Th e S y c a m o r e N E W S F R O M W I L L I S T O W N C O N S E R VAT I O N T R U S T
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Catherine W. Etherington Executive Director Julie S. Graham Associate Executive Director
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jeanne B. Van Alen President Emerita Elizabeth C. Hucker | Chair Bryan D. Colket | Vice Chair Alice E. Hausmann | Vice Chair V. Richard Eales | Treasurer Matthew E. Taylor | Assistant Treasurer John F. Stoviak, Esq. | Secretary Leanne M. McMenamin | Assistant Secretary Timothy B. Barnard, Esq. L. Clarke Blynn Michael Burg, Esq. Anthony J. DiValerio, Jr. Meg Tegler Hardesty William T. Howard George F. Krall, Jr. Mark T. Ledger
Lindsay Scott Leisenring Michael J. McGraw Peter S. Strawbridge* James L. Van Alen II Tana M. Wall* Richard A. Warden Jason D. Weckstein, Ph.D. Alejandro Zozaya
* Trustee Emerita/Emeritus
STAFF Todd Alleger | New England Motus Project Technician Mary Armstrong | Executive Assistant Sue Costello | GIS Coordinator Mike Cranney | Preserve Manager Fred de Long | Director of Community Farm Program Michelle Eshleman | Motus Avian Research Coordinator Alison Fetterman | Bird Conservation Associate & PA Motus Project Manager Blake Goll | Education Programs Manager Eliza Gowen | Community Farm Outreach Coordinator Noah Gress | Rushton Farm Field Manager Chelsea Heck | Director of Annual Fund and Outreach Erik Hetzel | Director of Land Protection and Public Grants Sarah Hutchin | Garden and Landscape Coordinator Andrew Kirkpatrick | Director of Stewardship Lisa Kiziuk | Director of Bird Conservation Program Katie Kourakis | Rushton Conservation Center Event Manager Kelsey Lingle | Associate Director of Communications and Marketing Lindsay Martin-Carlson | Director of Rushton Conservation Center Lauren McGrath | Director of Watershed Protection Program Monica McQuail | Communications Specialist Molly Clark Tracy | Rushton Farm Production Manager Anna Willig | Watershed Conservation Associate Cover Photo | Blake Goll WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Road | Newtown Square, PA 19073 610.353.2562 | wctrust.org Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 2Willistown | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 501(c)3 of the I.R.S. Code. Donations are tax-deductible. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, (800) 732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Message from the Board
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s I am writing this, I am thinking about the 40+ years Bonnie Van Alen has dedicated to preserving open space in Willistown Township and surrounding areas, as well as the programs her vision has brought to life: Rushton Farm and the CSA; Bird Conservation and MOTUS; habitat restoration; watershed protection and the Rushton Conservation Center, just to name a few. Bonnie will be transitioning out of her role as President and Executive Director as of October 1, 2021, but she will not be disappearing into the sunset! She has her eyes focused on continued land protection and helping the Trust remain a financially sustainable organization well into the future. I welcome Kate Etherington in her new role as Executive Director and thank her for her past roles as a Trustee and Associate Executive Director. Kate brings many skills with her as she succeeds Bonnie, and I hope all of you will join me in helping Kate thrive in her new role! While COVID and its variants still impact our day-today operations, our staff has been resilient in developing programs that can be offered during a pandemic. I hope that many of you will continue to visit our website to see what programs are offered both virtually and in person, so you can stay engaged with the Trust throughout the winter months. Now, even more than in the past, we need your support to continue the good work that the Trust does. As we navigate an ever-changing planet, we know that every one of our programs helps mitigate the impact of climate change in our small corner of the world. Do it for yourself, your children and future generations; do it for the flora and fauna we have appreciated during our lifetimes; do it for the good of the planet.
