WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST

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Shining a Light on a Different Type of Stream Pollution

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Lights are everywhere around us and have many uses, often at night, that benefit our health and safety. We put lights on our cars, buildings, and roads, often neglecting to understand their full effect beyond their positive impact on human life. While lights may make us feel more comfortable in our surroundings, they have been known to negatively impact other species in our environment through the process of light pollution. 

Light pollution occurs when the excessive use of light creates an overwhelming glow in the night sky that brightens the natural environment, often exceeding even the bright glow of a full moon. This form of pollution is all encompassing, as 83% of the world population lives in an area that experiences light pollution. In the USA and Europe, 99% of the population lives under a polluted night sky. If you are interested in seeing what light pollution looks like in your hometown, check out this website. 

This image from https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/ shows the potential pollution caused by lights in residential areas. All lights are used to light a specified area, but as seen in the image above, more areas outside of the area to be lit also experience glare.

Researchers have observed nocturnal animals that rely on dark skies and lunar cycles will change their activity levels in areas with more light pollution. Animal behavior has adapted to natural conditions over millions of years, and when we suddenly put in millions of lights, we are changing the environment species need to thrive. Perhaps the most common example of this is the case of the sea turtle. Hatching sea turtles rely heavily on the moon to find the ocean shortly after emerging. In highly polluted areas, the lights from the land often mimic or overpower the moon and deceive the babies, leading them towards land where they are bound to get hit by cars, eaten by predators, or starve to death (Longcore & Rich, 2004). 

Locally, different species feel the burden of light pollution. Studies on streams across the USA have shown that light pollution near streams can change the makeup of insect populations in and around streams. Streamside studies where artificial light pollution was introduced demonstrated that important spiders often living in riparian zones decreased in abundance, as did the diversity of aquatic insects, by as much as 16%. Light pollution near streams also led to a decrease in size in emerging insects by approximately 76% (Meyer & Sullivan, 2013).  

Changing conditions in streams can have a large ripple effect outside of the water, too. With individuals disappearing and shrinking in size, predators, like fish and birds, may have to consume larger quantities of smaller insects to meet their energy needs. Consuming more small insects can strain predators as they use additional energy to look for larger numbers of smaller prey. Less optimal food for these species can lead to decreased survival, further contorting the food web. 

In addition to changes within the stream corridor, light pollution brings many pressures to terrestrial insect communities. Bright lights are known to attract flying insects outside of streams – think of your porch light and all the insects that fly near it at night. This attracts more predators, such as bats, that feed on vulnerable species of insects near these lights. While some predators suffer because of light pollution, species like bats can benefit based on different behaviors in different areas. 

The map above shows the light pollution levels in Southeast PA. Philadelphia, a major city center, has incredibly high levels of light. Locally, West Chester, Marple, and Media all exert high levels of light pollution, as compared with the Trust’s program area, which experiences lower levels of light pollution thanks to lower development levels. These lower light levels can be attributed to protected lands. 

While avoiding light pollution is incredibly unlikely, there are solutions and actions we can take to minimize its effect on wildlife globally. At home, turning off bright outdoor lights or getting an automatic light can decrease light output. When choosing lights, picking lights that effectively target an area to be lit is important, as ineffective lights can cast a glow beyond the anticipated area and pollute more space than necessary. Within our communities, we can advocate for darker nights by telling our towns and cities to turn off unnecessary public lighting on buildings and in public spaces, much like Philadelphia did this last spring. As for protecting our waterways, planting and maintaining a healthy riparian buffer can go a long way in shielding waters from harmful light pollution. Thick plant growth will block incoming light and help keep our streams at lower light levels, ensuring aquatic insects, fish, and other riparian organisms can thrive. 

Citations:

Light pollution effects on wildlife and ecosystems. International Dark-Sky Association. (2016, September 12). https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/wildlife/. 

Longcore, T., & Rich, C. (2004). Ecological light pollution. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2(4), 191-198.

Meyer, L. A., & Sullivan, S. M. P. (2013). Bright lights, big city: influences of ecological light pollution on reciprocal stream–riparian invertebrate fluxes. Ecological applications, 23(6), 1322-1330.

Header Image Eco Watch

Celebrating Preservation Month

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TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF LAND CONSERVATION IN THE WILLISTOWN COUNTRYSIDE

The Biden administration recently declared a national goal to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and freshwater, and another 30% of U.S. ocean areas by 2030. This initiative, referred to as 30×30, proposes an America the Beautiful campaign, described by the administration as a “ten-year, locally led campaign to conserve and restore the lands and waters upon which we all depend, and that bind us together as Americans.” It is through this lens that we reflect on the history of land conservation in the Willistown countryside.

