We have lost almost 3 billion birds since 1970 in North America alone. There are many causes, however, habitat loss and degradation are some of the main reasons. The development of land into acres of lawns with exotic and invasive plants has destroyed habitats in many ecosystems across North America, reducing the bird populations that […]
Meet Heritage Conservancy Vice President Kris Kern, Land Conservation Leader
“Each project is nuanced and never exactly the same as the last,” Kris says. “That’s what keeps the work interesting and challenging, and motivates me to develop creative ways to make projects happen.” In addition to a love of the outdoors and old structures, Kris has more than 20 years of land-use planning and conservation […]
Heritage Conservancy and Warrington Township Conserve Nearly 175 Acres of Open Space
Reaching a massive milestone, Heritage Conservancy recently partnered with Warrington Township to ensure that open space dedicated as part of residential developments will remain open and accessible to the public, as it was intended. Zoning Change Several years ago, Warrington Township Supervisors enacted a zoning change that provides an incentive for developers to cluster planned homes […]
What’s Up in the Woods? A Guide to Spring Ephemerals
Every spring, a miniature forest blooms on the forest floor in the window of warmth and sunlight before the woody giants put out their leaves. These are the spring ephemerals. Here one season and gone the next, you don’t want to miss them. Their life’s strategy? Soak up all the light energy they need for […]
7 Ideas to Help Raise Eco-Conscious Kids
The environmental challenges that we face across the globe are daunting and overwhelming for us as adults to navigate, I can only imagine how helpless kids may feel about some of it, so giving them tools and strategies on how to help in their little, but impactful ways can be so empowering! I’ve personally used […]
Celebrating the Historic A.M.E. Church of Yardley and Gather Place
On a quiet block of Canal Street, away from the bustle of Main Street, sits a vital landmark for a once burgeoning African American community in Yardley. “Main Street may be Yardley’s heart, but this place is its soul,” says Shirley Lee Corsey (pictured above). She is the current caretaker of the Old African Methodist […]
Cedar Waxwings: Beyond the Beauty
Pennsylvania is home to an amazing array of bird diversity. As of 2024, over 430 species of birds have been reported from the Keystone state – a fair portion of which are consistently encountered. Of those species, there are a handful who elicit a great deal of appreciation from outdoor enthusiasts. Some, like the Long-eared […]
Meet our CEO: Bill Kunze, an Environmental Leader in Pennsylvania
“We are nurturing the past, present, and future of our community,” says William (Bill) Kunze, CEO at Heritage Conservancy. “When we imagine what kind of world we want to live in, many of the features people would identify as being important in their communities are things the work of Heritage Conservancy will help ensure.” Bill […]
Nature in 100 Words or Less: Our Micro-Writing Contest Winners
The Community Outreach team at Heritage Conservancy recently challenged writers of all ages from Lower Bucks County to capture nature in 100 words or less. We received over 70 entries, compelling narratives, evocative poems, and thought-provoking prose that impressed our judges. We had so many entries, it was hard to choose just one from each […]
To Plant or to Protect? A Cost-Effective Alternative to Planting Trees
They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the next best time is today. There are many good reasons to plant a tree. At Heritage Conservancy, we are primarily concerned with forest regeneration along streams, hard and soft mast production for wildlife, and trees and shrubs that support the […]