theTrust’s mission to protect the Willistown countryside.

Gifts may be sent to the Willistown Conservation Trust,925 Providence Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073. Pleaseinclude a notation that you wish to designate your gift for theAnson Taylor Fund.

Anson W. H. Taylor, Jr.(1929-2006)

Trust Mourns Loss of a Friend and Advisor

MA

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Conservation Report continued on page 5.

Conservation ReportThree Hundred Acres Added to Protected Lands in 2005 ~ Last Two Tracts at Kirkwood Farm Preserved

by Conservation Buyers ~ 23 Critical Acres added to Kirkwood Preserve ~New Easement FurtherProtects Crumdale Farm ~ Two New Easements and an Easement Modification

Since the last issue of TheSycamore, the Trust has overseen thepreservation of three hundredadditional acres of the specialnatural, scenic and recreationalresources that define theWillistown area. Each of theseadditional preserved propertiesmakes a significant contributionto the Trust’s urgent mission toprotect as much of the remainingcritical land in our area as possible... as soon as possible. We are grate-ful to the generous and forwardthinking landowners and the manyother partners who helped accom-plish the wonderful successes of2005. Following are the highlightsof recent conservation projects.

GORTON AND MURDOCH

EASEMENTS PRESERVE

LAST TWO TRACTS

AT KIRKWOOD FARM

The Gorton EasementIn June 2005, Lori and Gary Gortondonated a conservation easement to theTrust protecting the 43 acre tract theyhad acquired as part of the conservationeffort to preserve 324 acres of thebeautiful Kirkwood Farm. The propertyis located on the north side of GoshenRoad and includes two classic fieldstonestables, a small bank barn and anhistoric stone farmhouse. The Gortonshave since completed the extraordinarytask of moving the stone farmhouse

approximately 50 feet back from itsoriginal location a few feet from theedge of Goshen Road. The successfulrelocation of the historic farmhouse willpreserve its structural and historicintegrity by distancing it from the trafficon Goshen Road, and allow it to betterfunction as part of the plan to restorethe other structures in the farm complex.

The generous easement donated by theGortons restricts further residentialstructures on the property to one primaryresidence and provides for an equestriantrail easement from Kirkwood Preserve,ensuring that there will continue to beaccess through the property to the exist-ing network of trails in the community.

We are thankful that the Gortonfamily (after a couple of years onthe Trust’s list of conservationbuyers) has ended up owning thisbeautiful portion of KirkwoodFarm, and know that they willcontinue to be thoughtful stewardsfor years to come. Welcome andthank you, Lori and Gary.

The Murdoch EasementWith approximately 73 acres ofthe North Tract of KirkwoodFarm still available for acquisitionlast spring, conservation buyersJanice and Britt Murdoch proposeda generous plan to acquire 50acres, thus providing a uniqueopportunity for the Trust toacquire a critical 23 acre additionto the 60 acre Kirkwood Preserve

(see following details). By mid-summerthe Murdochs had completed their 50acre acquisition and had subsequentlydonated a very generous conservationeasement to the Trust. The easementlimits residential structures on the 50acres to one primary residence and oneattached apartment and, like the Gortoneasement, provides an equestrian trailthrough the property in perpetuity. Notsurprisingly, with the well being of theirhorses a high priority, the first plansubmitted by Janice and Britt for Trustapproval is a lovely stable designed byJohn Milner. We look forward to seeingfurther plans evolve, knowing that this

Gorton farmhouse on the move.

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Conservation Report continued from page 4.

special part of Kirkwood Farm is in verygood hands.

The Trust and the community also owe a hugethank you to Janice and Britt Murdoch forallowing the “Celebrating Kirkwood” partyto take place on their property overlookingthe Kirkwood Preserve last October. It wasa spectacular evening that the 320 attendeeswill not soon forget!

TWENTY-THREE ACRES

ADDED TO

KIRKWOOD PRESERVEWhen the opportunity arose for theTrust to acquire a 23 acre addition tothe existing 60 acre Kirkwood Preserveat a bargain sale price of $1 million, thetrustees did not hesitate. As it happened,the 23 acre parcel (which now extendsthe preserve south along Grubb Mill allthe way to the intersection with GoshenRoad) had originally been identified bythe Trust as highly desirable for its manycritical natural and scenic features, butmost likely unaffordable consideringthe high land value and sources of

funding then available. Accordingly, theTrust proceeded to acquire the originalsixty acres with the generous fundingsupport of Willistown Township, ChesterCounty, and the PA Department ofNatural Resources and our partners atNatural Lands Trust.