The history of conservation under the auspices of Willistown Conservation Trust spans the past 40 years, but really, it’s based in a conservation ethic that goes back many years prior. It is a story of generations of people caring deeply for the land, with a passion for protecting it, not just to save open space, but to preserve the rich natural resources of our woodlands, rolling fields and stream valleys to benefit wildlife – and to share a deep connection to nature with people of all ages and backgrounds. It is a story that could not have happened without the loyal support – both moral and financial, of so many – for which all of us at the Trust are immensely grateful.

  • Willistown Program Area
  • The Willistown Countryside

Our program area consists of an oasis of interconnected open spaces, once referred to as Radnor Hunt country. Today it is defined by the headwaters of the Ridley, Crum and Darby creeks. It encompasses all of Willistown Township and parts of East Goshen, and Eastown Townships in Chester County, and portions of Newtown and Edgemont Townships in Delaware County. In its entirety, it comprises an area totaling approximately 28,000 acres, or almost 44 square miles.

Our 40-year history can be viewed in four important segments: the first being the early years under the umbrella of the Brandywine Conservancy in the 1980s; second, the establishment of Willistown Conservation Trust as its own independent organization; third, a period of growth that saw the expansion of land protection efforts resulting in hundreds of acres of preserved lands; and fourth, the emergence of our outreach and research programs.

In the beginning, it was the vision of our current executive director Bonnie Van Alen, along with her colleague and friend Kathe McCoy, to apply the principles of land conservation that were being used at the Brandywine Conservancy to lands in the Willistown countryside that were under threat of development. At that time, Brandywine Conservancy was being led by iconic conservationist Frolic Weymouth, whose legacy of land protection has inspired legions of conservationists to preserve the natural and cultural resources that make our area unique.

  • Kathe McCoy, Frolic Weymouth and Bonnie Van Alen
  • The Inaugural Board Meeting
  • Alice Hausmann and Bonnie Van Alen

Alice Hausmann joined the effort in 1985 and has been integral to the success of our organization ever since. It was in these early years that the Willistown Area Conservation Program was established, introducing the conservation projects that would eventually result in the creation of the Willistown Conservation Trust as we know it today.

The second segment of our organization’s history is marked by the “official” formation of the Willistown Conservation Trust as its own independent entity in 1996, with the blessing and encouragement of the Brandywine Conservancy.

In the early years, WCT occupied the “Blacksmith Shop” at White Horse Corner. We then moved across the street to the “Saddle Shop” before moving to our current office location in the farmhouse at 925 Providence Road, just south of White Horse Corner.

  • White Horse Corner Painting
  • Early Land Protection Staff Added
  • 925 Providence Road

This brings us to the third segment of our history, which was a period of vigorous growth in our land protection efforts through the early 2000s. We added land protection and stewardship staff, along with other positions to support our growing organization.

At this time, we were still primarily focused on land protection, i.e., getting private properties under easement. It was also during this time that we were acquiring lands that would eventually become our preserves at Ashbridge, Rushton Woods and Kirkwood.

This solid foundation of protected lands set the stage for the fourth and current era in the history of the Trust. During this time, we saw the emergence and evolution of our robust outreach and research programs, starting with the creation of Rushton Farm in 2008.

Rushton Farm

  • Rushton Farm
  • Bird Program
  • Watershed Program

Under the direction of Fred DeLong, the farm occupies six acres of tillable land at the Rushton Woods Preserve. Rushton Farm is a community magnet, with a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) operation at its core. The food grown at Rushton is enjoyed by CSA members who support the operation financially. Many also volunteer at the farm.

In addition, every week, in season, Fred takes a truckload of food to the West Chester Food Cupboard. Underpinning all of this, the farm is an agroecology laboratory and a demonstration platform for innovating and testing sustainable agricultural practices.

Bird Program

Lisa Kiziuk leads our Bird Program, which began as a banding station that has evolved into a full-blown research operation. The program is recognized internationally for sharing its valuable data about bird health, migration patterns and the importance of habitat preservation.

Watershed Program

Watershed Program Director Lauren McGrath studies the health of the watersheds in our program area (Ridley, Crum and Darby Creeks). Information gathered on the flora, fauna and hydrologic conditions of the creeks is sent to shared regional databases to help paint a bigger picture about the health of our waterways, which are an important source of drinking water for our region.

