WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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Welcome to the Willistown Conservation Trust Blog

News, ideas, questions, and observations from Willistown Conservation Trust Staff as we use local conservation to make a broad impact.

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The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Awards $1 Million Grant to Protect Open Space

Kate Etherington / November 20, 2024
Willistown Conservation Trust to Establish Kestrel Hill Preserve By: Kate Etherington, President and Executive Director Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) is...
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Hot, Dry and Salty: The Impact of Droughts on Freshwater Systems

Watershed Protection Team / November 15, 2024
By: Lauren McGrath, Director of Watershed Protection Program For the Watershed Program, it has felt like the September that never...
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Willistown Conservation Trust Teams Up With Inveraray HOA to Plant 400 Trees and Shrubs!

Watershed Protection Team / November 11, 2024
By: Lauren McGrath, Director of Watershed Protection Program From October 17 through October 20, 400 trees were planted in the...
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The Story Behind Ohana Farm

Lindsey McQuiston / November 6, 2024
By: Eliza Gowen, Community Farm Outreach Coordinator Those of you who’ve attended certain WCT events this Fall may have noticed...
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Building a Native Plant Nursery

Stewardship Team / November 4, 2024
By: John Holback, Stewardship Manager One of our recent initiatives at Willistown Conservation Trust was the establishment of a small...
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Restoring the Land

Communications Team / November 3, 2024
By John Holback, Stewardship Manager In early 2024, Willistown Conservation Trust purchased a 90-acre parcel of land between Plumsock Road...
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Mussel Memory: Discoveries of the Darby and Cobbs Creek Community Science Program

Lauren McGrath / November 3, 2024
By Lauren McGrath, Director of the Watershed Protection Program, and Susan Lea, Darby and Cobbs Creek Community Science Volunteer In...
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Saving Birds through Coffee

Blake Goll / November 3, 2024
WCT’s Growing Bird Friendly® Coffee Coalition Bird populations in the U.S. and Canada have declined by 29% — almost 3...
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Gardening for Cleaner Water

Communications Team / November 3, 2024
Chanticleer Joins the Darby and Cobbs Creek Community Science Program The Darby and Cobbs Creek Community Science Program (DCCCS) is...
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Saving Open Space

Communications Team / November 3, 2024
Another successful initiative takes rootat Kestrel Hill Preserve What can be done to protect beautiful but rapidly disappearing wilderness, vulnerable...
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Impactful Giving

Communications Team / November 3, 2024
By David L. Unruh, Board of Trustees Most donors to Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) are likely familiar with the common...
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A Small Fish Navigating a Big Sea: My Experience at a Global Conference

Anna Willig / October 2, 2024
By: Anna Willig, Conservation Data and GIS Specialist In August, I had the privilege of attending the Annual Meeting of...
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Tracking Northern Saw-whet Owls Across North America

Aaron Coolman / September 1, 2024
By: Aaron Coolman, Motus Technical Coordinator and Avian Ecologist Aaron with a tagged Northern Saw-whet Owl in Nova Scotia This...
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Education Nature Education Rushton Nature Keepers

The Making of a Lifelong Nature Keeper

Blake Goll / August 30, 2024
One of our primary goals in connecting youth to nature is to transform their mindset to viewing themselves as part...
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Bird Conservation Nature Education Rushton Nature Keepers

How Willistown Conservation Trust Helped a Young Birder Like Me

Blake Goll / August 15, 2024
So I do my everyday ritual. I go and get the mealworms from the refrigerator and I blow my whistle...
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Protecting our Feathered Friends: The Importance of Chimney Swift Nest Boxes

Bird Conservation Team / August 1, 2024
Chimney Swifts (Chaetura pelagica) are fascinating small birds with a cigar-shaped body and long narrow wings, known for their distinctive...
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Meet WCT’s 2024 Seasonal Interns

Communications Team / July 3, 2024
Andrew Wraith (He/Him) | Conservation AssociateAndrew is a current graduate student in Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, but...
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Willistown Conservation Trust Receives Second Grant from Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Bird Conservation Team / July 1, 2024
On May 15, 2024 the Cornell Lab of Ornithology awarded Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) $25,000 through the Land Trust Bird...
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Creek Week 2024: Case Study of Little Crum Creek Park

Watershed Protection Team / June 29, 2024
By: CJ Chen, Spring 2024 Watershed Team High School Intern From going out to nature preserves and injecting trees with...
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Creek Week 2024: Invasive Carp Species in the United States

Watershed Protection Team / June 28, 2024
Calvin Keeys For hundreds of years, people have been moving to the United States and bringing parts of their culture...
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Bird Banding Bird Events

Spring Migration Banding Is Done, Summer MAPS has Begun!

