WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

Historic Sugartown & Willistown Conservation Trust: Where Preservation Meets Conservation

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Historic Sugartown and Willistown Conservation Trust are teaming up to offer a program that explores the preservation of the 19th-century village of Sugartown and places it in the larger context of historic preservation and land conservation in Chester County. Heather Reiffer, Executive Director of Historic Sugartown will offer a glimpse into the motivations of Historic Sugartown’s co-founders and the decision-making in the restoration of the village corner. Erik Hetzel, Director of Land Protection and Public Grants, will share the history and legacy of Willistown Conservation Trust’s efforts to protect land in Willistown Township, and how these efforts dovetail the preservation goals of Historic Sugartown. Jim Garrison, President of the Chester County Historic Preservation Network, will introduce the program, placing it in context with the goals of the Chester County Planning Commission’s Comprehensive Plan, Landscapes3.

Our connection to place is critical to who we are. Our communities – through historic places and landscapes — provide us with a deep sense of rootedness and identity.  So whether we are preserving a historic building or protecting a landscape, we play a critical role in providing a sense of belonging for our community. When gazing at the “sad, crumbling mess” across Sugartown Road, Historic Sugartown co-founder John C. Nagy didn’t see forlorn buildings, but the remnants of the once vibrant heart of Willistown’s community.  He and Penelope P. Wilson co-founded Historic Sugartown because they felt deeply that historic places serve as a bridge from the past into modern times.

Stream Exploration: Discovering Ridley Creek

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Do you know what watershed you live in? Ridley Creek is a historically important waterway and continues to play a critical role in the environment. Learn more about the health of Ridley Creek and how we can all work together to keep it healthy! Join Lauren McGrath, the Director of the Watershed Protection Program at Willistown Conservation Trust for a program focused on the headwaters of Ridley Creek. Click here to find out how to be a good neighbor!

Nature at Night: Native Plants for Your Landscape

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What if you treated your backyard as a piece of the larger mosaic of a habitat and added native plants to your landscape? The Trust’s Preserve Manager, Mike Cranney, for an overview of native plants and why they’re important to birds and other wildlife.  Mike will be joined by Julie Snell and Lisa McDonald Hanes of Redbud Native Plant Nursery, located in Media, PA. Julie and Lisa will share their growing and sourcing practices, selecting the right plants for your space, and how to develop a thriving native plant landscape!

REDBUD NATIVE PLANT NURSERY

The mission of Redbud Native Plant Nursery is to be the primary source of sustainably raised native plants for retail buyers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Building on the base established over the past seventeen years, the nursery will continue to provide unique stock at a location where customers can see, touch and smell native plants in person and interact with knowledgeable staff. 

To learn more about Julie and Lisa’s nursery, please visit Redbud Native Plant Nursery’s website: www.redbudnative.com

Willistown Conservation Trust Welcomes 12 Student Interns This Season

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Internships are an integral part of Willistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) work. Each year hardworking students join our team and bring with them a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. They provide essential duties during our busy seasons working on the farm, banding birds, maintaining trails, planting trees, taking water samples, mapping, interacting with volunteers, teaching our young Rushton Nature Keepers, and more. Further, their innovative projects add to the growing body of knowledge the Trust works to compile about our protected spaces. It’s our hope that these interns leave the Trust with a greater understanding of land preservation and the stewardship practices that lead to healthy ecosystems for people, wildlife, and the land itself. These students represent the future of the conservation movement, and we are proud to play a role in educating and inspiring these future leaders!

STEWARDSHIP

Chase Foster, Drexel University
Chase (they/their) is currently working towards their B.S. in Environmental Science at Drexel University. They join us as part of the Drexel Co-Op program in the Stewardship Department. Chase has previous experience working as a Land Stewardship Assistant at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education as well as a Curatorial Assistant at the Academy of Natural Science. Of their experience at the Schuylkill Center, Chase says, “Those six months exposed me to new experiences I was not shown during field work; tending to plant nurseries and greenhouses, getting my hand’s dirty replotting seedlings, being able to walk daily on the beautiful trails that I helped maintain—this showed me there is more to environmental careers than those involving field research. My love for conservation stemmed from here and has evolved into seriously considering Landscape Architecture as a future career.”

This position is generously funded by the McIssac Family.
Niya Juanita Moss, Villanova University
Niya (she/her) is a junior at Villanova University working towards her B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She has a particular interest in disaster prevention and the impact of chemical disasters on the environment and people. In addition to her coursework, Niya participated in the Villanova Engineering, Science and Technology Enrichment and Development (VESTED) program which introduces these fields to students in under-resourced communities and schools and inspires those students who have the potential to expand our region’s and nation’s pool of future engineers. As a STEM student, Niya hopes to broaden her experience in the fields of research and conservation during her internship with the Trust.

This position is generously funded by the McIssac Family.

