August 2009 GreenSpace Connect Digest
The GreenSpace Connect Digest is a publication of the GreenSpace Alliance that highlights success stories about preserving and connecting open space throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. To contribute or suggest future stories, please contact us.
List of Stories
Delaware River Sojourn Showcases Important Recreational and Environmental Resource
 Delaware River Sojourn participants paddled over 65 miles of the Delaware through bucolic countryside, Revolutionary War battlefields, and former Native American settlements; gliding into Penn's Landing on the last leg of their journey. This sojourn is one of the nation's oldest and combines a guided paddling excursion with educational programs, camping and recreation. Funding and services for the event come from over 50 local and regional organizations and businesses. The event was organized in part by the Delaware River Basin Commission and the National Canoe Safety Patrol.
The Delaware River is within a three hour car ride of almost 23% of the nation's population and is on the doorstep of Philadelphia. Because of this, the 15th annual Delaware sojourn not only celebrated the river's importance as an environmental and recreational resource, but served as an excellent example of the wide array of activities that the Philadelphia region can embrace in order to promote tourism. As industry and other traditional economic drivers decline, the natural landscapes and resources of Philadelphia and its suburbs will continue to have a greater economic value for both the tourism industry and local residents.
The idea of river sojourns in Pennsylvania grew organically on multiple rivers across the state. As early as 1991, the Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers Program was responsible for a River of the Year sojourn along the north branch of the Susquehanna River. The Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers and River of the Year programs seek to increase river awareness for both environmental and recreational reasons. Starting in 2001, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation (DCNR) began offering statewide grants to organizations that facilitated a sojourn on a Pennsylvania River. Additional funding for these grants comes from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the American Canoe Association (ACA). Their funding gave DCNR the opportunity to support groups that had already been organizing river sojourns and to encourage new groups to do the same thing. Terry Hough, Greenway and River Specialist at DCNR, who worked on these earlier initiatives and helped to implement the river sojourn grant program, explains, "We wanted to bring it to a higher level. We wanted to bring people out onto the river who wouldn't normally go."
One of the major requirements for receiving money through this program is the presence of an educational aspect. The specific topics of these education programs are generally determined by the local organizers. However, Pennsylvania Organization of Watersheds and Rivers (POWR), the group that administers the grants for DCNR, advocates linking programs to statewide initiatives such as Water Trail designations, migratory fish reintroduction, "Leave No Trace" environmental ethics and wetlands conservation.
As grassroots efforts, individual sojourns are typically organized and executed by local organizations such as watershed or environmental conservation groups. Although local organizers receive 20% of the funding from the DCNR, nearly 80% of a sojourn's cost typically comes from cash and in-kind support of the program through local organizations and businesses. Participants of the event pay the remaining amount. Jon Meade, Executive Director of POWR, explains that "the way we do sojourns in Pennsylvania is very unique. I am not aware of any other states where a series of river sojourns are sponsored through a combination of public and private contributions."
 The short term goal of the grant program is simple: to get people out on the water and enjoy Pennsylvania's natural beauty. In the long term, the state seeks citizen support for protection of our state's water resources and watersheds. Meade says, "We want to build a cadre of local advocates for water resource protection. If we can give those interested the right tools, they can go back to their communities and teach others." The sojourns have become a unique blend of paddling, camping and education that are an important vehicle for spreading knowledge about the importance of our local and regional natural resources.
Typically, these sojourns attract over 900 participants. Twelve sojourns were held across the state this year, with paddlers traveling over 500 river miles. The Delaware River Sojourn is a seven-day paddling event that winds its way through different sections of the Delaware River. Participants can choose to join any or all segments of the Sojourn. This year's theme is "No One Left Inside", a reference to Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods, which stresses the importance of spending time outdoors to remain connected to the natural environment.
Find Out More
Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania River Sojourns
Delaware River Sojourn
Pennsylvania Scenic Rivers
Pennsylvania River of the Year
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Preserving Farmland and a Way of Life in Northwest Chester County... It Only Makes Good Sense
 Honey Brook Township (or "sweet stream," from the Welsh word "nantmeal") takes its name from its location at the headwaters of both the East and West Branches of the Brandywine Creek. These streams and springs rise from the Welsh Mountains and provide water for rich farmland throughout the valley and drinking water for downstream municipalities, including the Borough of Downingtown (PA) and the City of Wilmington (DE). Over 55% of Honey Brook's 16,000 acres is categorized as prime farmland soils. Many of Honey Brook's multi-generation farm families are Plain Sect community members (also known as Amish, Mennonite and Brethren) who value and utilize these productive lands through their vegetable, dairy, and beef operations. Not surprisingly, the Township's stated mission and values focus on maintaining the rural and tranquil way of life associated with these historic agricultural land uses. Realizing the regional importance of the Township's agricultural resources, the GreenSpace Alliance designated Honey Brook as part of the North Western Chester County Agricultural Priority Focus Area.
Working with a Honey Brook Township-appointed Task Force, the Brandywine Conservancy provided technical assistance on a comprehensive plan update. Adopted in 2006 by the Board of Supervisors, the Honey Brook Township Comprehensive Plan articulates a 20-year vision that embraces and supports the Township's thriving agricultural heritage and sets forth clear recommendations for protecting the prime farmland soils that make agriculture so productive in this area.
