A new 90-acre nature preserve at Kirkwood Farm
While the price to acquire the land was high, all agreed resoundingly that failure to protect Kirkwood Farm would have come at even higher costs to wildlife and water quality and would have altered permanently the rural and historic qualities of a community imperiled by sprawling development and suburbanization.
And so it was that Willistown Conservation Trust put forth plans and galvanized support to acquire 90 acres of Kirkwood Farm, create a new nature preserve, and open the land for the public to experience and enjoy for the first time in centuries.
Owned and operated by Willistown Conservation Trust, the new nature preserve, Kestrel Hill – named after the Kestrels often seen soaring over the bucolic countryside – will be secluded, idyllic, and peaceful, featuring rolling hills, sweeping vistas, mature woodlands, and two streams that form tributaries of Ridley Creek.
Willistown Conservation Trust plans to convert existing farmlands to native habitat, expand riparian buffer areas in wetlands and along stream banks, open hiking trails for equestrians and pedestrians, and provide public access and parking. Once complete, Kestrel Hill will be a sanctuary for wildlife and for all who come to visit and experience the wonders of our natural world.
We look forward to welcoming you to Kestrel Hill at a future date to be announced. Until then, keep an eye out for updates and visit our website to take a ‘sneak peek’ and learn more.
