The Honorable William Hart Rufe III, known affectionately to friends and family as Hart, passed away at the age of 92 in Ft. Pierce, FL, on January 14, 2025, due to natural causes. Born on September 6,1932, in Sellersville, PA to parents William Harold and Frances Appenzeller Rufe, Hart was the oldest of four children, […]
This past December, Heritage Conservancy preserved a total of 60 acres of Bucks County natural and farmland in three separate Conservation Easements. All of these easements closed in the same week! This brings our 2024 tally to 335 acres of conserved land. Conservation easements put in place by Heritage Conservancy allow private owners to protect […]
Boots on the Ground: Conservation in Action Mary Lou McFarland pulls into a small gravel parking area just off a main road in Dresher on a crisp fall morning. She is outfitted in a neon yellow vest for visibility to hunters and carries an iPad, pepper spray, and chocolates. Our boots on the ground, Mary […]
On Sunday, December 8th, brimming with plaid tidings, approximately 180 friends, supporters, and community members joined us for our 36th annual Christmas at Aldie celebration. The event this year, in the theme of plaid and in the new style of a cocktail party, was a heartwarming opportunity to celebrate the mission of Heritage Conservancy. It […]
Our area is home to many notable historic sites and properties, and a recent addition to Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places is no exception. The stone farmhouse on a 2-acre property in Yardley called Te Deum maintains local significance as an enduring example of early 19th-century architecture and for its association with several generations […]
This fall Heritage Conservancy initiated four new after-school nature programs for middle and grade school students in Bristol Township School District. The programs served over 60 kids, teaching them about nature and their local outdoor environment. “Students really enjoyed the activities,” said Kaylyn Brindisi, Community Programs Associate at Heritage Conservancy, who led the programs. “A […]
On a sunny Saturday earlier this month, almost 90 people joined us for our first-ever Pawpaw Festival, a celebration of the local fruit and other native trees and plants. “I was inspired to start a pawpaw festival to share my passions for conservation, science, native plants, and work I do here at Heritage Conservancy,” says […]
The sight of thousands of fireflies flickering over the Bryn Gweled pond on a quiet summer evening took Cathie Forman’s breath away. It’s that feeling — and a respect for the living landscape that inspired it — she wants to pass down to future generations. Bryn Gweled is more than just a place of natural […]
The Heritage Conservancy conservation stewardship interns from this summer. Each summer, Heritage Conservancy hosts four conservation stewardship interns who assist our stewardship staff in managing the nature preserves we own, all while gaining insights from various professionals in the field. These college students aim to pursue careers in conservation and will apply the skills they […]
The historic Shipley Lester House in Quakertown dates back to about 1815 and was linked to multiple notable local figures over its years. The property was recently added to Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places. Located in Quakertown Borough, the house has an interesting history related to prominent individuals in the community with ties to […]