Beth Hucker, Board of Trustees Chair
CONTENTS T H E SYC A MO R E N E WS LE T T E R | FA L L 2021
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Message from the Board
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Letter from the Executive Director
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Honoring Bonnie’s Legacy and Looking to Willistown Conservation Trust’s Future
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Volunteer Spotlight: Eagle Scout Will Hetzel
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The Quaker City Foundation Challenge for Rushton Woods Preserve In Honor of Bonnie Van Alen
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A Suburban Nature Lover Seeks Legacy Easement to Protect Her Native Plant Oasis
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Microplastic Pollution is No Small Problem in our Headwaters
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A Rushton Nature Keeper “Graduate” Restores Historic Bluebird Trail to Willistown
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The Buzzy Life of Bees at Rushton Farm
22-23 | Movers and Shakers | Staff and Trustee News
JENNIFER MATHES
TABLE OF CONTENTS | 3
Letter from the Executive Director
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all is traditionally a time of transition. The seasons are changing, kids are back to school, and we settle into new routines. This fall we welcome a new season, and chapter, for Willistown Conservation Trust. On October 1, our founder, Bonnie Van Alen, stepped down from her role as President and Executive Director. Most of you know the legacy Bonnie has left in our region, from her early days at Brandywine Conservancy completing some of the first conservation easements in our community, to the thousands of acres protected, and the thriving programs at the Trust today. In this newsletter, you will have the chance to read more about her legacy and her continuing role at the Trust. As a longtime member of this community, I am honored to carry on the mission of Willistown Conservation Trust, and to contribute to this region’s legacy of land conservation. I spent my childhood wandering the open space of Willistown, and find joy each time I watch my three children explore our local preserves, knowing that these lands will be protected for generations to come. I feel lucky to join this organization at such a pivotal point in its history, and I look forward to bringing you all along in the next chapter of our journey. I am also excited to announce that Julie S. Graham has joined the Trust as Associate Executive Director. Julie brings a wealth of knowledge about the Trust, its programs, and its financial systems. She previously served in a consultant role as our Director of Finance for seven years. Welcome back to the team, Julie! Over the summer, staff and Trustees spent time at retreats, facilitated by Schultz & Williams, to begin to craft a vision for our future, and lay the framework for our next Long Range Plan. The upcoming months will be focused on shaping that vision and creating a roadmap for the next three to four years. While we continue to navigate some challenging times, our staff is as busy as ever in the field banding birds, harvesting food, clearing new trails, preserving new lands, and learning more about our stream health. There is no shortage of ways to get involved with the Trust this fall – from culinary events and bird walks to volunteer days and Run-A-Muck. I hope to see you out on the trail or at an event soon!
Catherine Etherington, Executive Director
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JENNIFER MATHES
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Honoring Bonnie’s Legacy and Looking to Willistown Conservation Trust’s Future By Monica McQuail, Communications Specialist
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ithin the ever growing area of Chester County lies a hidden swath of land that sits in stark contrast to the noisy highways and developments that surround it. Here, the rolling hills dotted with an abundance of wildlife, luscious pastures, and scenic woodlands offer a quiet reprieve to passersby, one that has remained nearly untouched since the early settlers first arrived. Today, this special place is known as Willistown, and its rural charm and 7,500 acres of protected open space would not exist if it weren’t for Bonnie Van Alen. Born in Chester Springs, Bonnie Van Alen (née Bartholomew), grew up on her family farm, where she spent her time working and riding her pony across the countryside. She describes her childhood as “free range,” one without boundaries aor constraints that afforded her a deep connection with nature and the great outdoors. “I loved every aspect of it: the animals, the wildlife, and the freedom,” she says. Following her education at Agnes Irwin School and later at Penn State University, Bonnie returned to Chester County with her sweetheart, Jim Van Alen. The two married and settled in Jim’s childhood home of Willistown in 1969 where they lived next door to Jim’s family on Delchester Road. It was there that they raised their three boys — Jimmy, Alex and Rob — who spent their younger years exploring creeks and woodlands around the farm. During this period in the 1980’s, the Van Alens and their neighbors grew concerned over development pressures threatening to disrupt the important habitat and rural characteristic of this area. Bonnie took it upon herself to explore a new tool that the Brandywine Conservancy had been using to restrict uncontrolled development: conservation easements. Leaving her work with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Bonnie launched a satellite program under the Brandywine Conservancy with the purpose of conserving Willistown properties with conservation easements that would be held by Brandywine. After a crash course in conservation easement law and easement drafting, Bonnie and her conservation partner
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Kathe McCoy got to work drawing a map by hand to identify their focus area within the headwaters of the Crum, Ridley, and Darby Creeks: about 28,000 acres. After systematically identifying strategic properties and their owners, the duo began approaching landowners with this new concept of conservation, and they found that many were thrilled to contribute to this greater cause. As Bonnie explains, “These first landowners who donated easements took a risk and a leap of faith. And as the years went on, this land ethic grew and developed to build a true community of conservation.” Of course, not every neighbor was moved to permanently protect their land. In 1995, a 200-acre, centrally located farm went on the market, and the owner submitted a plan to the township to construct 80 houses on it, along with the necessary infrastructure to support these homes. Gathering their neighbors, Bonnie and Kathe, guided by local attorney, Peter Somers, formed a community partnership of investors to acquire the property for resale to conservation minded buyers. This became the model for the nonprofit Delchester Group, Inc., which, under the leadership of Bonnie, Peter and Alice Hausmann, and others has since been used to create community partnerships to acquire and save 17 properties comprising over 2,000 acres that would have otherwise been bulldozed and developed within Willistown. After completing 90 conservation easements with the Brandywine Conservancy, in 1996 Bonnie and Alice took the next steps to turn their satellite organization into its own independent 501(c)(3) charity with the support of the community and the blessing of friend and Brandywine Conservancy President, Frolic Weymouth. Called Willistown Conservation Trust, the organization soon began preserving public trail easements and three public nature preserves — Ashbridge Preserve, Kirkwood Preserve, and Rushton Woods Preserve — in addition to completing many more conservation easements with local landowners. Under Bonnie’s leadership, the Trust expanded to over 25 employees, 22 Trustees and hundreds of volunteers, and today it offers six nationally renowned programs for public engagement and research, including the Bird Conservation,
First board meeting in November 1996. Pictured around the table from left to right, starting with Bonnie Van Alen, Jim Van Alen, Tim Barnard, Tana Wall, Alice Hausmann, Peter Strawbridge, and Frolic Weymouth.
