On December 14, Paul & Cynthia Black, Bob & Shelley Casciato and the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust announced they have preserved forever 54 acres along St. Matthews Road in West Vincent Township, northern Chester County, through a conservation easement on property owned by 18 Years, LLC.
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 100-acre 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, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, West Vincent Township Open Space funds and the Open Space Institute through the William Penn Foundation.
According to French & Pickering Conservation Director Pam Brown, “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.”
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.”
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.
For more information on programs, initiatives and more about conservation easements, visit the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust website.
[Posted: December 14, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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