Our nature preserves are open to the public 365 days per year from sunrise to sunset, providing natural places that offer peace and respite for all. Willistown Conservation Trust owns and manages Hartman Meadow, Ashbridge, Kirkwood, Kestrel Hill and Rushton Woods Preserves. We maintain these lands to preserve and enhance … Learn more about our nature preserves.
Stream Walk at Ashbridge Preserve with CRC and WCT
Save the date! Registration coming soon.
Join Chester Ridley Crum (CRC) Watersheds Association and Lauren McGrath, Director of the Watershed Protection Program, and the rest of the Watershed Team at Ashbridge Preserve to learn about the value of headwater streams in our region. Walk through the Preserve with WCT’s Watershed Team and explore the restoration efforts that are underway along Ridley Creek. Enjoy a stroll through the tree planting at the old Ashbridge Lake while Lauren and her team share the lessons learned about the impact of land protection and restoration on water quality through a variety of research projects, including data from EnviroDIY sensor stations, monthly water chemistry sampling efforts and the diverse independent projects conducted by current and past team members. Explore the many benefits of trees on our waterways and learn how we can work together to improve the health of our local waterways!
Rain Date: August 26
About Lauren McGrath
Having worked as the Director of Watershed Protection Program at the Trust since 2017, Lauren is responsible for creating and building the Watershed Department into what it is today! With the help of her Co-ops and Conservation Associates, she oversees important research in the 190+ miles of streams in our focus area, including the headwaters of Ridley, Crum, and Darby Creeks, to understand how to protect freshwater resources and ensure clean, safe water for all. She has a Bachelor of Science from Ursinus College where she focused her independent research project on the impact fracking has on macroinvertebrate populations, and a Masters of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied the aquatic macroinvertebrates with Stroud Water Research Center. Out of the water, Lauren enjoys cycling and hiking, as well as quilting, knitting, and crocheting.
About CRC
Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the protection of water resources and the natural environment of the Chester, Ridley, and Crum Creek Valleys, and the health, recreational, and quality of life benefits they afford the residents of this region.
Our stewardship area encompasses 132 square miles and 40 municipalities, from the South Valley Hills to the Delaware River.