WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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Video – 7 Ways to Give Traveling Birds a Boost – Flappy Hour Recap

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On May 14th the Trusts’ Bird Conservation field team held a virtual flappy social hour. They shared short talks about ways you can support migratory birds while remaining socially distant. The talk ended with a casual Q&A session. 52 people signed in! If you missed it and want to learn how to promote bird conservation in your backyard and beyond, click here to watch the recorded session!

  • Did you know that the average adult needs 15 coffee trees per year? By choosing where your coffee comes from and how it is grown, you can help protect our birds that overwinter in the tropics.
  • Did you know that cats have been determined to be the number one cause of bird declines and that we could save billions of birds by keeping cats inside?
  • Did you know that our agriculture is becoming toxic to birds? Many chemicals that are used to coat seeds remain with the plant for its entire life and persist in the environment, despite what the chemical companies say.
  • Did you know that 9 in 10 seabirds have been found with plastic in their stomachs? By reducing plastic use, we can help our oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.
  • Did you know that there are over 48 million acres of lawn in the U.S? By changing how we view these spaces our lawns can actually contribute to bird conservation in a big way.

Explore these topics and more in our Flappy Hour recording.

Magnolia Warbler. Photo by Brian Storey

Seeking the Healing Power of Nature on Earth Day

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In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
-John Muir


In 1970, millions of Americans pledged to start a movement to be better stewards of our planet Earth. As we prepare to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the now global movement called Earth Day, we are faced with an unprecedented reality. 


While typical day to day life for many humans is on hold, nature doesn’t stop. The birds continue their annual migration and breeding season, our streams are flowing with spring rains, and the seeds in our greenhouse and the grasses and wildflowers in our native meadows are bursting with new life. Among the earth’s spring renewal, humans are discovering the nurturing, restorative power of nature. A simple walk through the woods or fields provides us with respite and peace. 


This miracle felt especially true over Easter weekend as I explored Ashbridge Preserve with our nine-year-old twin grandchildren, Grace and James. After being quarantined indoors for three weeks, their joy in being free in the outdoors, skipping the Ridley Creek stepping stones and discovering the emerging spring plants and creatures was a palpable gift to hold and treasure. 


While the earth has the power to heal humans, we in turn, have the power to help heal the earth. Willistown Conservation Trust’s holistic approach to land protection, with a focus on the connections among land, farm, birds, and water, protects native habitat and provides open space for our earth to heal itself.


Even as new studies show that grassland bird populations have declined by over 50% since 1970, hearing the song of the returning Eastern Meadowlark fluting across our preserved grassland habitat at Kirkwood Preserve gives me great hope. The newly sown peas at Rushton Farm are showing their first green tendrils of life and the skunk cabbage at Rushton Woods Preserve has completely unfurled. The first trillium have emerged at Ashbridge Preserve, dotting the woods with cheerful color.

As you think about Earth Day this year, I encourage you to seek out nature to find inspiration, healing and hope. Just as the earth renews each spring, we will resume our our regular lives once again, perhaps transformed with a deeper connection to our planet earth. 


With warmest regards,
Bonnie

Create Your Own Meadow – Step 2: Plant

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Mid April – Early May: Once your wildflower plugs arrive, it may be tempting to lay out plants in neatly arranged rows, but clustering plants together while still paying attention to plant spacing will echo the more organic patterns found in nature.

Planting wildflower plugs
It’s a great group or family project

In addition, wildflowers planted in clusters with several plants of the same species within a few feet of each other will also help to attract more pollinators. Use a handheld auger (2” +/- in diameter) or shovel to open holes for your wildflower plugs. Then you can easily insert each plug in the hole and tamp the soil around it.

Progress just 3 months after planting. This is in front of the Trust office.

Announcing Weekly Preserve Workdays

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We need your help! Willistown Conservation Trust maintains 3 public preserves, soon to be 4! With so much beautiful habitat, we need some help keeping these conserved lands looking their best for all visitors and ensuring they continue to provide healthy habitat for the many species that depend on them.

The Stewardship Team will begin hosting weekly volunteer work sessions, led by Preserve Manager Mike Cranney, starting on March 5. Each weekly session will run from 9 to noon and tasks will include:

  • Cutting/removing invasive plants
  • Clearing vines from trees and tree cages
  • Planting native trees and shrubs
  • Pruning trees and shrubs
  • Trail clean-up and maintenance
  • Stream clean-up

You can stay for the whole time or for as long as you’re able.

Interested? Visit our Event Calendar. Click “Volunteering” to see the March-April dates and sign up! Thanks! We hope to see you out there.

Explore Nature at Willistown Conservation Trust’s Preserves

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Did you know that the Willistown Conservation Trust has three preserves that are open to the public year round? This year we’ll be opening a fourth! If you would like to know more about these gems of Willistown, join us on our new monthly walk series where we will take in depth look at the beauty, history, and future of these community resources! In February, we’ll be on the hunt of the first signs of spring, then as the year warms up, we’ll learn about the ecosystems that support pollinators throughout the summer, and wind up the year looking at how the topography of the landscape impacts the plant communities, habitat, and microclimate at our preserves.

A path through the grasses at Kirkwood Preserve

Our preserve walks are free of charge, however space is limited 25 to ensure the best experience for participants. We ask that you register in advance on the event calendar on our website.

In case you missed it, our first walk took place at Rushton Woods Preserve where our discussion revolved around:

  • Distinguishing invasive vines from native ones and tips for removing unwanted vines.
  • The benefits of dead downed trees or “nurse logs” and their role in forest ecology.
  • Why beech trees hold their leaves in winter and other winter tree id techniques.
  • The danger of barberry (it’s a tick vector) and the importance of its removal.

The glorious weather that day was topped off with two foxes and a pileated woodpecker!

Our 2020 schedule is below and we have signups open for the first 4 on the list. Visit our calendar of events to register.

February 20th – Ashbridge Preserve: The Hunt for Skunk Cabbage
April 9th – Kirkwood Preserve: Meadow Management
May 14th – Rushton Woods Preserve: Welcoming Spring
June 25th – Ashbridge Preserve: Pollinators!
September 17th – Kirkwood Preserve: Meadows in Bloom
October 15th – Ashbridge Preserve: One for the Road
November 12th – New WCT Preserve: Lay of the Land
December 10th – Kirkwood Preserve: Winter of the World