French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, White Family Partner To Preserve 7.5 Acres In Chester County

The James and Kimberly White family property has become the first conservation easement finalized in French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trusts’ new partnership with North Coventry Township in Chester County.   

The White’s 7.5-acre property occupies an important conservation area at the headwaters of Pigeon Creek, near the intersection of Wells Road and St. Peters Road.  

Preserving this property is an important win for several reasons.  

“Not only does the property help connect the 700+ acre Coventry Woods Preserve with the nearby French Creek State Park, it’s also home to a large vernal pool which is the location of an amazing amphibian migration each spring,” noted Karl Russek, Conservation Coordinator of French & Pickering.  

Many species of frogs and salamanders have been identified at the pool, including Jefferson’s Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum), a Pennsylvania Species of Special Concern.  

Plenty of other wildlife abounds at the site as well: at least 165 different species of birds have been identified in the immediate vicinity since 2020. 

The Whites are both active in the local community.  James serves on the North Coventry Planning Commission, and Kimberly serves on the Environmental Advisory Committee.  

In addition, each spring for the past 16 years, Kimberly has coordinated a popular event for local “Amphibian Friends”, young and old alike, to help the migrating frogs and salamanders safely across St. Peters Road during the height of their migration.   

As a financial and tax advisor, James saw real benefits in donating his easement to the Trust, with North Coventry Township covering the transaction costs from Open Space funds. 

French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust is delighted to welcome the Whites to the French & Pickering community. We are grateful for their generosity and for the opportunity to protect this biologically valuable and beautiful property.

Since 1967, French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has protected more than 13,500 acres in northern Chester County through purchases, conservation easements and public/private partnerships. 

The nonprofit organization works with landowners, townships, foundations and the state and county to purchase and monitor conservation easements, create parkland, and preserve environmentally sensitive land.

(Photo: Jim Marks, Chair, North Coventry Board of Supervisors; Jim White & Kim White; Jennifer Trachtman, Pres, Board of Directors, FPCCT; Karl Russek, Conservation Coordinator, FPCCT; Erica Batdorf, North Coventry Twp Manager.)

[Posted: August 1, 2023]  PA Environment Digest