The Sycamore | Fall 2023

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

|

FA L L 2 0 2 3

Message from the Board Chair Catherine W. Etherington President & Executive Director Julie S. Graham Associate Executive Director

BOARD OF TRUSTEES John F. Stoviak, Esq. | Chair Meg Tegler Hardesty | Vice Chair Leanne M. McMenamin | Vice Chair V. Richard Eales | Treasurer Elizabeth C. Hucker | Secretary Clarke Blynn Michael Burg, Esq. Bryan D. Colket Kimberley H. Galligher, VMD Mark T. Ledger Lindsay Scott Leisenring Michael J. McGraw Linda I. McIsaac

Silenia Rhoads Doug Swope Justin N. Thompson David L. Unruh Jeanne B. Van Alen** Rick Warden Jason D. Weckstein, PhD Alejandro Zozaya

* President Emerita

STAFF Todd Alleger | New England Motus Project Technician Molly Clark | Rushton Farm Production Manager Aaron Coolman | Motus Technician and Avian Migration Ecologist Sue Costello | GIS Coordinator 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 Michelle Havens | Development Associate Erik Hetzel | Director of Land Protection and Public Grants John Holback | Stewardship Manager Heidi Hole | Campaign Manager Andrew Kirkpatrick | Director of Stewardship Lisa Kiziuk | Director of Bird Conservation Program Kelsey Lingle | Director of Communications and Marketing Lindsay Martin-Carlson | Event Support Manager Lauren McGrath | Director of Watershed Protection Program Lindsey McQuiston | Communications Specialist Molly Scott | Events Coordinator Anna Willig | Conservation Data and GIS Specialist

Dear Friends, For 25 years, Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) has championed land protection and conservation. Thanks to the unwavering commitment of Willistown Township’s leadership and the generous support from our partners, over 7,500 acres of open space and natural resources have been preserved.

Now, we’re thrilled about an exceptional opportunity to expand on this success by acquiring and preserving a 90-acre portion of the Kirkwood Farm property in the heart of Willistown Township. This property, bordered

by Providence Road to the north and Plumsock Road to the south, is under an Agreement of Sale, and we aim to complete the purchase later this year.

In order to accomplish this transformative purchase, we will need generous support from Willistown Township, Chester County and other grantors. In addition, we will be reaching out to the many people, organizations and corporate partners who have supported WCT in the past as well as potential new donors looking for their financial support of this critical initiative.

Your support of this project will help make our community more sustainable and will propel WCT towards achieving our 2023 Strategic Plan tagline of “Saving, Studying, and Sharing Land, Water, and Habitat” because the acquisition of this 90-acre preserve will: • Assure the preservation of prime habitat for numerous species of wildlife, including critical areas for nesting and migratory birds • Provide opportunities for the public to enjoy the preserve and its natural features, including extensive pedestrian and equestrian trails • Serve as an important resource and study area for habitat restoration and watershed protection.

Thank you in advance for your enthusiasm and support of this amazing opportunity.

Sincerely,

Cover Photo | Aaron Coolman WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Road | Newtown Square, PA 19073 610.353.2562 | wctrust.org Willistown Conservation Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 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.

2 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

John Stoviak Chair, Board of Trustees

CONTENTS

JENNIFER MATHES

T H E SYC A MO R E N E WS LE T T E R | FALL 2023

2|

Message from the Board Chair

4|

Letter from the Executive Director

7|

Kirkwood Steps Up!

8|

Twenty Acres of Woodland Habitat Conserved

10 |

Diatoms Illustrate How Land Use Can Alter Stream Health in Ridley Creek

12 |

Coming Soon: Kestrel Hill Preserve A new 90-acre nature preserve at Kirkwood Farm

15 |

Reflecting on a Summer at Rushton Farm

16 |

Reversing the Decline of Grassland Birds in Chester County

19 |

Corporate Sponsorship Program

20 |

Preserving Quiet Moments: Photography Show

21 |

Willistown Conservation Trust Bird Friendly® Coffee Coalition

22 |

Staff and Trustee News TABLE OF CONTENTS | 3

Letter from the Executive Director

T

his summer we announced an extraordinary opportunity for Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) to purchase 90 acres of the 218-acre Kirkwood Farm. This acquisition comes on the heels of the property being sold for the first time in almost 100 years. The development of this stunning piece of land would have had a devastating impact on the established greenway of private and publicly conserved lands surrounding Kirkwood Farm.