With the decision made to seize this newopportunity, the trustees committed toraising the $1 million acquisition costby increasing the goal for the Campaignfor the Countryside to $7 million. We areexceedingly grateful that WillistownTownship through its Open Space Fundhas once again provided significantfunding, as have Chester County, the PADepartment of Natural Resources, andto date, two individual communitysupporters. While there remains a short-fall of $200,000, we are optimistic thatwith the help of the community, thisimportant addition to the KirkwoodPreserve will be fully funded by the closeof the Campaign for the Countryside inDecember, 2006. If you have not alreadytaken a walk over Kirkwood Preserve’s83 acres and one and a half miles oftrails we encourage you to do so. We

know youwill find ita specials anc tua r yfor peopleand wildlife!

CRUMDALE FARM

IS ENHANCED BY

NEW CONSERVATION

EASEMENTThe story of the preservation of the 158acre Crumdale Farm on Grubb MillRoad began in 1978 when its owner,Eugenia Madeira, donated one of thefirst conservation easements in theWillistown area. As was often the casewith early easements, the Crumdale Farmeasement was donated to the BrandywineConservancy and covered primarily theareas of the farm bordering the CrumCreek. After Miss Madiera’s niece, EllenMary Meigs, inherited the property sheand her husband Henry expanded theprotection of the farm by donatinganother more extensive easement to theBrandywine Conservancy in 1987.

Driven by a deep sense of stewardshipfor the land, a determination topermanently preserve the extensive trailson her property, and a desire to betteraddress the property in her estateplanning process, Ellen Mary asked herattorneys to work with Brandywine andthe Trust to devise a new plan. The out-come was the assignment of theBrandywine easement to the WillistownConservation Trust in early 2005, thecreation of a family partnership, and thesubsequent donation of a new easementto the Trust. The new easementencompasses all of the provisions of theprior easements, adds restrictionspreserving the entire network of trails,and further limits the number ofallowable residential structures on thefarm in perpetuity.

Crumdale Farm on its own is a highlyimportant property, considering itsextensive frontage along the Crum Creek

Conservation Report continued on page 6.Grand old oak stands watch over Kirkwood Preserve grasslands.

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(a state designated high water qualitystream), its open, rolling fields, maturewoodlands and numerous historicstructures. When added to the protectedlands of the Kirkwood Preserve whichabuts it to the south, the preservation ofCrumdale Farm takes on an even greatersignificance. Thanks to the foresight ofEugenia Madeira, followed by thethoughtful planning of Ellen MaryMeigs and her family, Crumdale Farmwill provide an enormous benefit to theWillistown area for many years to come.

THE WATKINS EASEMENTIn July 2005, Penny and Tom Watkinscompleted a conservation easement ontheir newly purchased property locatedon Marlborough Road across from the“Old Kirkwood” farmstead. Theproperty will serve as the Watkins’primary residence, and they are makingsignificant renovations to the existinghouse that was originally constructed inthe 18th century. Major improvementsare also being made to the landscapingsurrounding the house. The easementlimits additional development on the nineacre property to accessory structures only.It protects the sensitive riparian areasalong Bartram Run, a tributary streamof the Crum Creek, as well as woodlands,and a large area of pasture. Through thisgenerous donation, the Watkins areexpanding an area of protected open space,and helping to maintain the ruralcharacter of Marlborough Road, one of themost scenic roads in the Willistown area.

THE SCHWARTZ EASEMENTNate and Edda Schwartz donated aconservation easement last summer ontheir 14 acre property located off GarrettMill Road in the southwest portion ofWillistown Township. This is a mostly

wooded property of mature hardwoodtrees such as oak, hickory and beech.It also contains frontage along HunterRun, a scenic tributary of the RidleyCreek, as well as steep slopes. The ease-ment includes a protected trailcorridor, and limits further developmenton the site to an addition to the existingprimary residence and accessorystructures in close proximity to theresidence. The Schwartz property isconnected to two large tracts alsoprotected by conservation easements, the

Hitschler and Pitt properties. We aregrateful to the Schwartz’ for protectingtheir important property in this uniquelyrural corner of Willistown.

RUSSELL EASEMENT

MODIFICATIONIn December of 2005, Greg Russell com-pleted a modification of the conserva-tion easement he had donated in 1999on a twenty acre parcel of land adjacent


Conservation Report continued on page 7.

Yellow Wood Farm is a special country property comprisingapproximately 31 acres of rolling open fields and woodlands in the heartof the Willistown Conservation Trust program area. Located at 6041Goshen Road, in Willistown Township, it adjoins large tracts of landpreserved by conservation easements. The future protection ofYellow Wood Farm is critical to the goals of the Trust to maintain thecontiguous open space and rural character of the area. The historicfarmhouse and charming Chester County bank barn date to the late1700’s and enjoy a southern exposure and view overlooking a quietmeadow and small tributary that runs into Crum Creek. Working withthe Delchester Group, Inc., (the not for profit corporation presentlymarketing Yellow Wood Farm) the Trust has prepared a conservationplan to protect the special natural and scenic features of the property,and is seeking conservation minded buyers who would wish toimplement the plan.