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 7 Alice Hausmann and Bonnie Van Alen then and now. Photo by Jennifer Mathes.
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Community Farm, Education and Outreach, Land Protection, Stewardship, and Watershed Programs. Looking back on her many accomplishments, Bonnie declares, “I think the thing that I love the most about this organization is interacting with our remarkable staff, our wonderful board of trustees and our many volunteers and supporters. Our staff is above and beyond incredible. They are experts in their field and completely devoted to what they do, and I’m regularly inspired by their passion.” Kate Etherington is one of the newer staff members at the Trust, though she has been engaged with the organization for many years, first as a volunteer getting her hands dirty at Rushton Farm, and later serving on the Board of Trustees. In 2020 Bonnie, inspired by Kate’s dedication and skills, invited her to join the staff as Associate Executive Director. Kate brought to the role a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a breadth of management experience within the nonprofit sector. Like Bonnie, Kate grew up in the Chester County area where she spent her time as an avid horseback rider and member of the Radnor Hunt Pony Club. Her parents instilled in her a love of nature and appreciation for open space, where she spent many hours exploring the local woods, trails, streams, and fields. Today, Kate lives on a small farm in Easttown Township with her husband Ben and their three daughters, Lucy, Maggie, and Alice. “The landscape of Willistown would look completely different had it not been for Bonnie’s foresight, hard work and determination,” says Kate. “Her capacity to grow a small land trust into the organization it is today, with thriving programs and community events, is amazing. It is inspiring to see and learn from another woman’s leadership in our community.” As Executive Director, Kate plans to continue focusing on land conservation and the critical properties in the Willistown area, as well as the smaller parcels that contribute to larger greenways. She hopes to further the Trust’s many robust environmental programs and to grow education and outreach efforts at the Rushton Conservation Center to reach a broader and more diverse group of people in the region and beyond.
JENNIFER MATHES
In her transition, Bonnie will remain dedicated to the organization as President Emerita and by serving on the Trust’s Board of Trustees, assisting Kate with critical land conservation acquisition projects and fundraising endeavors to help the Trust reach its goal of conserving 4,000 more acres. She will also continue her work with The Delchester Group Inc., saving plenty of time for Jim and their beloved extended family, including six wonderful grandchildren. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 9
Volunteer Spotlight: Eagle Scout Will Hetzel Leads Troop 106 in Building Bog Bridges at Ashbridge Preserve By Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Stewardship
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t has been over five years since I began working in the nonprofit sector, and during that time I have learned a universal truth about our work; volunteers are the backbone of our operations. People who choose to give their time to support our mission are critical to our success. Across all of our program areas, we could not achieve our mission without our volunteers. When it comes to our Stewardship Program, managing and maintaining our nature preserves in Willistown — Rushton, Kirkwood, and Ashbridge — would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. Keeping trails clear and invasive species in check is a full-time operation. Our preserve manager Mike Cranney has his hands full, but with the help of our incredible volunteers, he can accomplish a lot. Local Eagle Scout, Will Hetzel (son of our Director of Land Protection, Erik Hetzel) recently demonstrated this in August when he organized scouts from Troop 106 to install eight new bog bridges at Ashbridge Preserve.
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Eagle Scout Troop 106 group photo with Andrew Kirkpatrick and Erik Hetzel. Photos by Erik Hetzel/Staff.