Education Programs

  • Education Programs
  • Rushton Conservation Center

Willistown’s protected lands are unique experiential learning places that make the study of science, ecology and agriculture come alive for students of all ages. Under the leadership of Education Programs Manager Blake Goll, these conserved open spaces are used to explore the connections among land, farm, birds, habitat and water. People come here to study our practices and model solutions for healthy food systems, bird conservation, habitat restoration and improved water quality. They are drawn to this special place to learn, become inspired and leave with a deeper commitment to save land and serve as stewards of our natural world. Over 1,000 children and adults participate in the Trust’s education programs annually.

Rushton Conservation Center

Our newest program is the Rushton Conservation Center, which extends our community reach even further. This building is a new addition to the Rushton Woods Preserve. It was finished in 2018 and is designed to host educational events, seminars, community gatherings and farm-to-table dinners, centered on themes connected to our mission. Lindsay Carlson is the program director at the RCC.

Where Do We Go From Here?

  • Conserved Lands in Willistown in 1979
  • Conserved Lands in Willistown Today, 2021

The growth of our organization and expansion of our special programs has not changed our core mission of Land Protection and Stewardship, currently under the direction of Erik Hetzel and Andrew Kirkpatrick, respectively. As committed as we have been to conservation over the last 40 years, we remain ever vigilant in our land preservation efforts and are inspired and energized by the “30×30” goal. While conservation happens locally, it has far reaching national and global impacts that we are only now beginning to understand. We look forward to the next chapter in our history as we strive to help achieve the ambitious vision of 30×30, and continue to devote ourselves to conservation for many years to come.

Kirkwood Sign Dedication

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Fifteen years ago, the 83-acre Kirkwood Preserve was established thanks to a public/private partnership that included Willistown Conservation Trust, Willistown Township, the Chester County Department of Open Space, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.  On the misty autumn afternoon of October 26, 2020, we celebrated that momentous accomplishment with the dedication of a new sign and a small gathering of the visionary people who made it all possible. 

The story begins over 20 years ago when Willistown residents voted to approve the Open Space Referendum of 1999 and agreed to allow the Township to levy an additional 1/8% of Earned Income Tax to raise funds for the protection of land for recreation and preservation of the Township’s natural, agricultural, scenic, and historic resources.  Willistown’s Open Space Fund was established with these taxpayer revenues, and it was a significant contribution from the Township along with matching funds from Chester County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and generous private donors that enabled Willistown Conservation Trust to acquire the 83-acre Kirkwood Preserve.  The preserve was part of a much larger conservation effort that included the protection of Kirkwood Farm, a magnificent 324-acre property in the heart of the Trust’s program area.  Also known as the “Hardie Scott property”, Kirkwood Farm has always been considered the very essence of the Willistown countryside and defines the unique natural, scenic, and rural character of our area.

Bordering the Crum Creek and known for beautiful views from Grubbs Mill Road of its large grassland areas, rolling hills, mature woodlands, and wetlands along the creek, Kirkwood Preserve contains some of the most environmentally sensitive lands in the Township.  Willistown Conservation Trust manages the stewardship of the preserve, providing a protected habitat for nesting and foraging grassland birds such as the declining Eastern Meadowlark and the Bobolink.  Native tree plantings in the riparian areas and proper landscape management practices promote the health of the Crum Creek, which is designated as an Exceptional Value Stream.  Most importantly, Kirkwood is open to the public every day from sunrise to sunset, allowing Township residents and others to enjoy its scenic natural beauty.  The acquisition of Kirkwood Preserve was a true public/private partnership and the direct result of Willistown residents choosing to see their tax dollars used for open space preservation.

Fast-forward to 2020, when a global pandemic has altered how we interact as humans and with nature.  Kirkwood Preserve is a place where Willistown residents can exercise, reflect, and safely interact outdoors in a time where indoor spaces are limited for such activities.  The physical and mental health benefits of being outside are well documented, and the availability of publicly-accessible open space is as important now as it has ever been.

The gathering at Kirkwood on October 26 was a celebration of a successful partnership that we hope to strengthen and use again to protect hundreds of more acres into the future.  Recalling the details of a complex and intricate process that ultimately resulted in the preservation of hundreds of acres of land, Willistown Conservation Trust’s Executive Director Bonnie Van Alen expressed her gratitude to the many players who made it happen.  “The Willistown Conservation Trust is exceedingly grateful to the conservation partners who have so magnanimously supported this acquisition.  First and foremost, our heartfelt thanks go to Willistown Township which made a very generous commitment from its Open Space Fund toward the acquisition.”