YELLOW WOOD FARM

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to his home property located on HuntClub Lane. The land is currently unde-veloped and consists mainly of opengrassland with a small area of woodlandon a sloping hillside. The easementmodification removes the right grantedunder the original easement to developthe property as two primary residentiallots. The modified easement limits toimprovements on the property toagricultural structures and two second-ary residential structures to beconstructed only at such time as a parcelis merged with an adjacent primaryresidential lot. Many thanks to GregRussell for this generous modificationwhich serves to even better protect theimportant land under his stewardship.

Local residents Lynn and TonyHitschler, eager to establish asustainable farming program ontheir Willistown farm, had read anumber of books by Joel Salatin.The Hitschlers felt others might be

interested in learning more about his practices and offered toco-host a program with the Trust. On February 11, under thethreat of an impending snowstorm, the Virginia farmercame to Garrett Mill Farm and kept a crowd of 60 farmingenthusiasts spellbound with descriptions of his environmen-tally-friendly family operation in the Shenandoah Valley. Salatinis one of the most sought after speakers in sustainableagriculture in the nation and those lucky enough to attend theseminar now know why. Part innovative farmer, part preacherand part philosopher, Salatin has popularized the concept ofusing well-managed pastures for multi-species grazing, andselling the fruits of those labors directly from the farm.Thank you Tony and Lynn for opening your farm to all ofus—it was a treat!

O’HARA EASEMENT

COMPLETES

PROTECTION OF THE

THOMPSON FAMILY LANDSIn 2004, Sean and Catherine O’Harapurchased the last remaining un-protected acreage of the formerThompson estate in Easttown Township,a 12 acre parcel bordering South Leop-ard Road. In November of 2005, theO’haras donated a conservationeasement on a nine acre portion of thisproperty, protecting the open meadow-lands and the sensitive riparian areasalong a headwater tributary to theDarby creek. The easement restrictsdevelopment on the nine acres to a run-in-shed, access drives, and fences, as wellas two small bridges over the stream for


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While the seminar attracted individuals actively engagedin farming pursuits, others came because they have an interestin eating healthful, locally grown food. One byproduct of theprogram has been a groundswell of interest in “communitysupported agriculture” (CSA) in Willistown. In basic terms,a CSA consists of a community of individuals who make afinancial committment to the farmer at the beginning of thegrowing season. In this way, consumers share the risks of foodproduction with the farmer. In return, they receive sharesof the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as wellas satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land andparticipating directly in food production.

If you would like to participate on a committee to explorethe possibility of establishing a CSA in the Willistown area,please contact Betsy Block: 610-353-2562 ext.13 [email protected].

INNOVATIVE FARMER COMES TO WILLISTOWN

TO SPEAK ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FARMING

pedestrian, equestrian and vehicularaccess to the eased area. The O’Harasrecently sold the property to Mr. andMrs. Theodore Babiy who plan toconstruct their primary residence onthe non-eased portion of the property.

The O’Hara easement donationcompletes the conservation plandeveloped for the 47 acre Thompsonproperty in 2002. Since the inception ofthe plan, conservation easements havebeen donated on four lots covering justover 44 acres and limiting the numberof new primary residences on the prop-erty to three. The Thompson family landscomprised one of the last relativelyundeveloped large tracts within theupper Darby Creek watershed inEasttown Township.

Farmer Joel Salatin

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Willistown Conservation Trust is de-veloping and implementing an expandedland stewardship agenda that includesextended outreach to landowners, as wellas the proper management of our ownpreserves. The Trust has determined threestewardship priorities that are needed tosignificantly protect and enhance theecological integrity of the UpperRidley/Crum Important Bird Area(IBA) which includes approximately15,000 acres of the Trust program area.

The first priority is to reduce theimpact of an overabundant deerpopulation on native plants and wildlife.The second priority is to control thespread of highly invasive, exotic plantspecies that otherwise would crowd outnative plants that wildlife depends on.The third priority is to actively enhanceand restore portions of our landscape.

It is by implementing these threepriorities; managing deer, controllinginvasive plants, and restoring a biologi-cally rich landscape, that we feel we canimprove the quality of life for humansand wildlife in the Upper Ridley/Crum IBA. Following is a synopsis ofsome of the stewardship activitiesplanned to achieve these goals.