Now, thanks to an agreement with the new owner, WCT will establish a new public wildlife preserve with pedestrian and equestrian trails traversing rolling hills, vast meadows, meandering creeks, and forested woodlands.

Once acquired, it will extend a network preserves owned by WCT totaling almost 400 acres, a tremendous asset to the health and well-being of our regional community, and the flora and fauna that rely on protected habitat.

Although the acquisition has been a major focus of our energy these past few months, WCT and our core activities remain at the forefront of the conservation field. In the following pages you will learn about a wide variety of worthwhile endeavors also underway at WCT, all of which begin with land preservation. Whether monitoring water quality, farming in concert with nature, improving accessibility in our nature preserves, protecting habitat for declining bird species, or protecting open space through conservation easements, land preservation is key to the health of our larger ecosystem and WCT is leading by example in our local community and well beyond.

I wish all of you a wonderful fall and holiday season ahead!

Gratefully,

Catherine Etherington President & Executive Director kwe@wctrust.org

4 | LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

LINDSEY MCQUISTON

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 5

!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!! ! ! !! !!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !! ! !!

!!!! !!!

34 0

! !!! ! ! !! !! ! !! !! ! !!!! !!! ! ! !!!!!!!

!

300

!!!!!!! !!!!!

! !!! ! !!! !! ! ! !!!

!

310

!! !!

!

!!!!! !!

! !!!!!! !!! ! !!!

310

!!!!

n

380

!

n

Scenic Viewpoint

ROA D

350

n

n

n

M as

n

n

n

n

n

Ru

n

n

n

n

n 360

n n 380

Equestrian and Pedestrian Trails (no dogs, please!)

n 0

n

0

n 0

37 370

410

39

n

40

n n n

n

Meadowlark Loop (0.9 miles)

n nn n

Massey Run Loop (0.9 miles)

410

Creekside Loop (0.7 miles)

420

Grassland Spur Trail (0.2 miles)

ROAD

KIRKWOOD PRESERVE

!!

n Tails Trail and Northside Loop (1.3 miles) (open to leashed dogs August through April; open to pedestrians and equestrians year-round)

n

sey

n

TRAILS

!!!!!!!!!!! !

370

n

!

i !

n n

!! !!

! !!! !! !! !! !!

!!

n

Connector Trails (0.4 miles)

f ¥

Proposed Loop (0.3 miles) Stepping Stone Stream Crossing !!!

Pedestrian Bridge

!! !! !! !! !!!

!!!!!!!!!

n 340

0

32

! !!! ! !!

! !!!!! ! ! ! ! !!!! !!!!

n

!

300

n 310

n

!!! !!! !! !! ! !!!

!!!

! !!

n

¥f

!!!!!!

!!! !!

!! !!!

0

29

!!!!! !

290

n

GRU BBS MILL

! !! ! !!

!! !!!

!! !!

!! !! !!!!!!! !!

330

GOSHEN

F

!!! !!!! ! ! ! !!! !!!!!! !

! !!! !!

!!!

!!! !! !!!!!!! !!! !

!!!! !

!! !!! ! !! !!!

! ! !! !!

!!! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

Feet

!!!!! !!

n

n

400

320

n n

!!!

380

200

!!

!!!

! !!

!!!!!! !

ek

0

0

33

!! ! ! !! !

!

!

! !!!!! !!! !!! !!! !!! !! !! !!

Crum

!

!!!!!! !! ! ! !! ! ! !! !!! ! !! ! !!! D ! ! ! ! !!

OA !! !

R ! ! ! ! ! !!

R !!!!! !!!! ! !!

AR !

!!!

!!!

!

!

RS O H ITE H W !!!

C re

B

D OA R E

n Trees and Wooded Areas

Kirkwood Steps Up!

