News, ideas, questions, and observations from Willistown Conservation Trust Staff as we use local conservation to make a broad impact.
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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Willistown Conservation Trust Accreditation Renewal Public Notice
The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and...
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Rushton Woods Banding Station – 2024 Year in Review
The Fruits of Our Labors By: Bird Program Staff It’s hard to believe that fifteen years have passed since we...
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Beavers return to Ashbridge Preserve
By: Watershed Program Staff The first telltale signs of beaver (Castor canadensis) activity at Ashbridge Preserve, found in late October,...
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Transforming a Community
How WCT is working with a local Homeowners Association to create habitat, improve water quality, and transform open space for...
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Rushton Farm: A Recipe for Change
By: Molly Clark As the Rushton Farm staff prepares for the farm’s 18th season, it is an opportune time to...
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Beauty in the Brambles: A Primer for Seeing Your Wild Shrub Habitat in a New Light
By Blake Goll and Michelle Eshleman As we thaw out after this chilly winter, you are probably itching to get...
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WCT Receives “Protect Your Drinking Water” Grant
By: Kate Etherington & Lauren McGrath Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) is thrilled to announce that our Watershed Protection Program has...
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Freeze-thaw Erosion
By: Sarah Barker Rivers and streams are very dynamic, changing physically and chemically with every passing minute. Erosion, the process...
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Two Roads Diverged
How a mother of three switched from her career in finance to founding a popular compost pickup service. By: Gwenn...
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Northern Saw-whet Owl 2024 Field Research
By: Aaron Coolman Photos courtesy of Brock and Sherri Fenton I have spent much time over the last twelve months...
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Choose Native Plants: Our New Responsibility Made Easy by a Local Techie
By Blake Goll, Education Programs Manager at Willistown Conservation Trust Hummingbird clearwing moth on wild bergamot. Photo by Aaron Coolman...
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Busy Beavers Revive Thirsty Landscapes
How the American Beaver Mitigates Drought Impact By: Sarah Barker As we near the end of what is shaping up...
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The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Awards $1 Million Grant to Protect Open Space
Willistown Conservation Trust to Establish Kestrel Hill Preserve By: Kate Etherington, President and Executive Director Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) is...
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