Trust to preserve 54 acres as open space
PHOENIXVILLE » The French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has preserved forever 54 acres along St. Matthews Road in West Vincent Township through a conservation easement.
The property is owned by 18 Years, LLC, established by township residents Paul and Cynthia Black and Bob and Shelley Casciato (18 Years is so named because it took that long for the couples to acquire the land from real estate developers that planned to build 20 houses on the property.)
The property is adjacent to the recently French & Pickering conserved 100acre 16 Years, LLC, and 1,100-acre Natural Lands conserved Bryn Coed Landscape and Preserve, and provides a trail connection to it.
Some of 18 Years is farmed, with the remainder in woodlands, and is part of the Birchrun watershed, which empties into the High-Quality Pickering Creek.
The easement was funded by grants from Chester County Parks and Preservation, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, West Vincent Township Open Space funds and the Open Space Institute through the William Penn Foundation.
“We are thrilled to accept the easement because 18 Years preserves farmland, streams, woods, trails and views, and helps protect an expanse of open space that improves the quality of water for our region,” said French & Pickering Conservation Director Pam Brown.
Open Space Institute Mid-Atlantic Field Coordinator Bill Rawlyk commented, “By permanently protecting both drinking water and ensuring the continued economic opportunity for farmers to use the land, the 18 Years property is truly a success in every sense of the word.”
Land Preservation
Since its establishment in 1967, French & Pickering has protected more than 13,000 acres in northern Chester County through purchases, conservation easements and public/private partnerships. The non-profit organization works with landowners, townships, foundations and the state and county to purchase and monitor conservation easements, create parkland and preserve environmentally sensitive land.
Public Access to Preserved Lands
Now more than ever, outside recreational opportunities are important to our mental and physical health. These French & Pickering properties are open to the public and contain miles of marked hiking trails and scenic views:
The Great Marsh Preserve in East Nantmeal Township is over 550 acres of woodland wildlife habitat. This valuable natural space houses many species of birds and mammals and is an important source of clean water for the Great Marsh ecosystem.
The Thomas P. Bentley Nature Preserve in East Nantmeal and Warwick townships is a 108-acre site that includes the ruins of the Warwick Iron Furnace and the Exceptional Value south branch of the French Creek.