We use bog bridges at our preserves to allow visitors to traverse wet and mucky areas without causing damage to the trail. The bog bridges, also called puncheons, are constructed with wood planks on top of footers and covered with chicken wire to reduce slippery conditions when it rains. The bog bridges are anchored to the ground using rebar stakes. For his project, Will raised over $1,000 in donations and goods to build the new bog bridges for the path adjacent to Ridley Creek. On a hot and sunny Wednesday afternoon, Will gathered his team of scouts to build the bridges on site and install them along the trail. Will and the scouts were well organized, efficient, and professional. I felt inspired watching these fine young men work together in the preserve, getting their hands dirty and creating an amenity that will benefit the community. The scouts did a great job and completed the project in three hours, from start to finish. Thanks to them, this trail, which is often wet and muddy, will now be more easily accessible to our visitors. Having been a scout myself, I can say what an accomplishment it is for Will to reach the rank of Eagle Scout and complete his service project. Not many scouts stick it out and commit to this level of accomplishment. It is a reflection of Will’s perseverance, fortitude, and determination that will serve him well throughout his academic and future professional career. I think we can all draw inspiration from the example set by Will and the scouts from Troop 106. Taking the time to give back by volunteering is both personally fulfilling and incredibly impactful for organizations like ours. If you are interested in joining our group of dedicated volunteers, you are welcome to join us at our Stewardship Volunteer Thursdays, held at our various Preserves from 9am to 4pm every Thursday through November. You can come for the whole session or as long as you’re able! Send an email to Preserve Manager Mike Cranney (mjc@wctrust.org) to sign up. If you’d like to complete a larger project, similar to Will’s bog bridges, please get in touch with Stewardship Director Andrew Kirkpatrick (ajk@wctrust.org). NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 11
ANSWER THE CALL
The Quaker City Foundation Challenge for Rushton Woods Preserve: In Honor of Bonnie Van Alen Longtime supporters, Quaker City Foundation, are generously presenting a challenge to the Willistown Conservation Trust community to recognize and honor Bonnie’s 40 years of dedication to the land, the environment and the furtherance of conservation goals within our community and beyond. For every gift of $5,000 or more, the foundation will match every $2 donated with a $1 gift, up to $250,000, in support of the Campaign for Rushton Woods Preserve. Meeting the Quaker City Foundation Challenge will enable the Trust to complete the $2 Million Campaign For Rushton Woods Preserve by December 2022. Funds raised through the campaign will strengthen the Rushton Wood Preserve by inspiring in all who visit, a commitment to save the land and serve as stewards of the natural world for future generations. Over the years, we have developed a truly integrative approach to conservation, which marries land protection with sustainable farming, bird conservation, habitat restoration and watershed protection, all within a single organization. Will you Answer the Call? Please help us meet this challenge by making a gift to the Campaign for Rushton Woods Preserve. For more information, contact Kate Etherington at kwe@wctrust.org. 12 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
About the Campaign The Campaign for Rushton Woods Preserve: A $2,000,000 campaign to strengthen the Rushton Woods Preserve, to inspire in all who visit a commitment to save the land and serve as stewards of the natural world for future generations.
Campaign Updates • Work has almost concluded on the White Farmhouse, completing much needed structural and cosmetic repairs, while also creating dedicated space for staff, interns, and visiting conservationists, like Holly Garrod. • Guided by the Ecological Restoration and Stewardship Plan developed in partnership with Resource Environmental Solutions LLC and Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, Stewardship staff and volunteers will begin trail restoration this fall and winter. • The Trust received a grant of up to $25,000 from the Chester County Commissioners Preservation Partnership Program for a Universal Access Path at Rushton Woods Preserve.
By The Numbers Restore the White Farmhouse for Farmers, Interns, and Visiting Conservationists $400,000
Campaign Goal: $2,000,000
Develop Preserve Access and Circulation Plan $175,000
Establish Rushton Woods Fund for Programming and Outreach $1,000,000
Design and Implement Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Plan $425,000
Campaign for Rushton Woods Preserve | Funds Raised To Date Campaign Goal: Raised to Date: Funds Needed to Complete Campaign:
$2,000,000 $1,200,000 $800,000
HOLLY GARROD | Holly grew up birding in the Colorado Rockies where she banded her first bird (a mallard) at age 10. She pursued her undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and Zoology at Humboldt State University before assisting with bird banding and monitoring programs at various nonprofits, including National Audubon Society at Starr Ranch and Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Her subsequent work in the neotropics inspired her to pursue a Master’s of Science at Villanova University where she studied behavioral and morphological differences between the two tody species. During her master’s research Holly began volunteering and helping with the banding project at Rushton Farm. After finishing her coursework for her master’s, Holly migrated south to run the Jama-Coaque Bird Observatory in Manabi, Ecuador for a year. Then she moved northward to manage the banding program at Costa Rica Bird Observatories. Holly has led multiple workshops for bird identification and bird banding training in Peru, Ecuador, Belize, and Dominican Republic. She is currently working with the Trust and BirdsCaribbean to create a bird banding network for the Caribbean. Rushton Farm is one of Holly’s favorite migratory stopovers and she is excited to continue to work with the dynamic bird team here.
A Suburban Nature Lover Seeks Legacy Easement to Protect Her Native Plant Oasis By Blake Goll, Education Programs Manager and Erik Hetzel, Director of Land Protection Meandering along the cool wood chip paths beneath the varied canopy of beech, oak, and cherry trees, your eyes dance with the dappled light around the myriad understory shrubs — first settling on this glossy leaved plant, then darting upwards to those feathered shadows that flit and call among the boughs above — and you almost forget that this dynamic natural escape is someone’s backyard.
