WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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  • Rushton Conservation Center

Willistown Conservation Trust Welcomes 12 Student Interns This Season

April 2, 2021 By Communications Team

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 McIsaac 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 McIsaac 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!
Zack 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.

Filed Under: Education, Interns, Co-Ops

Sharpen Your Knife Skills for Spring Cooking!

March 22, 2021 By Communications Team

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.

Filed Under: Culinary Event

Nature at Night: Ornithology 101 (Part 1&2)

March 19, 2021 By Communications Team

Join Blake Goll, Education Programs Manager, for a virtual two-part session that introduces the study of birds. We will begin with some basics of ornithology like where birds came from and what makes a bird a bird.  Then we will delve into exciting topics like bird song and nesting as well as migration. 

From their beauty and song that inspires and uplifts us to their incredible migratory feats and daily dramas that leave us awestruck, birds are the perfect gateway to conservation.  They have the power to awaken us to the natural world; what we do for them, we do for the planet and ourselves.

We will wrap the course up with a discussion of the state of birds today and the importance of bird conservation. We will delve into the latest technologies for studying birds as well as other tools like bird banding.

Leave the course with a better understanding of your avian neighbors and the resources to keep learning more and doing everything you can to help birds!

Nature at Night: Ornithology 101 (Part 1)

Nature at Night: Ornithology 101 (Part 2)

Filed Under: Bird Banding, Bird Conservation, Bird Events, Nature at Night

A New Path Forward – Our Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

December 4, 2020 By Communications Team

Dear Friends,

It has been nearly six months since I wrote to you about the tragic death of George Floyd and the systemic racism that persists in our country. At that time, I pledged that the Willistown Conservation Trust would take intentional steps to examine what we, as an organization, can do better to help heal the wounds of injustice and to make the Trust, and the land trust movement as a whole, more relevant to all people regardless of background. We recognized that, to make a meaningful difference, we must strive to make our organizational structure, our natural resources and all of our programs more welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all people.

I am pleased to share that over the past several months we have made significant progress toward addressing these complicated issues. Early on we formed a working group, the Committee For Equity and Inclusion (CEI), consisting of several dedicated Trustees and staff members and co-chaired by Trustees Alice Hausmann and Alex Zozaya. This committee was charged with creating a path forward for the Trust to become an organization that reflects diversity and inclusion at every level, from internships and volunteers, to staff, to our board of Trustees. After a thoughtful examination of internal perspectives, and with input from a number of outside individuals, the Committee has taken an important first step in creating the path forward by developing a Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which I am excited to share with you. It reads as follows:

WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

The Mission of the Willistown Conservation Trust is “To preserve and manage the open land, rural character, scenic, recreational, historic, agricultural and natural resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities, and to share these unique resources with people of all ages and backgrounds to inspire, educate and develop a lifelong commitment to the land and the natural world.”

Historically, the voices and experiences of certain groups, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, have been and continue to be underrepresented in the land conservation movement. Willistown Conservation Trust believes that nature and open space are for everyone and embraces all forms of identity including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and class, religious or spiritual belief, age, and ability. As conservationists, we celebrate the vast diversity of life on our planet, and work each day to preserve and protect these natural resources for future generations. Guided by this ethos, we commit to including a broader and more diverse group of people in our work.

To fully realize our mission, we as an organization, must make a concerted effort to weave DEI into the fabric of our organization at all levels. In pursuit of that end, Willistown Conservation Trust commits to:

  • An ongoing effort to reflect on and actualize our commitment to diversity throughout all levels of our organization. 
  • Examining our organization’s culture and business practices to ensure equity in our operations. 
  • Actively seek opportunities to learn about biases and injustices in the conservation field, and how we as an organization can better promote inclusivity across our programming.

As we commit to this work, we recognize that the process will be dynamic and ongoing. Working alongside other groups endeavoring to diversify conservation efforts in Chester County and beyond, we strive to recognize, amplify, and engage the voices and experiences of underrepresented groups for the benefit of not just our communities, but of the natural world. 

This guiding statement on DEI was formed with the consensus of every Trustees and staff member, each of whom has committed to support the actions needed to ensure that the Trust becomes an agent for the kind of change that will help the healing process and assure a better future for all. Change that will serve to make not only our organization, but the land trust movement as a whole, stronger and more meaningful as we bring more people together with a shared passion for the land and our precious natural resources.

As we continue this important work, I invite your insights, comments, and questions. The Committee for Equity and Inclusion continues to meet monthly, working to establish concrete goals inspired by the Trust’s statement on DEI, including board and staff retreats, participation on the WeConservePA DEIJ Council, continued participation in the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed’s DEIJ Workgroup, and an exciting new internship opportunity for minority students which will launch in the New Year.

Meanwhile, enjoy the upcoming Holidays! Be safe, be healthy, and may your New Year be EVERGREEN!

Warmly,
Bonnie Van Alen, Executive Director

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Flappy Hour: Secrets of the Saw-whet Owl

November 13, 2020 By Communications Team

The Trust has been studying the populations of this small migratory owl for the past 10 years as part of Project Owlnet, a continent-wide effort to study the movements of saw-whet owls. Education Programs Manager, Blake Goll, will explore what we’ve learned over the years through our owl banding program, teach about the life history of this secretive species, and discuss its conservation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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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.

Upcoming Events

31 May
Rushton Farm

“Just Show Up” Volunteer Wednesday at Rushton Farm

911 Delchester Rd, Newtown Square, PA

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01 June

Stewardship Volunteer Thursday

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03 June

Barns & BBQ Presented by Pinemar and Warren Claytor Architects

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