News, ideas, questions, and observations from Willistown Conservation Trust Staff as we use local conservation to make a broad impact.
Research at Rushton Reveals Microplastics Presence
We are excited to share that one of our local collaborators, Victoria Moreira, just earned her master’s degree in biology at West Chester...
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Early Signs of Spring: The Vital Role of the Red Maple
While many native grasses and wildflowers are still a few weeks away from their vibrant late-spring displays, several native trees...
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Small Stakes Can Make a Big Difference
By Nicole DeLizzio Spring is almost here, and with it will come bursts of green everywhere! While we are all...
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YOUNG VOICES | Where Ideas Take Flight
Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) is committed to inspiring the next generation of conservationists through its immersive, experiential education initiatives. Throughout...
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From Data to Discovery: How Volunteers Are Safeguarding Our Watersheds
By Lauren McGrath, Director of Watershed Protection Program, Anna Walsh, Conservation Data andGIS Specialist and Sarah Barker, Watershed Program Technician...
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Kestrel Hill Preserve In Bloom: From Fallow Fields to Flourishing Meadows
By Mike Cranney, Director of Stewardship In 2024, WCT set out to restore roughly 25 acres of fallow farm fields...
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Connected by the Hive
By Noah Gress, Director of Community Farm Program People often ask at Rushton Farm, “How are the bees?” reflecting their...
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State of Our Streams Report: New Edition!
By Lauren McGrath Director of Watershed Protection Program, Anna Walsh, Conservation Data andGIS Specialist and Sarah Barker, Watershed Program Technician...
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Surveying Kestrel Hill: A Summer of Wildlife and Restoration
By: Ian Salisbury, Stewardship InternThis past summer, I had the privilege of being the Stewardship Intern here at Willistown Conservation...
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Crayfish, Tributaries & Microplastics: A Reflection on my Internship with Polygone Systems and Willistown Conservation Trust
By: DeJenae Smith Living in a densely populated city, the sight of a stray chip bag near a drain or...
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Home Is a Hanging Gourd: Purple Martins and the Spaces They Call Home
Article by: Aaron Coolman, Will Krohn, and Blake Goll | Video by: Julia Griffin https://videopress.com/v/cQbjw5YT?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Video by: Julia Griffin, Communications...
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Welcome Summer Interns!
Farm Hands Kayley graduated from Widener University with a degree in accounting. However, after spending three years working full-time on...
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Kudos to our kestrels: Saving Open Space for One of Nature’s Most Remarkable Raptors
Aaron Coolman holding a kestrel chick that is soon to be banded. Tucked within the sweeping grasslands of our region’s...
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A Love Letter to the American River Otter
By: Lauren McGrath American river otters (Lontra canadensis) are a highly sensitive and beautiful stream resident. Known for their charismatic...
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Testing the Waters (Literally!) of a Water Chemistry Career
By: Lauren Carroll Hello and happy Creek Week! My name is Lauren Carroll, and I am a senior at Conestoga...
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Reading the Riparian Zones: What Trees Reveal About Watersheds
By: DeJenae Smith If you want insight on the health of a body of water, having a laboratory or expensive...
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Secrets of a Photosynthetic Powerhouse: Diatoms in Detail
As a continuation of our previous blog post all about the wonderful world of microalgae, this piece will provide a...
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Mighty Microbes: Microalgae and Their Many Gifts
By: Sarah Barker You may have heard about algae – most likely in the context of its classification as an...
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Still Waters Run Deep – With Plastic: The Pervasive Particles in our Watersheds
By: DeJenae Smith Two months ago, if you asked me to define microplastics, I likely would have said “small pieces...
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Welcome to Creek Week 2025!
By: Lauren McGrath WCT’s Creek Week is a week-long celebration of the amazing water resources in our region and the...
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