By Andrew Kirkpatrick, Director of Stewardship

W

illistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) Kirkwood Preserve boasts a rich tapestry of wide-open meadows, a meandering creek, wooded slopes, and riparian wetlands. Kestrels and meadowlarks nest and breed there in the late spring, monarchs feed on milkweed in the hot summer months, and our community members can be found wandering the trails. In the last year, Kirkwood Preserve has grown in size from 86 acres to over 100 acres. With the addition of the 12-acre property across Crum Creek along White Horse Road, which features a shrub scrub habitat and rocky wooded slopes, and the 6-acre field across Grubbs Mill Road at the corner of Goshen Road, we are permanently protecting even more habitat for the community to explore.

be limited to before and after ground nesting bird season, which is May through July. So from August to April, you will be able to bring your furry friend with you to enjoy this section of the Preserve. If you do plan to bring your dog to Kirkwood, we ask that you respect the leash requirements as dogs off-leash can be problematic for other visitors, equestrians, and birds who call Kirkwood home year-round. Please remember to leave no trace and remove all waste.

On the new 6-acre expansion field across from Kirkwood Preserve, at the corner of Goshen and Grubbs Mill Roads, we plan to install a demonstration of our lawn conversion program with a new wildflower meadow and a loop trail for visitors to enjoy.

These additions were made possible through the generous financial support of Willistown Township, Chester County, and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. In anticipation of the additions to the Preserve, we expanded the parking lot last year to accommodate more visitors. In October we installed a stepping stone crossing over Crum Creek so visitors can safely and dryly cross to the north side of the Preserve.

Previously, this area was inaccessible without suffering wet feet, the use of waders, or riding on the back of a horse!

If you have visited our Ashbridge Preserve, you are well familiar with our two sets of stone step crossings over Ridley Creek. This new crossing at Kirkwood will be the same style and just as much fun to use! Land Concepts and JK Paving have been great partners and without their hard work and dedication, this project would not have been possible. As many of our neighbors know, this project has been in the works for some time and we are so pleased that it will be completed this month.

KATE ETHERINGTON

In preparation for the new stone step crossing, the Stewardship team has created new trails that make a loop through the addition. The trail passes through a wet meadow, the rocky slopes over Crum Creek, and back through the shrub scrub habitat. Leashed dogs will be permitted on the trail to the stream crossing and on the new section of the Preserve. However, this access will

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 7

The Historic Leopard Tract

Twenty Acres of Woodland Habitat Conserved

By Erik Hetzel, Director of Land Protection

I

n October 2023 longtime resident and Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) supporter Beverly Hattersley generously granted a conservation easement on her 20-acre property in Easttown Township. Mrs. Hattersley worked with Land Protection staff over the course of the past year to refine her vision for conservation. The property is part of the historic Leopard Tract, a 316-acre area of land bound by Grubbs Mill and Buttonwood Roads, bisected by Twinbrook Road. The Tract, established in the 1920s, consists of properties 10-acres and larger. Originally under deed restriction, this oasis of open space in a rapidly suburbanized area includes woodlands, creeks, ponds, and open meadows. Several residents of the Tract have elected to strengthen those original deed restrictions by placing conservation easements, to be upheld in perpetuity by WCT, on their land. Mrs. Hatterley’s property is adjacent to another 10-acre property under easement, creating 30 contiguous acres of permanently protected open space.

The Hattersley property contains two 10-acre parcels. Significant natural features include Grubb Mill Run, a tributary of Crum Creek; two small ponds associated with the creek; floodplain and sensitive riparian areas adjacent to the creek and ponds; mature woodland; and scenic views into the property from Twinbrook Road and nearby conserved lands.

8 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

SUE COSTELLO

Under the easement, the residential building site on the undeveloped lot will be eliminated, ensuring that those woodlands remain intact, and further limitations on building size and impervious coverage have been established on the existing residential site.

“WCT is eternally grateful for landowners like Mrs. Hattersley who elect to restrict development on their property for the benefit of nature and the surrounding community.”, says Kate Etherington, Executive Director, “Thanks to her foresight, this special piece of woodland, home to owls, song birds, foxes, and other species, will remain intact forever.”

WCT works with landowners and properties of all sizes to create conservation plans. From 1-acre suburban landscapes to many hundred acre farms, WCT can customize conservation plans that meet the needs of the landowner while preserving land and habitat for generations to come. To learn more about our conservation efforts, reach out to Erik Hetzel, Director of Land Protection at ewh@wctrust.org.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 9

Diatoms Illustrate How Land Use Can Alter Stream Health in Ridley Creek

By Sarah Barker, Watershed Protection Program Co-op

D

iatoms are a single celled algae which form the foundation of stream ecosystems; they provide oxygen through photosynthesis, and act as food for other aquatic life. Diatoms are picky about where they live, with small shifts in water chemistry completely changing the species of diatoms found on a single rock.