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here are an estimated 40 to 50 million acres of manicured lawns in the United States today, including residential properties, roadsides, and golf courses; this represents a significant loss in plant and habitat diversity needed to support wildlife in these spaces. Unsustainable human population growth coupled with harrowing reports of a 30% loss of all birds since 1970 are a call to action. Fortunately, as Marianne Price’s property in Broomall, PA proves, with the right planning, the average American yard can easily and significantly contribute to insect and bird populations. “My husband Karl and I bought this place in 1972 after the previous owner passed away,” Marianne explains. “He wanted the buyer to be someone who would take care of the property for the wild birds he loved so much. He’s the one who began stewarding this yard with native trees. I kept nurturing the trees and planting more, because I wanted to keep my word, and I’ve done just that. Here I am almost at the 50 year anniversary!” she gleams. Marianne has continued to care for this one-acre ecosystem, single-handedly taking on the responsibilities after Karl passed in 2007. Marianne’s devotion to stewarding the property now extends well into the future, thanks to her commitment to conserving the land with Willistown Conservation Trust. Using a Legacy Easement, which is specifically designed for smaller properties like hers, Marianne approached the Trust’s Land Protection Program earlier this year. Director of Land Protection Erik Hetzel recalls, “I visited her property on a sunny October morning and was greeted by an oasis of nature in a suburban neighborhood. The place was buzzing with pollinators and birds.” The terms of Marianne’s easements are relatively simple, focusing on the preservation of native tree species, including vital species like the native oak that supports a myriad of
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caterpillar and bird species. The Trust’s Legacy Easement program uses a simplified easement model to conserve lands that might not be effectively protected by other means, such as through deed restrictions or covenants between neighboring property owners. This unique program opens the door for landowners with smaller properties to become conservationists in a new way, one that is more accessible. And Marianne’s easement will ensure the lasting stewardship of the habitat that she has nurtured over the last 50 years. Like legacy easements, part of the reason why Marianne’s little sanctuary is so inspiring is that emulating it is doable. She is a plant enthusiast and has fun experimenting with different species and cultivars that are not all native. Experts say that even if you strive for 70% native plant biomass and allow the other 30% to be other (noninvasive) plants of interest, you can still contribute to the growth of suburban bird populations like chickadees. It does not have to be an all or nothing effort. The average American lawn can easily attract at least 50 kinds of beautiful and interesting birds with the right planning! With a keen eye for sustainable practices, Marianne even strives to make her watering practices environmentally friendly. Although her diverse landscape of hardy perennials, shrubs, and deep-rooted trees requires less water that a typical Kentucky bluegrass lawn, she still needs to water during dry spells. She cleverly collects the used “gray water” from her air conditioning unit, dehumidifier, and even her laundry washing machine! She pumps this reusable water into covered storage barrels tucked around her property for watering. When you consider that each hour of lawn mowing generates as much pollution as driving a car nearly 100 miles, it also becomes apparent how a property like Marianne’s demonstrates a more carbon neutral solution to an all-lawn landscape. From saving water and reducing carbon emissions to contributing to biodiversity and permanently protecting her land, Marianne is truly an inspiration to us all — proving that an average-sized suburban landscape can be transformed from a uniform green patch to an alluring conserved oasis.
Marianne Price. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.
Erik Hetzel and Sue Costello taking baseline easement photos. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.
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Marianne has close to 80 trees planted on her property. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.
Watershed Co-op Zack Smith collecting a microplastic sample in Crum Creek at Kirkwood Preserve. Photo by Monica McQuail/Staff.
Watershed Protection Co-op Zack Smith holding a microplastic sample taken at Rushton Woods Preserve. Photo by Lauren McGrath/Staff.
Microplastic Pollution is No Small Problem in our Headwaters By Zack Smith, Watershed Protection Co-Op
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ass production and consumption of plastic have reached all corners of our globe, from the depths of the oceans to the air around us, and even right here in Willistown. Plastic pollution comes in all shapes and sizes, but microplastics have been receiving increased attention due to the way they infiltrate our natural spaces. Specifically, microplastics are pieces of plastic that are less than 5 millimeters in diameter. Plastics at this size are called primary microplastics. Secondary microplastics occur when litter or other plastic refuse enter the environment and begin breaking into thousands of little pieces. Consequently, scientists have been finding plastics in almost every single spot they look for them — including in our own bodies. Microplastic pollution has been documented in museum collections of fish specimens dating back to the 1950s, which indicates that microplastics have likely been a danger to life on Earth since their invention. Plastics carry contaminants and pathogens that can harm species by hindering their ability to properly function. Oceans, the atmosphere, and urban rivers have been the main focus of most microplastic research, but very little has been done to document microplastic pollution in low order streams. Here at the Trust, we want to ensure the land and waters we preserve are facing as few impacts as possible by understanding all pressures and pollutants as best we can. With microplastics being documented across global landscapes, we couldn’t help but wonder: are microplastics present in the headwaters of Ridley, Crum, and Darby Creek? The Trust initiated the study of microplastic pollution during the summer of 2020 when Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Zack Smith of Drexel University analyzed the Trust’s “historic” water samples that had been gathered from January of 2018 through March of 2020. After discovering the presence of microplastic pollution in these samples, Smith eliminated the potential for cross-contamination by adjusting sample protocol to include plastic-free sampling. Using glass sampling jars and plastic-free processing, in April 2021, Willistown Conservation Trust Co-Ops Gloria Avila, Chase Foster, Niya Moss, Zack Smith and Anna Willig and Director of the Watershed Protection Program Lauren
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A microplastic sample being transferred from a vacuum filter onto a tin tray where it will then be dried and inspected for plastic pollution. Photo by Lauren McGrath/Staff.
