$3.2 Million
$2.4 Million
$3.0 Million
$1.9 Million
---------------
$10.5 Million
Increase the Pace of Land Protection
Conserve the 86-acre Rushton Woods Preserve
Support and Enhance Vital Trust Programs
Build the Rushton Conservation Center
Campaign Total
The Willistown Countryside Forever campaign will enable us to:
Increase the Pace of Land Protection
a.) Ensure necessary staff resources to:
- Continue our work with key landowners to develop and implement conservation plans
- Develop new Community Conservation Partnerships* to proactively acquire and protect critical properties
- Promote additional land conservation by providing landowners with up-to-date tax and financial information on conservation easements
- Assist landowners with land stewardship practices and carry out our conservation easement monitoring obligations
- Add new trail easements and manage the network of existing trails throughout the countryside
b.) Build the Trust’s Preserve Endowment and Easement Funds
- Increase endowment funds in order to ensure the protection and maintenance of Ashbridge, Kirkwood, and Rushton Woods Preserves for the benefit of people and wildlife in perpetuity and to help protect all the Trust’s conservation easements
Conserve the 86-Acre Rushton Woods Preserve
a.) Acquire an important 51-acre addition to Rushton Woods Preserve
- Protect a spectacular property in the heart of the Willistown countryside
- Create a permanent site for our Community Farm, Bird Conservation, and Habitat Restoration Programs
b.) Acquire the 5.1 acre White Farmhouse parcel adjacent to Rushton Woods Preserve and
- Restore the White Farmhouse to provide housing for farm staff and interns
- Protect additional critical woodlands
- Allow for improved access to the Preserve’s 2-mile trail network
- Provide a location for the new Rushton Conservation Center
Support and Enhance Vital Trust Programs
a.) Provide Support for the Community Farm Program
- Implement, research, and share best practices in the emerging field of agro-ecology
- Increase the quantity of local, organic food production and donations to those in need
b.) Enhance the Bird Conservation and Habitat Restoration Programs
- Offer increased field study and research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
- Increase contributions to scientific research through partnerships
- Expand habitat research and outreach through Habitat Restoration Projects
c.) Create an Internship Fund
- Support the Rushton Farmer Training Program
- Provide educational opportunities and job training to students interested in environmental careers
d.) Establish an Educational Outreach Fund
- Provide transportation costs to enable disadvantaged youth to participate in Trust programs and activities
- Support curricular enhancement through hands-on educational opportunities for diverse populations of students
Build The Rushton Conservation Center
- Educational space to convene students, researchers, and key audiences from throughout the community and to enable increased collaboration with other organizations
- Large meeting room for Bird Conservation, Community Farm, and Habitat Restoration programs
- A small library and research room for staff, graduate students, interns and other partners conducting research at Rushton Farm and Rushton Woods Preserve.
- Teaching kitchen for farm-to-table cooking demonstrations, education, and events.Click to read more about the Rushton Conservation Center.