Stream conditions can change extremely quickly; a bad storm can wash away the entire diatom community, allowing new species to dominate. Changes on the landscape like development or influence from a wastewater treatment plant can also restructure diatom communities.

The ability of diatom community structure to change is a wonderful tool scientists can use to investigate the health of a body of water.

This summer, I collaborated with the Diatom Herbarium at the Academy of Natural Sciences, which hosts globally renowned diatom experts and is home to one of the oldest historical collections of diatom samples, including samples taken from Ridley Creek as long ago as 1909.

With expert guidance, I collected diatom samples from five different sites along Ridley Creek (Map 1). I then worked to identify and count the most abundant species. Samples were collected from West Branch Ridley Creek (WBRC1), Main Stem Ridley Creek (RC1), a small wastewater influenced tributary that feeds into Ridley Creek at Ashbridge Preserve (RCWW1), Ashbridge Preserve (RCAB1), and Okehocking Preserve (RCOK1).

Analyzing diatom species allows us to build a baseline for what a healthy stream looks like in this geographic area.

This provides a helpful benchmark that we can use in conjunction with long-term environmental data, like the water chemistry data WCT has been collecting since 2018, to study the changing health of Ridley Creek. During analysis, I counted nearly 1,400 diatom cells and found over 60 different species. Most were common freshwater diatom species, but there were a few rare species found as well. Four out of the five sites had very similar species present (Fig. 1), with the wastewater tributary showcasing a much different community structure (Fig. 2).

10 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

The four most common diatom species from West Branch Ridley Creek, Main Stem Ridley Creek, Ashbridge Preserve, and Okehocking Preserve indicate the presence of elevated nutrients in the stream. However, the most abundant species from the wastewater samples are more of a mixed bag, with some species preferring more nutrients and other species thriving in low-nutrient conditions.

There is no simple explanation for these results, but one hypothesis is that the stream conditions at the wastewater tributary are less stable, leading to rapid changes in habitat for diatoms, causing populations to fluctuate. In contrast, the other four sites are more likely to have a relatively stable environment, allowing species that share similar optimal habitats to establish robust populations.

Diatom diversity in general, is correlated with conductivity, which is a broad water quality measurement that reflects the presence of ions, including pollutants like salts and nutrients, in the water. The different ions that are measured by conductivity matter when it comes to where certain species will thrive. Conductivity was measured at each sampling site at the time of sampling, and the wastewater tributary was found to have the highest conductivity of all sites by a significant margin.

Such a difference in conductivity between the wastewater tributary and the other sites along Ridley Creek, suggests that despite being close geographically, the difference in habitat supports a completely different community of diatoms.

The wastewater tributary is an example of how development can negatively impact water quality, resulting from the presence of a wastewater treatment plant.

With this data, we can begin investigating why diatom communities change, start to understand what a healthy diatom community looks like in Ridley Creek, and work to continue the decades-long effort by the community to protect and restore these precious stream habitats.

a

c

b

d

Figure 1. The most abundant species across all sites except for RCWW1. Under the microscope is (a) Cocconeis pediculus (b) Rhoicosphenia abbreviata (c) Cocconeis placentula (d) Planothidium frequentissimum. 10 µm = 0.001 Centimeter.

a

d

e

b

c

Figure 2. The most abundant species from RCWW1. Under the microscope is (a) Fragilaria pararumpens (b) Fragilaria capucina (c) Eunotia bilunaris (d) Gomphonema parvulum (e) Nitzschia palea. 10 µm = 0.001 Centimeter.

DIATOM SAMPLING SITES Sampling Sites Ridley Creek Watershed Public Open Space Protected Private Open Space

Map 1. Map of Diatom Sampling Sites.

Map by Anna Willig.

SARAH BARKER | Sarah is a senior at Drexel University where she is majoring in Biology with a concentration on evolution, ecology, and genomics. Before joining the Watershed Program, she spent six months working for a water quality start-up called Tern Water as a water chemistry research/lab assistant and another six months working at Polysciences as a quality control chemist. As a Watershed Protection Program Co-op, her responsibilities included assisting in sample collection, equipment maintenance, data collection and entry, NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 11 running laboratory analyses, and aiding in educational outreach.