WATERSHED

Gloria Avila, Drexel University
Gloria (she/her) is a third year Environmental Science student at Drexel University. As a first generation Ecuadorian and the first person in her family to attend university, she is especially passionate about community outreach in the form of fostering an early love for science in children. Gloria hopes to one day have a career that can combine her love for field research and public engagement in a fulfilling way.
Catherine Quinn, Drexel University
Catherine (she/her) is in her pre-junior year at Drexel.  She is majoring in environmental science with a minor in global studies, and her academic and career interests mainly include aquatic ecosystems, climate change, and environmental and climate justice. She is also really into civic engagement, and volunteers with Drexel’s Climate & Sustainability Working Group! In her free time, she loves crocheting, reading, yoga, traveling (when there isn’t a pandemic), and doing anything where she can be outside. Catherine is splitting time between the Trust’s Watershed Protection Program and the Academy of Natural Science’s Nutrient Lab!
Zach Smith, Drexel University
Zack (he/him) is a 4th year junior at Drexel University studying Environmental Science. In the past, he has had experience working with Dr. Dane Ward in Cuba studying Melipona beecheii honeybees. In addition to this, he has previously co-oped with the Philadelphia Water Department and most recently the watershed team at Willistown Conservation Trust. He is excited to be returning to build on his experience from last year.  When not in class or working, you can find Zack going on long distance bike rides, brewing too much coffee & reading, or connecting with friends (while remaining socially distant of course!).
Anna Willig, Middlebury College
Anna (she/her) grew up outside of Phoenixville and spent much of her childhood exploring the fields and forests around her home. She pursued her interest in the environment at Middlebury College, where she graduated with a degree in Conservation Biology in 2020. Having worked as a summer intern for the Watershed Protection Program in 2018, Anna is excited to return to WCT and continue studying and protecting local lands and waters.

These positions are generously funded by the William Penn Foundation.

BIRD CONSERVATION & NORTHEAST MOTUS COLLABORATION

Zoe Korpi, St. Joseph’s University
Zoe (she/her) graduated from Penn State Berks in 2019 with a B.A. in Biology. She is currently working towards her M.S. in Secondary Education. She joins the bird team with experience as both a Substitute Teacher and a Resident Migratory Owl Bander at the Petit Manan Point banding station in Maine. She will be working in a variety of roles with the Trust blending her banding and educator experience including a Motus technician, bird bander, field technician for the bobolink project, and a Motus education assistant.

RUSHTON FARM

Noa Dijstelbloem, Strath Haven High School
Noa (she/her) is a senior at Strath Haven High School who after visiting Rushton Farm with her AP science program became a dedicated volunteer and will be an official intern for the 2021 season. She will be attending Cornell University as an agriculture major this fall.
Amanda Dunbar, University of Pennsylvania
Amanda (she/her) joins the trust with over 10 years of experience in various aspects of conservation work including research and public policy. She has a degree in wildlife conservation from the University of Delaware and a Master’s of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. It was while she was working towards her master’s in 2014 that she began volunteering at the Rushton bird banding station for migration, MAPS, and Project Owlnet. She is excited to join the Rushton Farm Staff as Agroecology Project Coordinator where part of her work will focus on the connections between organic agriculture and the birds visiting Rushton.
Heather Kostick, Drexel University
Heather (she/her) has a BS in Wildlife Conservation and a MES from the University of Pennsylvania in Ecology & Resource Management. Heather conducted bioblitzes from 2015-2017 at Rushton Woods, and hopes to have those return to Rushton when it’s safe to do so. She is currently a doctoral graduate student and teaching assistant at Drexel University, and works at the farm in her spare time. Heather’s interest in agriculture and farming started with Delaware County 4-H where she raised chickens, turkeys, and pigs. One of Heather’s turkeys even got a blue ribbon at the PA Farm Show one year. She also attended the PA Governor’s School Agricultural Sciences Program at Penn State in 2007 where she learned even more about agriculture, environmental science, and food science. Heather has been volunteering at the Trust since 2012 first starting at the bird banding station and has been volunteering at the Trust in some capacity since then. Heather loves being at Rushton Farm and looks forward to working the land with the Rushton Farm staff this year.
Madison Lin, Strath Haven High School
Madison (she/her) is a senior at Strath Haven High School who is working with Rushton Farm as part of our educational programming with the AP environmental science class at Strath Haven. Madison will continue her education this summer as a full time intern. She will be attending Colby College as an environmental science major this fall.
Abby Oswald, Great Valley High School
Abby (she/her) is a senior at Great Valley High School and will be graduating in June 2021. In 2020, Abby became the youngest full-time intern at Rushton Farm in its 13-year history. Abby joins Rushton Farm this season as a seasoned intern with a passion for agriculture. Abby plans to pursue a career in agriculture and will be attending college to study agroecology.

Sharpen Your Knife Skills for Spring Cooking!

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We are thrilled to welcome chef Donna Laveran back to the Rushton Conservation Center and resume our sustainable cooking series! Come sharpen your knife skills at this virtual program while we wait for the spring thaw. Donna will introduce you to the fundamentals of preparing fruits and vegetables using chopping, dicing, slicing, and julienne techniques. You will prepare a meal including soup and salad to enjoy by the end of the class. A full shopping list, kitchen tools list, and recipes were provided.

OUR NATURE PRESERVES

Our nature preserves are open to the public 365 days per year, providing natural places that offer peace and respite for all.   We do love dogs, however... Because it is an important bird area (IBA) for nesting grassland birds who are very sensitive to the presence of dogs, they are not allowed at Kirkwood … Learn more about our nature preserves.

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What Will You Discover? We invite you to discover first hand some of the compelling new projects the Trust has been working on: Dive into our local streams and see what lives there. Inspire yourself by learning something new through one of our educational programs. Seek out adventure at one of our three nature … Donate Today

OUR STORY

Willistown Conservation Trust's mission is to: "preserve and manage the open land, rural character, … read more

WHERE WE WORK

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