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. […]
What Do the Wild Turkeys of Pennsylvania Eat?
As we embark on the season of turkey consumption, it’s a fun time to highlight what it is that wild turkeys are out there eating this time of year. Spoiler alert: it isn’t stuffing, casseroles, or morsels of their brethren. Rather, a wild turkey feast involves the fruits and seeds that native plants cook up. […]
Gothic Garden: From Bleeding Heart to Witch Hazel, Give Your Garden a Witchy, Goth Vibe with Native Plants
Not all gardens have to have a cheery, bright aesthetic. If you prefer the macabre to the mainstream, here are five combinations of native plants to give your backyard a witchy, goth look. The Vision To achieve this look, I’m pulling plants for a few different reasons: Rich reds and purples – to darken your […]
Mushroom ID Walk
Join Philadelphia Mycology Club President Sam Bucciarelli and Heritage Conservancy’s Conservation Easement Steward Sebastian Harris to explore and ID the mushrooms within Croydon Woods Nature Preserve. Located less than half a mile from the Delaware River, Croydon Woods is one of the last remaining coastal plain forests in southeastern Pennsylvania. The preserve is home to […]
Buyer Beware: Popular Non-Native Species You Should Avoid
Many invasive or non-native plants are widely recognized and avoided by landowners; Multiflora Rose, Japanese Barberry, and Mile-a-minute are common examples. Interestingly, there are still several other species that remain popular among gardeners and plant enthusiasts. Some of that can be attributed to their beauty, but I’d argue that some of it simply stems from […]
From Former Cornfield to Pollinator Meadow
In one of this summer’s most ambitious and rewarding projects, our Stewardship Department and summer interns transformed a 15-acre former cornfield at our Lindsay Farm Preserve in Warminster into a native pollinator meadow, our largest and most diverse seeding to date. A Legacy Landscape Lindsay Farm Preserve, owned and protected by Heritage Conservancy since 1987, […]
Save the Monarchs Native Plant Sale
Thursday, July 10, 5:30 – 6:30 PM Russell-Mandel Preserve 1515 Holicong Rd. Buckingham, Bucks County Native plants are crucial to the survival of monarchs and other pollinators that keep our ecosystem running! Come out to Russell-Mandel Preserve to show your support for Monarch butterflies and native plants! Heritage Conservancy’s conservation interns are hosting a milkweed […]
Save the Monarchs: The Importance of Milkweed and Other Native Plants
The monarchs need our help, and you can help by planting milkweed and other wildflowers that provide the necessary food and nectar for these species. Monarchs Are Under Threat The monarch butterfly population has decreased by 90% in the past 20 years! This beautiful pollinator is now at risk of endangered status under the Endangered […]
Name That Tree: Five PA Trees to Identify by Bark Alone
Tree identification can be an intimidating pursuit. The path of least resistance involves keeping vague that blanket of green that provides us with shade in the summer. I took that path for longer than I wish I had. What I’ve come to realize is that tree ID is a lifelong pursuit, and the sooner you […]
Remembering the Historic Aldie Mansion Bur Oak, circa 1750 – 2025
Long before Heritage Conservancy existed, and well before the Mercers crafted their legendary landmark homes in Doylestown, a special tree took root. For close to 300 years, this Bur Oak grew on a plot of land in Doylestown that went on to host William and Martha Mercer and the Aldie Mansion home and gardens they […]