COMING SOON: KESTREL HILL PRESERVE

A new 90-acre nature preserve at Kirkwood Farm

W

hen Kirkwood Farm was listed for sale last year, neighbors, local elected officials, and Willistown Conservation Trust were swift and decisive in reaching unanimous agreement that it was urgent and imperative to save from development one of the last and largest unprotected parcels of open space in Willistown Township.

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.

12 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

“Our plans are ambitious and extend far beyond protecting the scenic and historic values of Kirkwood Farm. As caretakers of this rich and beautiful land ...its rolling grasslands, mature woodlands and stream valleys ... our work enhances the web of nature that sustains all life. We become stewards of the land today for the wildlife and people of tomorrow.” - Bonnie Van Alen, President Emerita

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.

The new preserve is not yet open to the public but you can scan the QR code and enjoy spectacular views of this secluded and idyllic property today.

LINDSEY MCQUISTON

Reflecting on a Summer at Rushton Farm

By Maria DiGiovanni, Conservation Associate

F

resh out of college, my first venture into the ‘real world’ has likely looked different than that of plenty of my classmates. While the typical 9-5 may conjure images of videochats, spreadsheets, and other office drudgery, I spent my summer in the dirt.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Rushton Farm has become the place of summer’s sweetest memories, made alongside enchanting scenery and even more fascinating people. I had studied much about food systems to complete my degree, but without on-farm experience, I arrived clueless about the everyday workings of a farm. Only four months later, I cannot say I am anywhere near an expert on that subject, but I am at least sure of one fact: food is magic. The work of producing food, moving my body for hours in all sorts of outdoor conditions, pushed me to reconnect with my humanness in a profound but altogether simple way. It just felt right. Even the smallest occurrences provoked childlike awe, such as my first time picking green beans off the vine and thinking, “woah, this is really a green bean!” This farm, to me, is the most ‘real’ of all the places I could be.

The magic of farming derives not only from the tangible production but the sharing of it all. At Rushton Farm, I made friends of all ages, each drawn to the farm

from a distinct background ranging from foraging to film. The wonderful company often made it feel more like summer camp than work. And when the heat of the afternoon made us sluggish, I was at least assured we were suffering together. Beyond the field, I shared the farm with family and friends by regularly doling out fresh veggies or bouquets of flowers. Giving a portion of the work I adored, whether to our members or my loved ones, was perhaps the most human part of it all.

Amid all the wonders of this work, I often thought about how fortunate I am to have had the experience I did. Because Rushton Farm is a beloved CSA with a strong community farm program, my coworkers and I are paid a decent wage that does not fluctuate with yield or profit margins. While our members get to enjoy the freshest organic produce, I considered how countless Americans lack access to such local, nourishing food.

My proximity to agriculture exposed just how separated we are from the realities underlying our food systems.

As I depart from Rushton Farm, I am assured that I am on the right path—a life motivated by the magic of food and the people who make it possible. Whatever I do next in my study of food systems, I hope to continue to share all the love and learning I found in these six acres.

MARIA DIGIOVANNI | Maria graduated from Cornell University with a BS in International Agriculture and Rural Development in May 2023. She is devoted to research and advocacy at the intersections of food systems and labor. At Cornell, her senior thesis in partnership with the Cornell Farmworker Program aimed to increase the perspectives of the New York State undocumented workforce in policy discourse regarding proposed federal legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This fall, Maria is traveling to Italy as a Fulbright Scholar to investigate how young Calabrian farmers maintain sustainable agricultural livelihoods, aiming to imagine policies and pathways that revalorize rural spaces and draw future generations to farming. She looks forward to continuing her studies of rural development in a graduate program.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 15

Reversing the Decline of Grassland Birds in Chester County

By Zoë Warner, Grassland Bird Collaboration Program Manager

W

hile the sun is still below the horizon, the Eastern Meadowlark’s lilting song floats over the field, seeooaa seeadoo, slowly rising in the mist. Soon the Bobolink jubilantly joins the meadowlark sending it’s plink plink Bobolink bubbling up through the dim light. As the sun breaks the horizon, the Grasshopper Sparrow’s soft buzzing tik tik tikeeeez adds to the chorus, hardly distinguishable from the harmonizing insects. It’s another enchanting morning as grassland inhabitants shake off the night to announce a new day.