A microplastic grab sample after it has been filtered. This filter will then be inspected for any microplastic contamination under a microscope. Photo by Lauren McGrath/Staff.
McGrath collected and analyzed 76 samples gathered from the Ridley, Crum, and Darby Creeks within the Trust’s 28,000acre focus area. Of these samples, 100% contained the presence of microplastic pollution. The hope is that this method will show truer values of the microplastics in our waterways and help us determine ways we may be able to further understand this pollutant. Currently, we believe that waste water is where much of the plastics come from in our area. Our goal is to constantly monitor the health of our waterways so we can relieve any unwanted strain on our downstream neighbors. For years, microplastics have been regarded as a downstream problem due in part to their large quantities in terminal locations like oceans. Our work is showing that this is not the case. In fact, microplastic pollution is a global problem and a local problem, one that is impacting all areas of life. Our goal is that protections and regulations, such as land protection and monitoring, can be put in place to help reduce the amount of plastic entering our waterways. Conserving land reduces the number of impervious surfaces — surfaces that do not allow for water to absorb into the soil — and can help reduce runoff during storm events, which slows the rate of plastic entering water bodies. Riparian buffers along streams help to slow runoff and reduce the inflow of pollutants by filtering them out. Having these critical spaces in sensitive headwater regions can go a long way in helping to provide healthy and usable water for our downstream neighbors. Reducing the amount of plastics introduced into our environment is also necessary to alleviate the stress on our waterways for good. Reducing the impact of microplastics will take a lot of work, but the Watershed Protection Team has already taken steps to begin doing so. With this study, we can clearly see that microplastic pollution is an issue that exists in the headwaters of our watersheds, and we must work to further raise awareness of this issue and continue to monitor the persistent problem of microplastic pollution. At home, some of the easiest ways to reduce your plastic footprint are to choose plastic alternatives, add microplastic filters to your washing machines, and to make sure that all items are getting used to their maximum potential. If we can decrease the plastic leaving our homes, local water treatment plants will discharge less into our local waters. Visit www.wctrust.org/plastic-free-july-resources/ to learn more about how we can work to reduce microplastic pollution. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 17
Siana with Ken Leister, county coordinator for the Bluebird Society of PA. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.
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Blake Goll and Siana adjusting a bluebird box during monitoring this summer. Photo by Meta Poulos-Christaldi.
Bird Conservation Committee Chairman Dick Eales assisted with installation. Photo by Meta Poulos-Christaldi.
Siana and her brother Daniel monitoring the bluebird trail this summer. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff.
A Rushton Nature Keeper “Graduate” Restores Historic Bluebird Trail to Willistown By Blake Goll, Education Programs Manager
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lmost ten years ago, a little girl named Siana Christaldi and her brother began religiously attending the Trust’s nature programs that were then part of the nascent Junior Birding Club. Siana especially loved the adventures in which she and her family enthusiastically participated: watching the dazzling courtship flights of the American Woodcocks at Rushton Farm in early spring, exploring a local vernal pool for spotted salamanders one rainy night in early April with Education Programs Manager Blake Goll, and even lending an eager hand for local stream cleanups at the Trust’s nature preserves. Siana’s passion for nature flourished over the years as she continued to participate in the Rushton Nature Keepers program that was established in 2018 as the Trust’s holistic approach to environmental education, encompassing major conservation themes of healthy habitat, birds and wildlife, watersheds, and regenerative farming. In 2019, Siana and her family also dove wholeheartedly into the Trust’s Homeowner Bird Box Program—receiving their own bluebird box to monitor in their yard. A bluebird family quickly took up residence, and Siana was hooked. Naming the dad Blueberry and the mom Muffin, she bravely inspected the nest regularly despite having her hair tousled by the chastising dives of the parents. It was this personal connection to the bluebird box in her backyard that inspired her to build bluebird boxes for her Girl Scout Silver Award project last winter. Siana (now 14 years old) first met with local bluebird box builder, Ken Leister, better known as The Bluebird Keeper; he has built close to 1,000 boxes in the past ten years for homes, schools, golf courses, local businesses, and nonprofits like Willistown Conservation Trust. And his boxes are the crème de la crème if you are a bluebird; they are equipped with thoughtful features that many commercial boxes lack, such as an extra-large roof and ample ventilation to help prevent the chicks from overheating during hot summer days.