DEER MANAGEMENTInitially, the Trust will promote anunderstanding of the overabundant deerproblem through literature and eventssuch as the lecture held on February 24thfeaturing experts Gary Alt, Tim Schaefferand Bryon Shissler. We will emphasizehow an overabundant deer populationdecreases survival of native plants,including orchids and other wildflowers;impacts regeneration of woodlands byeating the shrub layer, saplings and

seedlings; and how this negatively affectsbird species that depend on thisregeneration. As the Trust develops astrategy, landowners, hunters and otheradvocates will have a resource toeffectively reduce the impacts of over-abundant deer.

Working with Audubon Pennsylvania, wewill be placing several deer exclosuresthroughout the IBA to protect theplant life inside them. This will helpdemonstrate how regenerated woodlandscan improve bird habitat. Data will becollected on the presence of targeted birdspecies and their abundance over time,both inside and outside the exclosures.These species indicate a regeneratingwoodland, and by studying their changeover time, we hope to determine thehealth of the woodland inside theexclosure. (See box on page nine for thetarget list of bird species).

CONTROLLING

INVASIVE PLANTSThrough this initiative the Trust will bedeveloping a priority list of weeds forcontrol in our IBA and emphasizingproper management by working withlandowners and land managers. We willalso actively manage our own preservesto control these plants. To learn moreabout invasive plants and their control,please see Erin Van Yahre’s article onpage nine.

HABITAT ENHANCEMENT

AND RESTORATIONIn this broad category, among otheractivities the Trust will expand its effortsto restore riparian buffers, plant nativegrasses and wildflowers, install bird boxes,keep snags (dead trees) standing for

insects and cavity nesting birds, andchange mowing schedules to allowgrassland birds to fledge. There will be ariparian buffer planting this fall on oneof our preserves. Please contact Eugeniaor Jodi at 610-353-2562 ext.18 if youare interested in helping out.

In order to restore places where cavitynesting birds can raise their young,the Trust is implementing a bird boxprogram. Due to a lack of older treesthat contain appropriate cavities, thesebirds often move on from an area untilthey find the right location, or settlefor an inferior site. The best ways toaccommodate these species is to let deador dying trees stand, and to supplementthose with bird boxes. The Trust has 100boxes for sale that have been built forpileated, red-headed, and red-belliedwoodpeckers, blue bird, kestrel, barn owl,wood duck and other species. Anyonewho is interested in purchasing a box willbe asked to complete an informationform, keep track of any activity in thebox and report activities back to the Truston a semi annual basis. (We will emailyou reminders twice a year.) In additionto providing homes for these birds, wehope to collect relevant information onnesting success. If you have an interestin being a part of this program, as eithera monitor or to purchase a box, contactAlex Van Alen at 610-353-2562 ext.14.

The Trust is in an exciting periodof increased stewardship activities.With the enthusiasm and help ofpartner organizations, landowners andvolunteers, we aim to make the UpperRidley/Crum IBA a model for landstewardship in our region.

Stewardship Report

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UNDERSTANDING INVASIVE PLANTS

IN OUR WOODLAND FORESTSby Erin Van Yahres

Literature on invasive plants is becoming more available andeasier to understand with two excellent publications thatrecently became available to Pennsylvania residents. The firstpublication is the USDA Invasive Plants Field and Reference Guide:An Ecological Perspective of Plant Invaders of Forests & Woodlands,which can be found at www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/index.shtm. Both the booklet and the web site provide excellentphotographs of the USDA’s top ten invasive plants of thenortheastern U.S., including Norway Maple, Multiflora Rose,Japanese Stiltgrass, Oriental Bittersweet, and Mile-a-minuteweed.

The second publication is a tri-fold brochure produced withthe cooperation of several private and state agencies. Thebrochure is being distributed by the Department of Conser-vation and Natural Resources (DCNR) in Pennsylvania(www.nps.gov/plants/alien) and it gives basic information asto what an invasive plant is, its characteristics and how itimpacts our ecosystem. The tools suggested to minimize theproblems of invasive plants are basic and easily performed byalmost any landowner. The brochures are also availablefree from the local county cooperative extension offices.

The government agencies involved in putting these guides to-gether have made a long term commitment to enlist the helpof landowners to control the spread of invasive plants. This isgood news for the environment. Education about the speciesthat are considered invasive with a review of its biology andcharacteristics is the first step to addressing strategies for theirsuppression.

Erin Van Yahres is a certified Arborist with Arader Tree Service, Inc.Chris Arader has generously donated his staff’s time and expertiseto the Trust. His team removed and pruned a number of treessurrounding our office on a pro bono basis. Many, many thanks!