In the last half-century, the number of fields awakened by these birds has declined dramatically due to changes in farming practices and increased land development. Consequently, grassland birds are experiencing the greatest declines of any habitat group. Fortunately, we live in an area of Chester County where there is hope for these birds. Several species of grassland birds have adopted the hayfields in southern Chester County as their breeding grounds.

To ensure this important grassland habitat remains productive for farmers and the breeding birds that depend on it, Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) launched the Grassland Bird Collaboration (GBC) in 2022. In early 2023, the Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative awarded a $25,000 grant to WCT in partnership with Natural Lands to support the GBC’s goal of creating a grassland bird conservation area made up of working landscapes and existing preserves in southern Chester County area.

16 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

BLAKE GOLL

In its inaugural year, the GBC has been working with landowners and farmers to conserve and augment grassland bird populations through conservation land management practices, research, education, and community engagement.

The goal is to create a focal area where partners can work together to address issues affecting grassland birds while maximizing conservation and minimizing disruption to agricultural production.

One of the most vital land management practices is leaving the hayfields standing during the breeding season.

Mowing before birds complete their nesting cycle removes available habitat and can reduce breeding success if birds have already begun breeding. Implementing a “no-mow” period allows young birds to develop in a safe environment before the nesting grounds are disturbed.

This past summer, WCT’s Bird Conservation Program enrolled ten private properties in southern Chester County area —totaling nearly 1,000 acres—in a delayed mow program in which farmers and landowners agreed to mow after July 1. The field team then monitored the fields throughout the breeding season to determine how focal grassland species—Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, and Grasshopper Sparrow—were using the habitat. The findings were encouraging. Almost all of the fields had breeding populations of at least one focal species, and a number of fields had two or more.

The project also included a Motus Wildlife Tracking research component to gain insights into how Bobolinks use the landscape from summer breeding through fall migration. Since 2021, WCT has been placing nanotag transmitters on Bobolinks to track their movements using a multi-national automated radio telemetry network, which is locally managed by the Northeast Motus Collaboration.

This year, 14 birds were tagged in two GBC fields. Local transmitter data showed they regularly move between their breeding grounds and other fields. This collection of data reveals these birds’ reliance on habitat connectivity and REVERSING THE DECLINE OF GRASSLAND BIRDS IN CHESTER COUNTY ARTICLE CONTINUED

the importance of southern Chester County area, which weaves individual properties into a larger grassland landscape.

Though this was the GBC’s first official year, members of WCT’s bird team have been working with several landowners on grassland bird conservation for a number of years. In those fields, Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark populations have increased since delayed mow management began. These encouraging trends may indicate that when more baby birds are fledged from a field before mowing occurs, it can increase breeding bird density in succeeding years if delayed mow management continues.

As its first year comes to an end, the GBC’s program area is becoming a bright spot on the grassland bird conservation map, and there is great potential to build on these early successes. Chester County is well positioned to support this conservation effort because local mushroom farms rely on mulch hay—later-season hay that has been left to mature and dry in the fields—to cultivate their tasty crop. Having access to this unique local agricultural market means there is less disruption to farming practices and to the grassland birds that rely on these fields.

For the GBC, working with the farmers and landowners is an opportunity to increase the value of conserved land.

Through this work, the land becomes more than open space or a scenic agricultural landscape—it serves as a core conservation area that can help reverse the precipitous decline of grassland birds.

ZOË WARNER | Zoë’s research focuses on land use impacts on avian productivity. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2019. For her dissertation, Influence of Landscape Spatial Patterns and Land Use Planning on Grassland Bird Habitat Occupancy in Chester County, Pennsylvania, she developed models to predict grassland birds’ habitat preferences in Chester County’s agricultural belt. Since 2020, Zoë has been conducting research into best practices for grassland bird conservation in southern Chester County. Through these research projects, Zoë has established working relationships with landowners and farmers who have expressed interest in managing their land to meet grassland bird conservation goals.

Grassland Bird Collaboration sign at a field site by Zoë Warner.

