WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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Lose the Lawn

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Earlier this year, the Trust received the exciting news that we had received a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for their Lawn Conversion Program. This exciting funding opportunity allows the Trust to subsidize the cost of converting mowed lawns into meadows in our program area comprising Darby, Ridley, and Crum Creek watersheds in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. Our goal is to convert 50 acres of lawn to meadow over the next three years. We are working with local government, homeowners associations, schools, churches, and private homeowners to achieve this ambitious goal.

Typical costs to convert one acre of lawn to a meadow can run $4-5,000. The grant will cover the majority of this cost for the landowner. The landowner will then be responsible for the follow up annual maintenance, which includes mowing once in the early spring and removing any invasive plant species that might pop up. The Trust will be a partner in the long run providing monitoring for the health and success of the conversion project. Funds will be available for reseeding installations as needed.

The benefits of losing the lawn and adopting a meadow strategy are innumerable. Benefits include reducing air and noise pollution from gas mowers, improving storm water infiltration of the property (mowed lawn is as about as permeable as pavement!), increased habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, cost savings from using less gasoline, water, and chemical fertilizers, and of course, knowing that you are contributing to combatting the effects of climate change.

RESOURCES | Article & Video

An Intro to Easement Monitoring

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By Stewardship Director Andrew Kirkpatrick

Every fall, the Stewardship Team heads out to monitor all of our conservation easements. In the greater Willistown area, we hold 96 easements covering 120 parcels owned by individual landowners. It is an opportunity for us to build relationships with our conservation partners, check in with everyone, and make sure that the terms of the easement are being followed. In recent years, with more properties being purchased by 2nd– and 3rd-generation easement owners, it provides us an opportunity to educate these new landowners about the importance of conservation easements and what it means to “run with the land.”

“WCT’s Stewardship staff helped us gain a complete understanding of the Conservation Easement on our property. They worked with us to make certain that improvements [we were planning] to our property were in compliance with easement while maintaining an environment healthy and beneficial to the land and the wildlife that enjoys it.”

Holly Spinner, owner of Roskamp Farm

The conservation easement is a legally binding agreement between a landowner who is the grantor, and Willistown Conservation Trust who is the grantee. The grantor gives up certain development rights on their property by limiting the number of house sites, the house size, the amount of impervious surfaces, and adding protections to critical habitats like streams, wetlands, and forests. In some cases, landowners also add in trail easements to ensure that trails that have been used by equestrians in our community are protected in perpetuity.

Early communication is the key for our landowners to comply with the easement. WCT is a partner in protecting the conservation values of the property. We work hard to help our landowners achieve their vision for their property while not compromising the values established by the agreement. Sometimes issues arise that require further attention to resolve. In most cases, we are able to work with the landowner to ameliorate the situation. However, if the matter is more serious, we consider it a violation and require the landowner to remediate the problem in a timely fashion.

Lucky for us, those instances are rare. Monitoring is one of our favorite times of year because we get to see the properties that have been protected and meet with landowners to answer questions and offer guidance. In the last year, we have formalized this approach with our Habitat at Home program where we visit any member of the community looking for advice to increase the quality of habitat on their property for birds, pollinators, or other wildlife. We work with our Watershed Protection program to coordinate with landowners who are interested in stream health and riparian buffers. Our Bird Conservation program offers expert advice on creating habitat that supports our feathered friends, and they also install bluebird and kestrel boxes. WCT offers these services to support our community in being better stewards of the land that generations have worked so hard to protect.

Rushton Woods Preserve Improvements: A Bioretention Basin, New Trails, and More to Come

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By Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Stewardship

If you’ve recently been out to Rushton Woods Preserve, you likely noticed some new plantings, closed trails due to maintenance, and extra noise from various machinery. For the last year, we’ve been busy at work at Rushton, and we’re pleased to report on the many projects that will help make Rushton Woods Preserve an even better experience for all!

