Super Bowl Sunday is almost here, and across America, people will soon be preparing their game day spaces: big screens, recliners, snacks, beverages. But what if you lived in 1927, before television and the NFL, before the idea of a “man cave,” where would you retreat to relax and reflect? For William “Willie” Mercer, that […]
Over two chilly November days, Croydon Woods Nature Preserve came alive with the energy of nearly 200 sixth graders from Ben Franklin Middle School. Students rotated through hands-on outdoor learning stations, observing and exploring the ecology of one of Pennsylvania’s last remaining Atlantic coastal plain forests. For Lauren Stevens, a 6th grade science teacher at […]
The Derrington Property has just been preserved under a new conservation easement that protects 29 acres of vital water sources, wildlife habitat, and scenic forests for future generations. “The preservation of the Derrington property provides exactly what wildlife are in desperate need of: large, contiguous tracts of protected wild space,” says Heritage Conservancy Biologist Sebastian […]
Retirees Vicky and John Garrison were looking for an organization where they could give back to their community while spending time outdoors. They found that opportunity in our “Fridays in the Forest” volunteer group. This dedicated team joins Heritage Conservancy staff once a week to work at our preserved properties, completing invasive species removal, trail […]
The American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is one of our largest and longest-lived trees in the eastern US, but the future of these grand trees is uncertain due to Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). In 2012, northeastern Ohioans noticed that the leaves of their American beech trees were becoming banded, crinkly, and wrinkled and dying, a sure […]
On the evening of Sunday, December 7th, approximately 175 friends and supporters filled Aldie Mansion’s festively decorated space to celebrate and support land conservation. This year’s Christmas at Aldie was a magical and successful evening — filled with joy, friendly conversation, and a shared belief in what’s possible when we work together. With the overwhelming […]
As America’s 250th birthday approaches, we can’t let 2025 pass without noting an important milestone: This year Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places celebrated its 50th anniversary! The register was formed in 1975 and is growing each year, with over 700 places recognized for their local importance, association with historic events, architecture, and connection to […]
This summer and fall, Heritage Conservancy planted more than 2,000 native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers across our preserves, and it took an entire community to make it happen. From restoration work to all-hands-on-deck staff days to dedicated volunteers and corporate partners, the past few months have been a testament to what we can accomplish together. […]
Today’s parishioners at the Lahaska United Methodist Church continue to meet in the same sanctuary where the church’s earliest members began worshipping in 1853. This recent addition to Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places stands as a reminder of the country churches that served as community hubs in bucolic mid-19th century Bucks County. “For 172 […]
Heritage Conservancy runs afterschool nature programs at all of the elementary and middles schools in Bristol Township School District, including Keystone Elementary. WHYY reporter Peter Crimmins and photographer Emma Lee recently visited Heritage Conservancy’s Croydon Woods Nature Preserve to report on the nature club we run there as part of a larger story on the […]