18 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tagged Male Bobolink by Aaron Coolman.

Corporate Partnership Program

Interested in the Corporate Partnership Program?

Willistown Conservation Trust is very pleased to announce its newest Corporate Partner!

Please join us in welcoming Nemours Children’s Health to our organization. Nemours Children’s is one of the largest integrated pediatric health systems in the country. Everything they do — medical care, research, education, prevention and advocacy efforts — is focused on kids.

The goal of Nemours is to help children, everywhere, grow into healthy adults. To do this, they think of health as more than just medicine. Good health involves education, food, housing, family stability, emotional well-being, equity, justice and more. That’s why they go outside of their walls to reach kids where they live, learn and play. Nemours Children’s was drawn to partner with WCT in support of healthy lifestyles for children based upon the opportunity afforded the community for interaction with nature and the outdoors.

The Nemours Children’s Health story began in 1936 with the vision of Alfred I. duPont to do whatever it takes to prevent and treat disabling childhood conditions. What started as a modest orthopedic hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, has grown into one of the nation’s leading children’s health systems. Nemours Children’s has two state-of-the-art children’s hospitals in addition to outpatient locations in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. As a system, they offer pediatric primary, urgent, specialty and hospital care, including their newest location in Broomall and a comprehensive specialty and outpatient surgery location opening in Malvern in March 2024. Nemours Children’s also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.

We see what it takes to get there.

Much of what impacts her health happens in the community, not in the hospital. That’s why we’re committed to making a difference where she lives, learns and plays, with programs that help ensure a healthier future.

And while we’re reimagining a new approach to children’s medicine, we’re always focused on the critical care kids need now.

Visit Nemours.org to see how we’re creating a healthier future.

2023 C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R S

You see how far she can go.

DAVID HUCKER

PRESERVING QUIET MOMENTS | Photography Show

Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT) works to preserve land that not only protects habitat for wildlife but also provides visitors with opportunities to experience and appreciate nature. One of the most powerful impacts of our Preserves to the community has been that cathartic provision of natural places where people can go to discover and enjoy quiet moments. Local photographers including friends and staff of WCT have collaborated to bring a few of these peaceful moments in nature to you.

Framed prints will be on display for purchase in the Rushton Conservation Center from October through December*.

All profits from the sales go to supporting the Willistown Conservation Trust’s Core Programs including Bird Conservation, Community Farm, Habitat Stewardship, Land Protection, and Watershed Protection. *The Rushton Conservation Center is not open to the public on a daily basis. Please contact Blake Goll, bhg@wctrust. org if you would like to see the show during business hours.

FEATURED ARTISTS

DAVID HUCKER

JENNIFER MATHES

20 | NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

AARON COOLMAN

BLAKE GOLL

BRIAN STOREY

Scan to purchase artwork and learn more about the artists!

WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST BIRD FRIENDLY® COFFEE COALITION HELP SAVE MIGRATORY BIRDS! Protect tropical forest habitat by choosing Bird Friendly® Coffee BIRDS ARE IN TROUBLE THE PROBLEM | Since 1970, bird populations in the U.S. and Canada have declined by 29%, or almost 3 billion birds, signaling a widespread ecological crisis. The largest factor driving these declines is likely the widespread loss and degradation of habitat, especially due to agricultural intensification and urbanization (Science, 2019).

Coffee is cultivated across 27 million acres, mostly at the expense of tropical forests. Since the invention of sun-tolerant coffee in 1972, most of the world’s coffee production now results in largescale deforestation in the tropics that has countless global impacts including the decline of migratory birds that depend on rainforest habitat. (Data from SMBC).

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THAT. Make your coffee count.

WHAT IS BIRD FRIENDLY®? | It’s made in the shade. In addition to being organic, Smithsonian Bird Friendly® coffee is grown under a shade canopy of native trees, shrubs, and other plants that provide critical refuge for migratory and local birds as well as the diverse flora and fauna of the tropical forest.

Simply being grown in the shade is not enough. To qualify as Smithsonian Bird Friendly®, at least 60% of shade trees on a coffee or cocoa farm must be native. Native trees support a greater abundance and diversity of insects than non-native trees, ensuring migratory birds can fuel up on quality nutrients before migration.

Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certification is the environmental gold standard in sustainable food production. When you sell Bird Friendly® coffee or cacao you are not only supporting bird conservation but also fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity, and supporting farmers committed to sustainability.

Scan to explore more about the Willistown Conservation Trust Bird Friendly® Coffee Coalition, learn about our bird conservation initiatives, and discover where to buy Bird Friendly® coffee locally.

KATY MAE

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | 21

MOVERS AND SHAKERS | STAFF NEWS

JOHN HOLBACK | Stewardship Manager

Having been raised in Landenberg and spending most of his formative years in the creek and woods around his home, John is a Chester County native. Before spending the last five years working in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains on a variety of vegetation management projects designed to cultivate healthy ecosystems while combating the effects of extreme wildfire, John worked in the Wissahickon Valley Park building and maintaining multi-use trails, planting trees, and leading volunteers. John and Emily, his wife, recently relocated to West Chester where she works as an Assistant Professor. In his free time, John likes to spend time with friends and family, cook, and use his metal detector to hunt for old relics.

HEIDI HOLE | Campaign Manager Heidi discovered the wonders of Willistown Township as a young child, during visits to her grandmother’s house in Berwyn. Since then, as open space fell to development in the surrounding community, Heidi was inspired to support WCT. With a background in development and volunteer experience with regional and national conservation and horticulture organizations, Heidi looks forward to supporting the volunteers and staff of WCT in carrying out their valuable work. Heidi lives in Berwyn with husband, Jamie, and enjoys cooking, gardening, visits with her adult children, Sam and Sara, and nature walks with her labrador retriever, Waterloo (aka Louie!)

LINDSEY McQUISTON | Communications Specialist Having been raised in Chester County and developing an affinity for the surrounding woods, working for a land trust just seems natural for Lindsey.

Her experience in land trusts comes from a development background with Natural Lands. Working for an organization with such an impactful mission drove her to further her career in the world of land trusts. Prior to Natural Lands, she spent four years working for Malvern Public Library as the Communications Coordinator. Being able to promote a space for the local community was incredibly rewarding work which sparked her interest in communications and the local community. Outside of work she holds a degree in Horticulture from Penn State University and is an avid “Indoor Plant” hobbyist. Whether it’s the PHS Flower Show or a hike in the woods, you’ll be sure to find her checking out the plants somewhere.

22 | MOVERS AND SHAKERS | STAFF AND TRUSTEE NEWS

MOVERS AND SHAKERS | TRUSTEE NEWS

DOUG SWOPE | Doug is a Founding Partner and the Managing Director of Stillwater Capital. Thirty-five years ago, Doug began his career in financial services with Delaware Investments in Philadelphia. In 1992 he took a position with Merrill Lynch in Seattle, WA and later spent 13 years with Smith Barney. While at Smith Barney he was a member of the Director’s Council, served on the Portfolio Management Group’s Advisory Council, became a founding member of the Portfolio Management Institute and a member of the Association of Professional Investment Consultants. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Richmond’s E. Claiborne Robins School of Business.

He and his wife Jeanne have three children and live in Berwyn, PA. Doug has been a dedicated member of the WCT Finance Committee, Chair of the Sycamore Society, and volunteer at Kirkwood Preserve.

DAVID UNRUH | David L. Unruh began his tenure as Senior Vice President of Drexel University’s Office of Institutional Advancement in 2014. With over two decades of executive experience in higher education, David brings a collaborative, transparent and inclusive approach to engaging alumni and donors in the life of the institution.

David’s professional experiences at institutions of higher learning have included serving as director of major gifts for Carnegie Mellon University, director of regional major gifts for The University of Pennsylvania, associate vice president of alumni relations and development at The University of Chicago, and, most recently, senior vice president for institutional advancement at Temple University.

David and his wife Marnie live in West Chester and have two sons, Morgan and Dylan.

Legacy Society Please consider joining the Legacy Society by adding simple bequest language to your will or make Willistown Conservation Trust a beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan.

For more information contact Julie Graham at jsg@wctrust.org.

Th e S y c a m o r e WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST 925 Providence Road Newtown Square, PA 19073

YOU ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE WEB OF LIFE. ONLY IN UNISON, CAN WE...

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOUTHEASTERN, PA PERMIT NO. 96

Donate Today!