Berks Nature dedicates wildlife sanctuary
Ephraim Malickson loved his dog.
Ephraim loved his dog so much that when he was cited for allowing the collie to wander his Christmas tree farm near Valley Forge, he gathered the pup, disassembled his 1939 Luscombe two-seater airplane, and drove his 1978 Cadillacs — yes, plural, up to what would eventually become 200 acres in Robeson Township
where he and a succession of collies could freely live out their lives.
The airplane never got off the ground again, but Ephraim’s legacy took flight Friday, March 10, on a chilly, rainy afternoon when officials from Berks Nature and guests formally dedicated the Ephraim Malickson Wildlife Sanctuary in the 2000 block of Cocalico Road.
Berks Nature President Kim Murphy recalled how over 15 years ago Ephraim contacted the
organization about conservation easements on his property.
“I want this property to be a place for the birds and the deer to go and be safe,” she recalled Ephraim telling her.
“He lovingly referred to this property as ‘Tekene,’” she said. “Tekene is the Lenape word meaning woods or an uninhabited place.”
He passed in 2010 at age 88, Murphy said, doing what he loved to do: walking the property.
Berks Nature had worked with
Malickson to create the conservation easements on his land, and the organization in 2022 took formal ownership of the property.
“Mr. Malickson was committed to protecting nature, for wildlife and for his beloved dogs,” Murphy said. “He had a reputation for fighting developers, in and out of Berks County, all for his love of open space.”
Ephraim made quite an impression on his neighbors Donna and Joe Hurley, who have lived in