and to cut all the parts for ten bluebird boxes. She took these parts back to her building team of two friends and instructed them on how to assemble a “Ken Leister bluebird box.” Siana reflects, “We all had fun learning and building these boxes, and the whole experience felt like a special gift during the Covid-19 quarantine.” In early spring, Siana worked with Blake to install the ten boxes on a private farm in Willistown. This was significant because the farm’s current owner is keen on reestablishing the bluebird box trail that her grandfather, Hardie Scott, had lovingly established in the 60’s. In those days, concern was growing over the declining bluebird populations; threats included non-native competing species like House Sparrows, widespread pesticide use, and habitat loss from development. With the help of compassionate citizens establishing nest box campaigns and well monitored bluebird trails beginning in the 60’s and 70’s, Pennsylvania is once again home to healthy populations of these stunning backyard birds. Siana helped monitor the bluebird trail this summer with Blake and found that the boxes were also being enjoyed by Tree Swallows, native birds that hunt insects on the wing. Since bluebirds hunt insects by diving into the grass from a hunting perch, they are not a direct competitive threat to Tree Swallows. Consequently, a swallow will generally allow a nearby bird box to be occupied by bluebirds but not by other swallows. As such, the boxes were cleverly paired to hopefully allow Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows to live and breed in harmony. The new bluebird trail now lies vacant under the crisp autumn sunshine in the wide-open rolling hills, wild meadows, and fields of Willistown. The boxes hold the promise of many more broods of baby birds in the spring to come. When the Tree Swallows return to somersault through the honeysuckle-scented air and the bluebirds’ sweet songs bubble forth from the new leaves, Siana’s boxes will again come to life.
After collecting free scrap wood from a local fencing company, Siana worked with Ken to learn the dimensions NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 19
Rushton Farm bee apiary. Photo by Jennifer Mathes.
The Buzzy Life of Bees at Rushton Farm By Monica McQuail, Communications Specialist One sunny midsummer day in 2012 on Rushton Farm, the bees decided to swarm. Noah [Gress], a certified apiarist — and the Sustainable Gardening Manager teaching our cohort on agro-ecology best practices that day — knew exactly what to do and quickly sprang into action. He was able to smoothly and safely locate the queen bee and remove the branch occupied by the swarm. This mesmerizing event lasted only a minute or two, before it was time to return to tending the row crops we were growing to support the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and donate to the Chester County Food Bank and West Chester Food Cupboard. Despite the brevity of this moment, it made a lasting impression on all of us who were there.
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his memory was fondly recounted by Benjamin Reynard, a former intern at Willistown Conservation Trust’s Rushton Farm and the founder of Pollinator Patch, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring backyard habitat with the bees in mind.
Inspired by his experience with the bees, Ben decided to make Rushton Farm the focus of his capstone project that same year, and he began collecting bee specimens to send back to a bee lab for identification. As he explains, “Thanks to the sustainable farming practices, focus on native plantings and abundant open space, we were able to identify 49 unique species of bees at Rushton Farm.” Today, a specimen representing each of these 49 types of bees is displayed in a large protective box found at the Rushton Conservation Center. These bees serve as a constant reminder of just how diverse nature can be when nurtured sustainably. BEES ON RUSHTON FARM As for Noah and the bees, all parties continue to thrive in their mutually beneficial relationship. Five to ten honeybee colonies live in the sunshine on a secluded hill at Rushton Woods Preserve, overlooking Rushton Farm. In addition to the crops grown at the Farm, these pollinators have ample access to the variety of native gardens and wildflower meadows that are found in the warmer months on the 84 protected acres of Rushton Farm and Rushton Woods Preserve. While only six acres, the Farm’s diverse plant life and holistic approach to ethical farming have created an ecosystem that allows the birds, bees, and other pollinators like flies, butterflies, and wasps to flourish. Director of Community Farm Program Fred De Long and farm staff avoid pesticides and herbicides, remove their polymesh row covers at optimal times to allow pollinators access to the plants, and maintain mulching between rows so the pollinators can overwinter. 20 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Noah Gress teaching Rushton Nature Keepers about honey. Photos by Blake Goll/Staff.
