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 Harris. “The property is rich in mature oaks, hickories, birches, and other beneficial native trees. This is a major success for conservation in the Easton area!”

The Derringtons were caretakers of this land under its previous owner, who left it to them with the understanding that they would be responsible for protecting it. They have been working with Heritage Conservancy and Williams Township since 2023, and the township is a co-holder of the easement. 

The project is part of a larger partnership between Heritage Conservancy and Williams Township, Northampton County that has had a large impact in the community.

Clean Waterways

The property contains a pristine spring house that feeds about 185 feet of stream flowing into the Lehigh River. Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has designated portions of this waterway as supporting Cold Water Fishes and has recognized it as a Class A Wild Brown Trout stream.

The land also features a small historic reservoir, once used to power a local mill. While the old grist mill is across the street, the Derrington property contains the original miller’s residence. 

Water features on this land help maintain the health of the broader Lehigh-Delaware River Watershed, which provides drinking water and recreation for many in the region.

With steep slopes covering nearly 24 acres, the property is particularly vulnerable to erosion if developed. Keeping it forested protects streams on the property and the groundwater aquifer that supplies water to the region.

Diverse Forest Habitat

The property’s 24.5 acres of wooded hillside hold two distinct forest communities. The southern portion is covered with younger woodland where pioneer tree species like sassafras and tulip poplar are thriving. The northern section has mature oak forests that have stood for decades. 

The woods here contain an impressive variety of native trees: several species of oak, hickory, birch, beech, black walnut, white pine, and others. The forest floor and understory are equally diverse, with blackhaw viburnum, spicebush, flowering dogwood, maple-leaf viburnum, musclewood, wood fern, and more, creating a layered wildlife habitat.  

The forests and waterways on the Derrington Property support a variety of wildlife. The mature trees provide nesting sites for birds and food for countless species. The dense vegetation along forest edges attracts diverse bird populations and invertebrates. The ephemeral waterway offers breeding grounds for amphibians and the springhouse from which it flows may help harbor hibernating reptiles and amphibians.

According to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Natural Resource Plan, approximately 87% of the Derrington Property’s woods are designated as interior woodlands, which are defined as large, unfragmented wooded tracts that are at least 300 feet from any edge and which provide critical habitat for varied wildlife, especially neotropical migrant songbirds. 

Connectivity

The Derrington Property’s woodlands connect to a larger 150-acre tract of interior woodlands across neighboring properties, making it a critical part of a much larger and extremely valuable wildlife corridor for migration.

The Derrington Property is set in the relatively undeveloped area between the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers and helps maintain a network of protected lands in Williams and surrounding townships that Heritage Conservancy has played a key role in protecting.

It is adjacent to a 48.5-acre undeveloped parcel – 38.8 acres of which are conserved by the township. Two other protected parcels are located within a half-mile radius, and the property is within a few miles of several other preserved properties along the Lehigh River and the Lehigh Canal. Together, these lands allow animals to move and migrate safely through the landscape.

With 731 feet of road frontage along Morvale Road, the Derrington Property adds to the scenic, woodland views. The conservation easement protects those views and the rural character of the community, along with the health of the forest and waterways, for generations to come.

“Heritage is honored by the Derringtons’ commitment to preserving their property with us and Williams Township,” says Matt Babbitt, Heritage Conservancy’s Senior Conservation Acquisition Specialist, who worked on the easement. 

“The Derrington Property is uniquely situated within the Township, adding to a growing area of newly protected lands amidst the backdrop of commercial and industrial neighbors. The property’s woodland, water, steep slope, farmland soil, and scenic resources will serve as a benefit to current and future generations in the community.”