Also present at the gathering were current Township Supervisors William Shoemaker and Bob Lange, who, along with former Supervisor David Rawson, provided political leadership for the project at the time.  Each recalled their memories of the preserve’s acquisition, and all three hailed Willistown Conservation Trust’s successful efforts protecting open space in the Township.

Mary Hundt was working for Willistown Conservation Trust in the late 1990s and was instrumental in garnering public support for the Open Space Referendum, eventually seeing it result in the acquisition of Kirkwood.  Now, as Director of Parks and Recreation for Willistown Township, she is currently involved in the process of updating the Township’s Comprehensive Plan.  This will be the Township’s road map for managing growth and development over the next 10 years.  It will also guide the planning of important public amenities, like open space.  In recalling Township residents’ passion for saving open space when the referendum was approved, Mary explained that the same sentiment is strong in the community today.  “The Open Space Referendum of 1999 asking residents if they would agree to an additional tax to protect natural, scenic, and recreational resources passed with 80% of the vote, and the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Survey reveals that this strong preservation mindset in Willistown still stands today.  A total of 97% of Willistowners find the protection of open space, the environment, and scenic landscapes as important efforts with 80% defining them as “very important”.  The preservation of trails, passive recreation parkland, and historic buildings are important to 94% of Willistowners.  These statistics reinforce the overarching sentiment and desire of this community to protect such special places as Kirkwood Preserve.”

Legacy of the Land: A History of Land Conservation in Willistown

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Trust’s Executive Director and co-founder Bonnie Van Alen, co-founder Alice Hausmann, and Director of Land Protection Erik Hetzel, discuss the history of land protection in our region. Bonnie, Alice, and Erik explore the history of our land and early days of conservation, including the founding of Willistown Conservation Trust. You will also learn more about conservation easements that have helped lead to the protection of more than 7,500 acres in the Willistown region, and ways you can contribute to land conservation in your own backyard.

Fifteen More Acres Protected Forever!

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The final conservation chapter to the 15-acre Stonehedge Farm at Plumsock and Goshen Roads in Willistown has finally concluded. The land is now protected from additional development forever.

      Many a trail rider or foxhunter is familiar with the fieldstone jump at the southeast corner of Plumsock and Goshen Roads that marks the equestrian entrance to Stonehedge Farm. It is a prominent landmark leading to the well-traveled trail that runs along the western border of the farm, parallel to Plumsock Road. Surrounded on all sides by conserved land, Stonehedge has long been considered a critical unprotected property in the Trust’s focal area.

       Much remains unchanged since the late 1700s in this particular corner of Willistown. Part of the original Okehocking Indian Land Grant, a 500-acre parcel of land given by William Penn to the Okehocking tribe, the first roads in Willistown were primarily Indian trails. As more people began to expand into Willistown, new cart paths were needed, and Goshen Road was laid out as the main thoroughfare between Philadelphia and Willistown. In 1929 Radnor Hunt moved to Willistown, bringing along Philadelphians desiring country estates. Stonehedge Farm and the surrounding protected land has long been an important route during fox hunts.

       Nearly 100 years later, Stonehedge Farm was put on the real estate market, and slated for subdivision and redevelopment. Thanks to the Trust’s partner conservation organization non-profit Delchester Group and its group of dedicated investors, the farm was purchased and marketed specifically to conservation buyers. The Stonehedge acquisition is the 16th community conservation partnership resulting in nearly 2,000 acres of land protected in this way.

       In August 2020 new owners purchased the property and donated an official conservation easement to Willistown Conservation Trust, forever protecting these 15 acres from future development. It was a love of open space and animals that prompted the family to consider moving outside of Philadelphia and into Willistown. When they found S Farm, it checked off many items on their wish list – access to nature, proximity to the city, a quiet country road, a body of water, and most importantly, surrounded by conserved open space. The family is very involved in farm animal rescue, and plan to build a small barn open to rescue “guests” as they wait for permanent homes. Further, the property’s proximity to Rushton Woods Preserve is a perfect place for their son, an avid birder, to spend his time.

       The farm enjoys diverse habitat types with open meadow, undisturbed hedgerows, a patch of woodland, a small freshwater pond, and a small tributary to the Ridley Creek known as Hibberd Run. These natural resources will be forever protected, conserving critical habitat for our native wild and plant life. Additionally, the 1.5 miles of equestrian trails, connecting to a larger network of neighboring trails, will continue to allow access to both recreational riders as well as foxhunters. Thank you to the generosity of Stonehedge Farm’s new owners, and welcome to our community of conservationists!