This year, WCT received a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener program that — combined with funding from PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s C2P2 program — will pay for the design and construction of a half-acre bioretention basin with a perimeter ADA path in the field below the Rushton Conservation Center.

A bioretention basin is a green stormwater infrastructure improvement that slows down runoff and contains it behind berms filled with native plants. The stormwater collects and infiltrates slowly into the ground rather than flowing across the surface, which reduces erosion and downstream sedimentation.

The new basin, which will be constructed next year, will also provide more habitat for pollinators and birds. Filled with a variety of native plant species that tolerate periods of wetness, the basin will demonstrate to the public the benefits of combining habitat improvements with stormwater management strategies.

This spring we will construct an ADA path to connect the Rushton Conservation Center to the farm shed. This new path will provide a safe and durable surface for users of all abilities to enjoy the views of the farm and preserve. As part of the project, we will also be restoring a section of the hedgerow with native shrubs that support birds with high quality food and nesting. The project is funded by grants from Chester County and PA DCNR.

At the end of last year, we finished a trail project through the main corridor in Rushton Woods that improved the surface and stability of the trail for pedestrians and equestrians. Green Roots Inc. worked throughout an unusually wet fall and winter to lay fabric and stone aggregate to create the new tread surface. They also installed pipes underneath the trail to improve overall drainage throughout the corridor.

This was the first phase of an overall plan to improve trails at the Preserve for visitor enjoyment, safety, and accessibility. Most of the trails at Rushton were never properly designed or sited, but are the remnants of a legacy of equestrian use and fox hunting. Where the fox went, the horses followed, and thus, a trail was born. Now with the help of grant funding, we are improving our trails to deal with the increasingly intense storms resulting from climate change. Taking action now will ensure their long-term viability and accessibility for years to come.

We identified all of these projects during our Master Planning process that looked at the ecological and cultural resources at the Preserve. We then developed plans to improve these resources and amenities while increasing their sustainability and resilience for future generations.

For now, we hope you’ll spend some time exploring these new trails at Rushton Woods Preserve! See you in the woods.

Request for Proposal | Rushton Woods Preserve

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Cover Photo by Jennifer Mathes

Project

Willistown Conservation Trust is seeking proposals for the design, permitting, and construction of a bioretention basin with level spreader and a vegetated swale and ADA path at Rushton Woods Preserve.

The basin and swale will be used to reduce the peak flow of stormwater runoff and prevent further erosion adjacent to Okehocking Run, a tributary of Ridley Creek.

Scope of Work

Budget | The anticipated budget for this project is approximately $254,000-274,000

Background | Willistown Conservation Trust is a 501 c3 non-profit land trust located in Willistown Township, Chester County PA. The trust operates four nature preserves open to the public year round. Our program areas include community farm, bird conservation, watershed protection, and habitat protection. As part of our Rushton Woods Master Plan, we are continuing to develop and enhance the resources of the preserve through a combination of habitat restoration, stormwater management, and accessibility.

Proposal Criteria | The following information should be included in the proposal:

  • Company background and qualifications
  • Experience with similar projects
  • Project approach and timeline
  • Detailed cost estimate, including design, permitting, and construction costs
  • Description of the proposed materials and equipment to be used
  • References for similar projects
  • Any additional information relevant to the proposal
  • Only PA Native Plant Species are to be used in this project.

Required Experience

  • Focus of professional practice should be ecologically sound design principles.
  • Ability to demonstrate past experience in the successful design, permitting, and construction of at least three similar green infrastructure stormwater BMPs.
  • Minimum five to ten years’ experience in the environmental planning, landscape architecture,
    stormwater design, and engineering fields.
  • Past experience and demonstrated expertise in working through PA DCNR grant administration
    procedures.
  • The ability to demonstrate expert knowledge and use of local PA native plant species.
  • Professional Engineer and Landscape Architect on staff to seal documents.

