Dear Friends,

It has been nearly six months since I wrote to you about the tragic death of George Floyd and the systemic racism that persists in our country. At that time, I pledged that the Willistown Conservation Trust would take intentional steps to examine what we, as an organization, can do better to help heal the wounds of injustice and to make the Trust, and the land trust movement as a whole, more relevant to all people regardless of background. We recognized that, to make a meaningful difference, we must strive to make our organizational structure, our natural resources and all of our programs more welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all people.

I am pleased to share that over the past several months we have made significant progress toward addressing these complicated issues. Early on we formed a working group, the Committee For Equity and Inclusion (CEI), consisting of several dedicated Trustees and staff members and co-chaired by Trustees Alice Hausmann and Alex Zozaya. This committee was charged with creating a path forward for the Trust to become an organization that reflects diversity and inclusion at every level, from internships and volunteers, to staff, to our board of Trustees. After a thoughtful examination of internal perspectives, and with input from a number of outside individuals, the Committee has taken an important first step in creating the path forward by developing a Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which I am excited to share with you. It reads as follows:

WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

The Mission of the Willistown Conservation Trust is “To preserve and manage the open land, rural character, scenic, recreational, historic, agricultural and natural resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities, and to share these unique resources with people of all ages and backgrounds to inspire, educate and develop a lifelong commitment to the land and the natural world.”

Historically, the voices and experiences of certain groups, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, have been and continue to be underrepresented in the land conservation movement. Willistown Conservation Trust believes that nature and open space are for everyone and embraces all forms of identity including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and class, religious or spiritual belief, age, and ability. As conservationists, we celebrate the vast diversity of life on our planet, and work each day to preserve and protect these natural resources for future generations. Guided by this ethos, we commit to including a broader and more diverse group of people in our work.

To fully realize our mission, we as an organization, must make a concerted effort to weave DEI into the fabric of our organization at all levels. In pursuit of that end, Willistown Conservation Trust commits to:

• An ongoing effort to reflect on and actualize our commitment to diversity throughout all levels of our organization. 
• Examining our organization’s culture and business practices to ensure equity in our operations. 
• Actively seek opportunities to learn about biases and injustices in the conservation field, and how we as an organization can better promote inclusivity across our programming.

As we commit to this work, we recognize that the process will be dynamic and ongoing. Working alongside other groups endeavoring to diversify conservation efforts in Chester County and beyond, we strive to recognize, amplify, and engage the voices and experiences of underrepresented groups for the benefit of not just our communities, but of the natural world. 

This guiding statement on DEI was formed with the consensus of every Trustees and staff member, each of whom has committed to support the actions needed to ensure that the Trust becomes an agent for the kind of change that will help the healing process and assure a better future for all. Change that will serve to make not only our organization, but the land trust movement as a whole, stronger and more meaningful as we bring more people together with a shared passion for the land and our precious natural resources.

As we continue this important work, I invite your insights, comments, and questions. The Committee for Equity and Inclusion continues to meet monthly, working to establish concrete goals inspired by the Trust’s statement on DEI, including board and staff retreats, participation on the WeConservePA DEIJ Council, continued participation in the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed’s DEIJ Workgroup, and an exciting new internship opportunity for minority students which will launch in the New Year.

Meanwhile, enjoy the upcoming Holidays! Be safe, be healthy, and may your New Year be EVERGREEN!

Warmly,
Bonnie Van Alen, Executive Director

With Thanksgiving approaching, it is an appropriate time to reflect upon our connection with the indigenous people who first lived on this land. As we enjoy and protect the beauty of Willistown, we cannot forget its original inhabitants and how their lifestyle echoes throughout the conservation of this land and its natural resources. While we preserve the land we must also preserve its history and the history of the native people. By sharing their story with the community, and working with local Native American organizations, we can hope to ensure that their legacy lives on with the land.

The indigenous people of southeastern Pennsylvania, known as the Lenape, lived throughout the Delaware River watershed. Just southwest of Philadelphia, along the banks of Crum, Ridley, and Chester Creeks, resided a small clan called the Okehocking. They belonged to the Unami, one of three Lenape tribes.

Like much of the Lenape, the Okehocking Clan felt immense pressure from European settlers. In 1701, they asked William Penn for the land of their own, safe from European encroachment. By 1703, Penn agreed to provide them 500 acres in modern day Willistown, the first Native American land grant in the American colonies. The diamond-shaped tract was bordered on the east and west by Plumsock and Garrett Mill Roads and extended north and south roughly to what is now known as Goshen Road and West Chester Pike. It is believed that this land was chosen largely due to a rock outcropping near its center resembling a turtle’s head, dubbed Turtle Rock since the tortoise was a symbolic representation of Mother Earth for the Unami Tribe.

Aside from the Ridley Creek floodplain, most of the area was not conducive to farming. The Okehocking, like many Native American tribes, burned fields to provide more ground for agriculture, while also hunting and fishing. The women foraged fruit, nuts, seeds, and even small amphibians from the forests and streams. During the winters, their Clan would move north towards the upper Schuylkill River. This ensured that the land was never overused, and had the ability to restore itself naturally.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the European settlers resumed their intrusion of indigenous land. Just a few years later, in 1710, the surrounding landowners had a new road added through the center of the territory, making Delchester the first recorded road in Willistown. Ongoing disputes over hunting grounds strained things further, and in 1718 the Okehocking Clan began moving out of their Willistown home. They returned in the summers for several years, but by 1735 they had abandoned the land entirely.

The respectful and harmonious relationship that the Okehocking people had with the land is still a model for conservation. Their stewardship is reflected in the work we do, from the regenerative clearing of fields and brush at our preserves to the sustainable agricultural practice of seasonal crop rotation on Rushton Farm. We are also focused on creating collaborations with the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania to help teach both us and the community about their history here. They generously consulted with our Watershed Protection team before the large tree planting project at Ashbridge Preserve to identify some of the species that would be illustrative of their way of life and moving forward, we hope to have representatives from the organization come out for public educational engagements. In the meantime, follow the links below to learn more about their organization and the history of the Lenape in Pennsylvania. And of course, come out to the preserves in Willistown to walk the land and experience some of the history firsthand.

Resources:
– Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania
– Educaitonal video made through Penn Museum, a great source for information about the area’s indigenous people. Click to find out more about the video.

The Trust has been studying the populations of this small migratory owl for the past 10 years as part of Project Owlnet, a continent-wide effort to study the movements of saw-whet owls. Education Programs Manager, Blake Goll, will explore what we’ve learned over the years through our owl banding program, teach about the life history of this secretive species, and discuss its conservation.

Are you a friend of the Trust but have never donated or have you supported the Trust in the past but never the Annual Fund?

This fall you have the opportunity to make a big impact with your first gift to the Annual Fund! We are pleased to announce that each new donor’s gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the Tally Foundation up to $30,000.  

Your donation of any amount will go directly to supporting the Trust’s holistic approach to conservation. Every day our Land Protection, Stewardship, Community Farm, Bird Conservation, and Watershed Protection staff work tirelessly to conserve our land, inspire our community, and restore our local habitats for people and wildlife.

The Trust is grateful for our supporters of the Annual Fund, which provides much needed funding to support our important work.

Join our community of supporters with a gift by November 30!

The Tally Foundation, named after a family’s beloved golden retriever Tally Ho.