Communications Team / June 15, 2012
Prairie Warbler. Photo by Shawn Collins, an avid PA birder and photographer! Check out his flickr site for his impressive...
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Bird Banding

Last Day of Spring Migration Banding Tomorrow

Communications Team / May 23, 2012
Come visit the Rushton banding station and see the birds tomorrow morning if you haven't already!  We will be banding...
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Bird Banding Bird Events

Past Two Weeks at Rushton Have Been Booming with Birds!

Communications Team / May 18, 2012
Yellow Warbler (First ever for Rushton banding station). Photo by Brie Brigham So much to report, and so little time!...
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Bird Banding

Warblers, Thrushes, and Orioles, Oh My!

Communications Team / May 4, 2012 / 1 Reply
  Black and White Warbler. Photo by Brianna Brigham We were rained out of the banding station every day this...
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Bird Banding Bird Events

The Tide of Tweeters is Coming In

Communications Team / April 27, 2012
The vernal clock is ticking, the fervent winds from the South are rising, and I can almost hear the steady...
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Bird Events

Spring has Sprung…And So Have Our Mist Nets

Communications Team / April 3, 2012
That lovely green mist of ephemeral spring beauty has officially invigorated the land and awakened Mother Nature from her brief...
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Bird Events

Attracting Bluebirds to Your Backyard – Spots Left For Wednesday's Program!

wctbirds / March 12, 2012
Spring is in the air and bluebirds are checking out the real estate! The Trust is starting a nest box...
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Bird Events

Attracting Bluebirds to Your Backyard – Spots Left For Wednesday’s Program!

Communications Team / March 12, 2012 / 2 Replies
Spring is in the air and bluebirds are checking out the real estate! The Trust is starting a nest box...
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Bird Events

Reminder to PA Young Birders- Change of dates

Communications Team / February 17, 2012
Greetings Jr. Birders!  I just wanted to remind you that since this is a holiday weekend and many little birders...
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Bird Events

Valentine's Day Fun: What Men Can Learn from Avian Romance

wctbirds / February 15, 2012
Male Hooded Merganser displaying (by http://www.flickr.com/photos/newfoundlander61/) The natural world is filled with romance, beauty and enchantment, and every day seems to...
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Bird Events

Valentine’s Day Fun: What Men Can Learn from Avian Romance

Communications Team / February 15, 2012 / 1 Reply
Male Hooded Merganser displaying (by http://www.flickr.com/photos/newfoundlander61/) The natural world is filled with romance, beauty and enchantment, and every day seems to...
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Bird Events

Yellow Diamonds in Snow

Communications Team / February 3, 2012 / 5 Replies
We arrived in Cumberland County last Saturday just after 2 pm.  The sky was overcast but the sun still managed...
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Bird Events

Willistown Winter Family Bird Walk Tomorrow Morning

Communications Team / January 27, 2012 / 2 Replies
Please join us tomorrow morning (January 28) from 8- 11am at Rushton Woods Preserve for some wonderful winter birding!  ...
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Owls

Another Chance to See a Snowy Owl!

Communications Team / January 13, 2012 / 1 Reply
Hi Folks! Just a quick, timely update on the status of the Snowy Owls  I spoke of in previous posts......
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Bird Banding Owls

A Little Inspiration and Hope for the New Year

Communications Team / December 28, 2011
The inspiration: This lovely video from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, capturing the joy of birds and the natural world....
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Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Nature Lover on Your List!
Owls

Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Nature Lover on Your List!

Communications Team / December 20, 2011 / 1 Reply
Christmas is quickly creeping up on us, and if you're like me, you're not finished shopping for everyone on your...
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Bird Banding Owls

Giving Thanks for the Owls of 2011

Communications Team / December 9, 2011 / 4 Replies
Our banding station is officially closed for the year (both songbirds and owls), which means it's time for us banders...
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Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

Songbird Banding Comes to a Close and Saw-whet Owl Movement is Sluggish

Communications Team / November 17, 2011 / 2 Replies
"These were, perhaps, the original poetry... ...in tune with the lift and fall of the seasons, returning from nowhere, or...
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Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

Last Days of October Produced The Season's First Juncos, First Snowfall, and A Bunch of Halloween Owls

wctbirds / November 3, 2011
I haven't brought you up to date on last week or this week yet because it has been pretty hectic...
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Bird Banding Bird Events Owls

Last Days of October Produced The Season’s First Juncos, First Snowfall, and A Bunch of Halloween Owls

Communications Team / November 3, 2011
I haven't brought you up to date on last week or this week yet because it has been pretty hectic...
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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 Hartman Meadow, Ashbridge, Kirkwood, Kestrel Hill and Rushton Woods Preserves. We maintain these lands to preserve and enhance … Learn more about our nature preserves.