TARGETED BIRD SPECIES

AS PART OF TRUST PARTNERSHIP

WITH AUDUBON PAI. Bird species targeted as indicators of woodland

health that rely heavily on ground and shrublayers of woodlands:

Worm-eating warblerKentucky warblerHooded warblerWood thrushVeery

Other woodland speciesthat will be noted in thestudy include:

Least fly-catcher,Acadian fly-catcher,Ovenbird,Cerulean warbler,Northern parula,Black-throated green warbler,Louisiana waterthrush

II. Bird species targeted as indicators ofgrassland health – all potentially breedin Southeastern PA:

Eastern MeadowlarkBobolinkField SparrowGrasshopper SparrowSavannah SparrowSong SparrowVesper SparrowUpland SandpiperNorthern BobwhiteShort-eared owlNorthern Harrier

Wood thrush

HELP THE TRUST BUILD A RESOURCE LIBRARYOur spacious new office allows the Trust an opportunity to create a reference and lending library for use by ourstaff and the Willistown community. Our present “library” is in its infancy and we need your help to grow it.If you have any books you think might relate to the mission of the Trust that you would like to donate (naturalscience books, bird books, plant identification books, local history books, etc.), please drop them off at theoffice. Additionally, the Trust has registered a “wish list” at Chester County Books & Music, 975 Paoli Pike,West Chester (610-696-1661) if you would like to donate a new book to our collection.

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KIRKWOOD WORK DAY

On Saturday, March 18th, about 30 workhorsevolunteers gathered at the Trust’s Kirkwood Preserve toreplace old fence rails along Grubbs Mill and GoshenRoads, remove dead branches and create an impressive burnpile for our upcoming May 13th festivities (see events onpage 12). It was a beautiful, chilly day, which energizedeveryone to get there early and work long. Special thanksto Frank Herz of Ashbridge Landscaping for providinghis dump truck, and Ted and Lindsey Leisenring, Tonyand Lyn Hitschler, and Brook Gardner and Jodi Spraginsfor providing their tractors. Many others brought trucks,chainsaws, hammers, and wire cutters to make the crew awell oiled machine. After a hard day’s work, these hardyvolunteers asked for more. Just to accommodate them, weplan on having more work days throughout the year.If you are interested, please contact Jodi or Eugenia at610-353-2562 ext. 18 to be put on our volunteer email list.

To kick off the Trust’seducation campaign aboutthe impacts of over-abundant deer, we held ourannual dinner lecture onFebruary 24th at theEdgmont Golf Club.Featured were Dr. GaryAlt, Bryon Shissler and ournewest board member andExecutive Director ofAudubon PA, Dr. TimSchaeffer. These three experts presented an overview of theecological impacts of overabundant deer, the administrative

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ANNUAL DINNER AND LECTURE

“The Challenges of Overabundant Deer”

and legal hurdles thateffective deer managementmust overcome, and somethoughts on how landown-ers, hunters and otheradvocates can help get thisissue under control bothlocally and across the state.There are not many issuesthat provoke such a widerange of opinions, and wethank these gentlemen for

helping focus on what will no doubt be an ongoing discussionas we tackle this critical ecological issue in our area.

Speakers Gary Alt, Bryon Shissler and Tim Schaeffer withtrustees Bonnie Van Alen and Peter Strawbridge.

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As one of the veryfortunate people who live inWillistown, I had heard thatthe Trust was working onsecuring what we alwaysreferred to as the “ScottProperty”, the scenic openfields and farm land whichseemed to define so much ofthe rural character alongProvidence and GoshenRoads. Over the years myfamily sent many prayers andwishful thoughts (andmeager contributions) onbehalf of those monumen-tal efforts. But it wasn’t until I was driving home from workone day, turning off of Goshen on to Grubb Road towardsBarr, that I realized this dream piece of land was finally oursfor the keeping. Two women were on horses, walking alongGrubb Road, on the inside of the fenceline — how exciting!I rolled down my window and asked them how the trails were,and if indeed, we were allowed to ride there. They acknowl-edged the completion of the Trust’s efforts to protect this land,now called the Kirkwood Preserve, glowing with enthusiasm.

Giddy with the news, I went right home and tacked up mypony and headed out to explore the new Kirkwood Preserve, aten minute ride by horseback from my small farm on HillviewRoad. I was thrilled with what I found: mown paths artfullymeandering through acres of glorious grasslands, skirtingwoods, split rail fencing, and a small stream, and following upand down what have to be some of the loveliest hills on earth,punctuated by huge specimen trees. The sensation of trottingalong these mown paths, when the expanse of adjacent uncutgrasses is several feet high, is an exhilarating feeling. It’s almostlike being on a sailboat, cutting a channel though open water.

