WESTERN CHESTER CO. LAND PRESERVE GROWS — A BIT

Three acres is not considered a tremendous area when talking about land preservation. Consider open areas such as the Bryn Coed Farm in West Vincent with its 514 acres or the ChesLen Preserve in Newlin with its massive 1,280 acres.

But even small numbers can add up to importance.

Natural Lands announced last week it has added three acres of land to its Sadsbury Woods Preserve in Sadsbury, along Chester County’s western edge. Now, the organization will take that small parcel and add it to the woodlands already there to increase the size of the habitat that provides a home to wildlife, particularly migratory songbirds.

“Just before we purchased this three-acre property, the owners cleared it of all trees and shrubs in to build a house there,” Sadsbury Woods Preserve Manager Erin Smith said in a press release. “We will work to reforest the land so that it can provide better ecological services like storing carbon to help cool the climate, absorb rainwater to ease flooding, clean and filter drinking water, and give wildlife food and shelter.”

Since the preserve’s inception, Chester County government has partnered with Natural Lands to create and subsequently expand Sadsbury Woods Preserve, including support for its trail network and the addition of a parking lot.

The new acquisition came as a joint effort with the county’s Open Lands grant programs.

Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline said in a statement, “The preservation of any amount of land is meaningful, but what makes this three-acre parcel especially significant is that it becomes part of the larger Sadsbury Woods Preserve, and it encourages ecological benefits that come from replenishing the interior forest, including a critical habitat that attracts many species of birds.”

The preserve is not far from the county’s own park, Wolf’s Hollow, in nearby West Caln.

Many of Natural Lands 43 properties have grown to their present sizes through small additions like this one over many years. The property, once an inholding on the western boundary of the nature preserve, will be reforested to provide additional habitat for wildlife, Sadsbury Woods Preserve began in 1996 when Natural Lands purchased 177 acres of forested land along the Route 30 corridor, situated squarely in the path of expanding development around Exton.

Additional 20-plus parcels acquired in succeeding years expanded the preserve to its present size of 511 acres. Like all of Natural Lands’ properties, it is open to the public free of charge, year-round.

The forested land of Sadsbury Woods provides critical habi

tat for songbirds like Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, and several species of warblers that spend winters in warmer climes but use large, connected forests in our region as their breeding grounds.

Many of these migrant species have declined because the woods they rely on are disappearing or being subdivided. Forests that are fragmented into smaller plots by roads and developments favor predators that thrive along the edge of the woods, such as raccoons, snakes, Blue Jays, domestic cats, and Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Located at the headwaters of Buck Run, a major tributary to Brandywine Creek, the preserve also helps to keep the stream clean and clear.

To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.

SUBMITTED PHOTO A few acres have been added to the Cadbury Woods Preserve in western Chester County.

The woods at Sadsbury preserve provide habitat for different types of wildlife, but especially migratory birds.