FARMLAND SAVED

Historic Bryn Coed Farms, 1,500 acres spared from development

The historic, environmentally significant and much-cherished Bryn Coed Farms property in northern Chester County has officially been preserved.

Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands, announced that the conservation group had formally settled with the owners of the 1,500-acre property in the Chester Springs area, transferring the property to the organization and paving the way for a large public nature preserve among the rolling hills and stream vistas along scenic St. Matthews Road.

Natural Lands has been working to save the land from potential development for half-a-decade.

“It certainly hasn’t been a linear journey,” Morrison said in a telephone interview about the five-year-long process that ended with removing the dozen or more cobbled-together farm properties from the threat of being sold to a housing developer. “And the outcome was not always assured.

“But at the end of the day, we are really happy about being able to celebrate this milestone.” Saying she did not want to sound too “over the top” with pleasure at the outcome of the organization’s efforts, Morrison nevertheless called the successful plan to preserve the farms “spectacular.”

The announcement came days after the formal conclusion of Natural Lands’ public campaign to raise money that would be dedicated to the creation of a 500-acre preserve open to the public at the farm, featuring hiking, equestrian and recreational trails. The campaign fell short of its initial goal of raising $5 million from individual donors, but officials said it would continue through the year to raise the final $750,000. The group’s annual fundraiser was held Friday night.

A total of $4.2 million was raised by June 1, with nearly 500 households contributing amounts from $5 to $500,000, the organization said in a release. The effort was bolstered by a challenge grant from the William Penn Foundation for $2 million it would match if the campaign raised a similar amount. The community campaign raised more than $2.2 million, Morrison said.

“It’s been a wonderfully mov-

PETE BANNAN — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA More than 1,500 acres of the Bryn Coed Farm in northern Chester County will be preserved in a deal orchestrated by Natural Lands and concerned citizens.

PETE BANNAN — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA The sign for Bryn Coed Farms in the Chester Springs. The farm will be preserved, largely as open space that will be open to the public.