My daughter, Ainsley, and I have since claimed the KirkwoodPreserve as one of our favorite “hacks”. We regularly ride therewhen the weather and footing is good, and she has found it tobe a perfect place to keep her competition mount fit. It’s a

special treat to be able toride together with her there.Sometimes we ride through,other times we make it adestination. The mownpaths circumnavigate somespectacular trees on theproperty, and when we aretrotting through the paths,we have made it our ritualto follow the path and circleeach of these trees, makinga loop, rather than justgoing straight around eachone. What fun.

My absolute favorite part isthe highest point on the preserve, which is fittingly topped bya glorious red oak tree. Of course, it has a path mown all theway around it and even if we are in the middle of a trottingsession, we always pause here to enjoy the view. I feel like I amin a painting when I am up there, and deeply mindful of howtruly fortunate I am.

As a nearby neighbor and horse owner, for years I haveadmired and longingly viewed what is now the KirkwoodPreserve as one of the treasures of the Willistown Area,wishing that we could at least get permission to ride our horsesthere. Established riding trails abound on all sides of thePreserve, and it is an important keystone for trail riders. Theprospect of a housing development being built there was anightmare, and in the meantime it was frustrating to see all ofthat open space and not be able to step foot on it. Now, notonly can we ride there, but we have the comforting knowledgethat this land will be here for everyone to enjoy forever,just the way it is now, with the tender care so carefullyadministered by the Trust. It’s ours for the keeping.

Jodi Spragins was District Commissioner of Radnor Hunt Pont Clubfrom 2002-05 and is an avid trail rider and occasional foxhunter. She hasbeen of invaluable assistance in the Trust’s office during Trisha Lambert’smaternity leave.

Testimony of a NeighborIT’S OURS FOR THE KEEPING

by Jodi Spragins

Jodi Spragins with daughter Ainsley and horses Cooper and Annie.

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Activities and Events

CHESTER-RIDLEY CRUM WATERSHEDS ASSOCIATION

STREAMS CLEANUP

May 6

Join us for our Creek Week Event!KIRKWOOD PRESERVE EXPLORATION

FOLLOWED BY BONFIRE & PICNIC SUPPER

SATURDAY, MAY 13TH, 20064:OO PM

Grubbs Mill Road, 1/4 mile north of Goshen Road, Willistown Township(on the beautiful Crum Creek)

If the health of our watersheds matters to you, pleasevolunteer for the 9th Annual CRC Streams Cleanup onSaturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Last year’s eventinvolved over 400 residents in the removal of 16 tons of trashfrom thirty different sites along streams, from Chester Cityto Marple. Willistown Conservation Trust and WillistownTownship are among the sponsors supporting CRC’s2006 Streams Cleanup, along with lead sponsors AquaPennsylvania, Starbucks Coffee Company and Lyondell.

This year, Willistown Township’s cleanup site will beOkehocking Preserve, where volunteers will not only clean uptrash from around Route 3, but also help Lyondell employeesin their Global Care Day project at the site. Volunteers are neededto build deer exclosures, prune back invasives and plant trees.

All participants are invited to a “thank you” picnic afterwardsat Rose Tree Park and will receive the ever popular CRCCleanup T-shirt! To volunteer at Okehocking Preserve, pleasecontact Township Preserve Manager Mary McLoughlin at 610-640-1669 or [email protected].

Join members of the Trust’s staff as well as naturalist guides for a walking tour of KirkwoodPreserve and surrounding protected land, including a beautiful stretch of Crum Creek. Bring apicnic supper and blanket and stay for a bonfire after the walk! Children welcome—sorry, no pets.Waterproof boots, binoculars and field guides are recommended. To assist in our planning, pleaseregister by calling 610-353-2562 ext. 18.

4:00 p.m. Meet at Kirkwood Preserve parking areaWalk will last approximately 2 hours

6:00 p.m. Bonfire begins!

This event is part of “Creek Weeks”, an annual series of events established by our friends at theChester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association to raise awareness and encourage stewardship of these three local creeks.

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Activities and Events (Continued)

10TH ANNUAL RADNOR HUNT

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

September 8-10

The 10th Annual Concours d’Elegance, a nationallyrecognized event, will feature dramatic French coachwork,historic Porsche racing and road cars, and Triumph motor-cycles. The weekend’s activities include a road rally throughthe beautiful Willistown countryside, a black tie gala at RadnorHunt and a fabulous car show limited to 100 carefullyselected entries.

For the seventh consecutive year, the Willistown ConservationTrust has been selected as a beneficiary of the Concours. Weare grateful to the Concours Committee for their continuinggenerosity and support of our mission. Hope to see you atthe show—you will be greeted by Trust volunteers atregistration!

For more information about the Concours d’Elegance or topurchase tickets for the weekend’s events, please visit theirwebsite at www.radnorconcours.org. Telephone inquiries shouldbe made to 610-353-3536.