Thanks to the bees, the Farm is able to produce prolific crops; the European honeybee is responsible for pollinating the watermelons, cucumbers, and squash while the native honeybee takes care of pollinating the tomatoes, eggplants, and pumpkins. Fred uses bees to illustrate the many benefits of sustainable agriculture whenever he visits other local farms and lectures at conferences. He explains, “With the display box of bees, I show farmers that they’re killing 49 species of pollinators alone when they use harmful pesticides. The benefit of these pollinators far outweighs the damage caused by pests.” A SPOONFUL OF HONEY In addition to having an incredible sense of smell that allows them to seek out pollen and nectar from their preferred plants, bees are the only insects to produce food eaten by humans: honey, a substance that contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals, waters, and antioxidants that support life. Additionally, honey has the added benefits of a limitless shelf life, allergy relief and wound-healing capabilities. The bees at Rushton Farm produce hundreds of pounds of honey a year, which is harvested in June and then given to the Farm’s CSA members and used to teach children about the sweet benefits of bees as part of the Trust’s educational programming. In the spring, the honey is milder in taste and lighter in color as a result of the bees collecting pollen from poppies, black locust, and dandelions. Come fall, the honey tastes bolder and turns darker in color thanks to pollen produced by goldenrod, rudbeckia, and monarda. Tulip poplars are responsible for adding a reddish tint to the honey, and an abundance of locust nectar can help the honeybee produce 30 pounds of honey in just one week. THE FUTURE OF THE BEES Next year, Fred plans to facilitate another study of the bees at Rushton Farm. By applying for a grant and bringing out a capstone student from the University of Pennsylvania’s Master in Environmental Science Program, he hopes to document any changes since Ben’s study ten years prior. The overall goal is to understand more about the dwindling bee populations and to continue studying these vital pollinators, the same way the Trust studies birds throughout the year through our extensive Bird Conservation Program. Like Ben, Noah and Fred, many of us in southeastern Pennsylvania have likely experienced the hypnotic quality that bees elicit. Head outside to a nearby nature preserve bursting with fall blooms, or visit your favorite local apple orchard, and you’ll hear the steady hum of the bees gathering nectar and pollen to feed their colony as they prepare for winter. When these important pollinators emerge from their apartment complex of stacked boxes come spring, Rushton Farm will be more than ready to welcome them back. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 21
MOVERS AND SHAKERS | STAFF AND TRUSTEE NEWS Meet Our Executive Director & Associate Executive Director KATE ETHERINGTON | Having been a
volunteer at the Trust since 2014, Kate officially joined our team in 2020 as Associate Executive Director and later transitioned to the role of Executive Director in 2021. Kate comes to us with an extensive background in nonprofit management, including serving as the Shelter Services Coordinator at Sojourner Center and the Senior Program Director and Interim Executive Director at Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Colgate University and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. As Executive Director, Kate is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the Trust and planning for its successful future. Outside of the office, she spends plenty of time outdoors, hiking, horseback riding, skiing, reading, and spending time with her husband and three daughters on their small farm. JULIE S. GRAHAM | We first met Julie
in 2013 when she began to serve the Trust as an outside finance consultant and advisor. Now we are fortunate to welcome her back in the Associate Executive Director role. Julie was raised in Chicago, attended Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and began her career as a CPA with a global accounting firm. She has since worked for a diverse array of for-profit and non-profit organizations in financial accounting, reporting, administration, and strategy. In addition to being an active volunteer in the local community, Julie has served on several boards and committees and enjoys playing tennis, gardening, and spending time with her husband and two grown children.
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS | STAFF AND TRUSTEE NEWS KATIE KOURAKIS | Katie joined the Trust in 2021 with over 15 years of experience in the private sector where she worked as a marketing and corporate events director. As the Event Support Manager at the Trust, Katie is responsible for working with Lindsay to develop marketing materials for the Rushton Conservation Center. Outside of the office, Katie enjoys hiking and traveling with family, birding, and volunteering at her children’s school. And of course, she loves organizing and planning social events. MONICA MCQUAIL | Monica came on board in 2021 after working for over 5 years in communications at North American Land Trust and even longer for a variety of local media publications. Here at the Trust, she assists with all things communications, from creating social media posts and writing press releases, to helping plan events and working on the website. She has found that her background in French helps her to translate technical scientific writing into fun digestible facts for everyone. In her spare time, Monica enjoys practicing calligraphy and ceramics, as well as hiking, cycling, and camping with her family. ANNA WILLIG | While pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Conservation Biology at Middlebury College, Anna joined our Watershed Protection Team as an intern in 2018. During the summers of 2019 and 2020 she conducted research on nitrogen fixation in mosses and studied stream salamander ecology at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest before returning to our team in 2021. As a Watershed Conservation Associate, Anna assists with monthly water chemistry sampling, maintains the tree planting at Ashbridge Preserve, and analyzes water quality data from sampling and from our EnviroDIY sensors. Out of the stream, Anna enjoys going on walks with friends, family and dogs, and tending to her veggie garden. Staff photos by Jennifer Mathes.
Meet Our New Trustee MICHAEL BURG, ESQ. |
Michael Burg has been a member of the Board of Directors and has acted as solicitor for Open Land Conservancy for many years. Mike is a partner in the law firm Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP. He has practiced real estate law for over 30 years, with a focus on commercial, land use and conservation matters. He is a board member of Community Volunteers in Medicine and Willistown Conservation Trust. Mike spends time outdoors fly fishing, golfing, biking, and rowing. Mike and his wife Linda reside in Berwyn and enjoy hiking and traveling together.
Th e S y c a m o r e WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Road Newtown Square, PA 19073
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOUTHEASTERN, PA PERMIT NO. 96
What Will You Discover? Dive into our local streams and see what lives there. Inspire yourself by learning something new through one of our educational programs. Seek out adventure at one of our three nature preserves. Create a wildlife sanctuary on your property through conservation easements and landscaping with native plants. Observe migratory birds up close at our Rushton Woods Preserve Banding Station. Volunteer at Rushton Farm to gain an understanding of how regenerative agriculture sustains people and the surrounding natural ecosystem. Explore how the Trust is contributing to bird conservation on a global scale through our Northeast Motus Collaboration Wildlife Tracking System. Reconnect with our community of conservationists at an upcoming event. Your generous contribution will ensure that the Trust continues to conserve our natural world for future generations. Please make a donation to our Annual Fund!
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