Selection Criteria and Timelines

  • This is a competitive lowest price bid. All bids must be received by 5:00 pm February 3, 2023 to be considered. Award of contract will be announced the following week.
  • Design and permitting is expected to be completed by January 2024 and construction to begin in May 2024.
  • Prevailing Wage Rate applies to this project.
  • Nondiscrimination/Sexual Harassment Clause

Concerns, Questions, and Roadblocks
This a grant funded project with funding from PA DCNR and PA DEP. Contractors should be well versed in following grant administration guidelines for project execution.

Willistown Conservation Trust reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any irregularities in the proposal process.

Download the full Proposal Requirements Here.

Email Stewardship Director Andrew Kirkpatrick (ajk@wctrust.org) with your bid or any questions Here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Eagle Scout Will Hetzel Leads Troop 106 in Building Bog Bridges at Ashbridge Preserve

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By Director of Stewardship Andrew Kirkpatrick

Photos by Director of Land Protection Erik Hetzel

It has been over five years since I began working in the nonprofit sector, and during that time I have learned a universal truth about our work; volunteers are the backbone of our operations. People who choose to give their time to support our mission are critical to our success. Across all of our program areas, we could not achieve our mission without our volunteers.

Boy Scout Troop 106 with Andrew Kirkpatrick and Erik Hetzel

When it comes to our Habitat Restoration Program, managing and maintaining our nature preserves in Willistown — Rushton, Kirkwood, and Ashbridge — would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. Keeping trails clear and invasive species in check is a full-time operation. Our preserve manager Mike Cranney has his hands full, but with the help of our incredible volunteers, he can accomplish a lot. Local Eagle Scout, Will Hetzel (son of our Director of Land Protection, Erik Hetzel) recently demonstrated this in August when he organized scouts from Troop 106 to install eight new bog bridges at Ashbridge Preserve.

We use bog bridges at our preserves to allow visitors to traverse wet and mucky areas without causing damage to the trail. The bog bridges, also called puncheons, are constructed with wood planks on top of footers and covered with chicken wire to reduce slippery conditions when it rains. The bog bridges are anchored to the ground using rebar stakes. For his project, Will raised over $1,000 in donations and goods to build the new bog bridges for the path adjacent to Ridley Creek.

On a hot and sunny Wednesday afternoon, Will gathered his team of scouts to build the bridges on site and install them along the trail. Will and the scouts were well organized, efficient, and professional. I felt inspired watching these fine young men work together in the preserve, getting their hands dirty and creating an amenity that will benefit the community. The scouts did a great job and completed the project from start to finish in three hours. Thanks to them, this trail, which is often wet and muddy, will now be more easily accessible to our visitors.

Having been a scout myself, I can say what an accomplishment it is for Will to reach the rank of Eagle Scout and complete his service project. Not many scouts stick it out and commit to this level of accomplishment. It is a reflection of Will’s perseverance, fortitude, and determination that will serve him well throughout his academic and future professional career. I think we can all draw inspiration from the example set by Will and the scouts from Troop 106. Taking the time to give back by volunteering is both personally fulfilling and incredibly impactful for organizations like ours.

If you are interested in joining our group of dedicated volunteers, you are welcome to join us at our Stewardship Volunteer Thursdays, held at our various Preserves from 9am to 4pm every Thursday through November. You can come for the whole session or as long as you’re able! Send an email to Preserve Manager Mike Cranney (mjc@wctrust.org) to sign up. If you’d like to complete a larger project, similar to Will’s bog bridges, please get in touch with Stewardship Director Andrew Kirkpatrick (ajk@wctrust.org).


By Andrew J. Kirkpatrick | he/him | Director of Stewardship | As part of the Trust’s Habitat Restoration Program, Andrew oversees the stewardship of our private conservation easement properties and our nature preserves, in addition to coordinating our Stewardship volunteers days.

OUR NATURE PRESERVES

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 three nature preserves in the Willistown area: Ashbridge, Kirkwood and Rushton Woods Preserve. We maintain these lands for the … Learn more about our nature preserves.

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WHERE WE WORK

The work of the Willistown Conservation Trust is concentrated on 28,000 acres of Willistown Township … read more