SAVE THE DATE

“Golf and Good Nature” 4th Annual Golf Outing

Waynesborough Country Club

Monday, September 25

We are proud to welcome Devon Hill BMW as ourpresenting sponsor this year (thank you CortieWetherill!) and we invite you to join them as an outingsponsor, either as an individual or through yourprofessional associations. Other major sponsors to dateinclude Brandywine Realty Trust, Claneil Foundation,TL Ventures, Quaker Funds, Viwenco Inc. and “a fanof the Willistown Conservation Trust.”

For more information about participating in theouting, as either a sponsor or player, please contactBetsy Block at 610-353-2562 ext. 13

To promote practical, environmentally sound actions whichindividuals can use in their daily lives, Willistown FriendsMeeting is hosting its second Environmental StewardshipFestival on Saturday, September 16, 2006. This family-friendlyday of activities will run from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. andwill include talks on topics such as creating a backyard wildlifehabitat and using alternative energy sources. Last year’s eventattracted 200 to 300 attendees and participation from

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP FESTIVAL

at Willistown Friends MeetingSeptember 16

25 local environmental organizations including WillistownConservation Trust. In addition to formal presentations, theFriends are planning nature walks on their 42 acre property,pumpkin painting, bird and bat box construction, livemusic and a display of nature-inspired art. For moreinformation, please contact Bernard Cooker (610-644-9084)or Derek Stedman ([email protected]).

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Staff and Trustee News

925 Providence Road ~ The Trust’s new office!

Since our last edition ofThe Sycamore in Spring2005, we have increased ourstaff, added two trustees tothe Board and welcomeda new little “tree hugger”into the world!

STAFF NEWSLast fall, to better addressthe Trust’s growing landand easement stewardshipresponsibilities, the Trustmade an important changeto its organizational structure.While land protection andstewardship activities are stillwell coordinated, they are now managed under separate “hats.”This change is a first step toward meeting our 2005-09strategic planning goal of separating the Land Protection andLand Stewardship programs.

Alex Van Alen, who had been overseeing both areas forthe past few years, is now the Land and EasementStewardship Manager on a half-time basis. His responsibilitiesinclude: management and maintenance of all the Trustpreserves; administration of the William Penn Foundation grant

for the Upper Ridley/CrumImportant Bird AreaModel Conservation andRestoration Initiative;spearheading the Trustpartnership activities withAudubon PA; monitoringthe 47 conservation ease-ments held by the Trust;undertaking conservationeasement plan reviews assubmitted by easement land-owners; and landowneroutreach and education onland management issues.The Trust is presentlyengaged in search for a

part-time Associate Stewardship Manager.

In March 2006, we welcomed Chris Thompson to the staffas our new Director of Land Protection. Chris brings withhim a strong connection to the land, having spent the last fewyears managing Garrett Mill Farm for Lynn and Tony Hitschler.He oversaw the reconstruction of seven historical buildings,managed the 80 acre property and helped the Hitschlersexplore farming options for the land. In partnership with JohnTurgeon, Associate Director of Land Protection, Chris will

It is indeed a privilege to join such a focused and professional group of individualsat the Trust who have come together to serve a single mission of protecting landsthat they love. As America grapples with how to deal with development sprawlthat is eating up two million acres a year, the Willistown Conservation Trust andother community based Trusts around the country are the frontline conservationleaders engaged in trench warfare against the development sprawl.

Managing the Hitschler Farm for the last two years provided me with many toolsand an appreciation in land conservation, historic renovation, and a passion for thebeautiful Chester County countryside. As a practicing landscape painter, KirkwoodPreserve and other magical spots in Willistown have given me great inspiration formy work and a deeper connection to the land. I look forward to taking a leadershiprole in protecting another 5,000 acres in the Willistown area!

Chistopher A. Thompson

A WORD FROM OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF LAND PROTECTION

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focus his efforts on protecting the nearly 5,000 acres of landin our program area that remain vulnerable to furtherdevelopment. This is the highest priority of our 2005-09 LongRange Plan, as the development of these critical propertieswould forever change the character of the Willistown country-side. Chris comes to the Trust with an impressive managementbackground (including years of experience managing specialevents in the city of Chicago). His abilities and energy will beput to good use as he undertakes this significant change ofcareer direction with the Trust. Chris holds a BA in Anthropologyand Art and an MFA/Masters of Art, both from NorthwesternUniversity. Chris lives in Berwyn with his wife, Sandra, and histeenage daughters, Margaret and Alexandra.

To round out our team, Sue Costello joined our staff on apart-time basis last fall as GIS (Geographic InformationSystems) Coordinator. Sue interned at the Trust last summeras part of her studies at West Chester University and we neverlet her leave! She is our in-house mapping expert, preparing andupdating all maps and display graphics used for landownermeetings, conservation easement reports and public outreachefforts. With geography degrees from both West ChesterUniversity and the University of Tennessee, Sue’s backgroundincludes experience in university teaching, environmentalconsulting and land protection. She lives in West Chester withher husband, Joe, and two young children, Jacob and Anna.

Last but surely not least on the staff front, we are thrilledto announce the arrival of baby Emily Claire Lambert onFebruary 22, 2006. Trisha Lambert and husband Jim areloving parenthood and we look forward to welcoming Trishaback to the office after her leave in June. We are truly indebtedto a team of Trust volunteers and devotees who’ve helped usout during Trisha’s absence—so many thanks to Tara Off,Jodi Spragins and Eugenia Warnock!

TRUSTEE NEWSIn January 2006, we also welcomed two new members to ourBoard of Trustees. Each brings a wealth of experience andexpertise that will help us move the Trust’s mission forward.

Tony Hitschler joined the community two years ago whenhe and his wife, Lynn, purchased and protected the oldMenghetti farm on Garrett Mill Road. The Hitschlers wereconservation buyers who had been looking for a countryproperty for some time and fell in love with the streams, wood-lands and historic structures on the farm. Since then, Tony

Volunteer Gardeners Needed!Later this spring, we will begin installing native plantgardens around our new office. We need knowledge-able volunteers to help with the planting and upkeepof the gardens—and welcome donations of nativeshrubs and trees! To get involved, please contact theTrust at 610-353-2562 ext. 18 or [email protected].

and Lynn have been activelyinvolved in a number of Trustevents and activities, hosting botha pond and stream workshop and asustainable farming program attheir farm. Considered to be apioneer of modern value investing,Tony brings significant businessexperience to our Board. A graduateof Chestnut Hill Academy and

Princeton University, Tony founded Brandywine AssetManagement in 1986 and later sold the firm to Legg MasonInc. He and Lynn divide their time between their Radnor resi-dence and a home in Jackson, Wyoming. They are in the pro-cess of renovating the historic buildings on Garret Mill Farm,one of which will be a future residence.

Dr. Tim Schaeffer, ExecutiveDirector of Audubon Pennsylvania,brings exper tise in regionalconservation issues, many ofparticular relevance to the Trustprogram area. With Tim at thehelm, Audubon Pennsylvania iscommitted to further protectingthe state’s Important Bird Areas(IBAs). Because our program area

is designated as an IBA, Tim has particular interest in our landprotection and land stewardship work. Tim and his staff areworking closely with Alex Van Alen to further protect andprovide stewardship to the Upper Ridley/Crum IBA.Reflecting his interest in both science and policy, Tim pur-sued a dual program of a Ph.D. in Environmental Science atthe State University of New York College of EnvironmentalScience and Forestry and a law degree from SyracuseUniversity. A resident of New Cumberland, Tim lives with hiswife Kristin and twin boys, Erik and Kurt.

The Willistown Conservation Trustis dedicated to preserving the open land,

rural character, scenic, historic and ecologically significant resources of the

Willistown area and nearby communities,with particular emphasis on the Crum,Ridley and Darby Creek watersheds.

Jeanne B. Van AlenPresident and Executive Director

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Peter S. StrawbridgeChairman

Alice E. HausmannVice Chairman

Timothy B. Barnard, Esq.Vice President and Assistant Secretary

James L. Van Alen IITreasurer

Sigrid BerwindW. Anthony Hitschler

William T. HowardF. Arthur McMorris, Ph.D.

Jennifer C. MollerArthur E. Newbold IV, Esq.

Donna F. Oliver, Esq.Timothy D. Schaeffer, Ph.D.

Richard A. ShorrLanghorne B. SmithJeanne B. Van Alen

Tana Wall

STAFF

Elizabeth H. BlockDirector of Development and Public Relations

Dee Ann BowmanBusiness Manager

Sue R. CostelloGIS Coordinator

Melissa K. IngersollProgram Associate

Patricia L. LambertFundraising and Volunteer Coordinator

Christopher A. ThompsonDirector of Land Protection

John G. TurgeonAssociate Director of Land Protection

Willistown Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)3 of theI.R.S. Code. Donations are tax-deductible. A copyo f t h e o f f i c i a l r e g i s t r a t i on and f i n anc i a lin fo r mat ion may be ob ta ined f rom the PADepartment of State by calling toll free, withinPennsylvania, (800) 732-0999. Registration doesnot imply endorsement.

THE SYCAMORE is printed on recycled paper.

THE SYCAMORE

925 Providence Road · Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073(610) 353-2562 ~ Fax: (610) 325-0869 ~ www.wctrust.org

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LAND AND EASEMENT

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SycamoreSpring2006