In recognition of the need for a long-term funding source to help permanently protect the lands so highly valued by the Comprehensive Plan - even before its formal adoption - Conservancy staff also managed Honey Brook's 2005 open space referendum. Honey Brook is one of 13 area municipalities who used Conservancy assistance to educate and encourage voters to approve an open space tax pursuant to PA Act 153 (the Open Space Lands Act). Revenue from Honey Brook's ˝ of 1 percent Earned Income Tax generates approximately $600,000 per year. These funds are dedicated solely to the protection of the Township's farms and other important natural resources, as broadly outlined by the Comprehensive Plan. To further implement the Comprehensive Plan's goals, the Brandywine Conservancy assisted Honey Brook's then-newly-appointed "Land Preservation Committee" with development of an Open Space Priorities Plan. Adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2007, the Priorities Plan identifies key farms for permanent protection, which became the properties to which revenue from the open space tax would be directed.
With the planning, prioritization, and funding framework firmly in place, Honey Brook's land preservation program is showing great success. The outreach and education provided by the Conservancy while preparing for the Comprehensive Plan, open space referendum, and Priorities Plan has resulted in an increase in the number of Plain Sect farmers in Honey Brook who have expressed interest in preserving their farms. The number of applicants to the County's farmland preservation programs has increased six-fold since the comprehensive planning process was initiated in 2005. This equates to farmers willing to sell development rights on nearly 2,000 acres or over 11% of the Township. A portion of the Township's open space tax revenue has been committed to match the County's funds for these preservation efforts.
These numbers support the Conservancy's belief that a philosophical sea change is underway in the Honey Brook Plain Sect community in terms of their views on land preservation. For those Plain Sect members who are reluctant to participate in government-sponsored programs, the Conservancy has created an Amish Easement Acquisition Initiative to purchase easements with private funds. The first easement purchased under this new initiative was on a 60-acre Plain Sect farm located on the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek. Additional Brandywine Conservancy easement acquisitions in Honey Brook are in the works.
Honey Brook Township should be commended for its commitment to use its Comprehensive Plan and Open Space Priorities Plan to drive land preservation in the Township.
Find Out More
Brandywine Conservancy
Chester County
Honey Brook Township
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Township Partners with Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy to Restore Headwater of the Unami Creek
 Together with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy (PWC), Milford Township in Bucks County recently restored a small headwater stream of the Unami Creek. The project, which extended 750 feet along both sides of the headwater, included the removal of several tons of silt and non-native weeds to reestablish the historic stream channel and allowed for the planting of over 480 native trees and shrubs. Tons of rocks, yards of erosion control matting, grass seed, and live stakes were also installed to help stabilize and naturalize the new stream banks. In 2005, Milford Township approached the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy (PWC) for help in completing this project. The township's two main goals were to prevent future flooding by reestablishing the historic flow of the creek and to educate local residents about the importance of properly maintained stream channels and riparian buffers. Using this as a demonstration project, township officials hoped to generate public interest and support for future similar initiatives.
Partnering with PWC enabled the township to capitalize on the conservancy's experience and expertise. The two organizations applied for and received a grant for the project from the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund. This grant program is administered by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and funded through Exelon Nuclear and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Funding for the project was also provided by a grant from TreeVitalize. Kelly Germann, Conservation Coordinator for PWC, explains that grants were not the only source of critical support: "All of the volunteer labor and equipment was supplied by the township as well as the design and installation of the restored creek bed. This project could not have been a success without all of the generous support by the township."
Over the course of many years, this small headwater tributary stream had become filled in with eroded soil, chemicals from a nearby farm, and a variety of non-native invasive weeds. Because of this, the water quality and wildlife habitat were badly degraded and the storm water from the stream frequently flooded the road and nearby properties.
 One of the main objectives of the Schuylkill River Restoration fund is to improve the water quality of the Schuylkill River watershed. This made the small headwater tributary leading into the Unami Creek an ideal candidate for restoration. The Unami Creek is currently rated as a high quality cold water fishery by the Department of Environmental Protection's Chapter 93 Water Quality Standards and to maintain that rating it is important to improve the quality of water in its headwaters. The Unami Creek is part of both the Perkiomen Creek watershed and the larger Schuylkill River watershed. Improvements made in this small headwater could have a direct, positive impact on water many miles downstream.
The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund was established in 2006 through an agreement between Exelon and the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). This fund covers parts of 11 counties, consists of over 2,000 square miles and supplies drinking water to over 1.75 million people. In conjunction with DRBC, Exelon, Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia Water Department, and Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, over $500,000 in grants have been given to local conservation organizations for a variety of watershed related projects.
Find Out More
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
Milford Township, Bucks County
Schuylkill River Heritage Area
TreeVitalize
Exelon Nuclear
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Is there a "Green Lining" to the Economic Downturn?
 Land conservation organizations are finding a "green lining" to the economic downturn as developers scale back projects and real estate agents negotiate more willingly. Land trusts and local governments have a window of opportunity to preserve coveted landscapes previously slated for development or priced out of reach -- if funding can be found. Chester County commissioners recently took advantage of one such opportunity, unanimously lending their support for the purchase of a critical missing piece "a doughnut hole" -- in an important bird habitat in the Upper Ridley Creek watershed area. Bill Gladden, head of the county's open space department, told the Daily Local News that "the market has created a lot of opportunities," consequently prompting the county to make grants for open space purchases.
"Hopefully, this will rank as a high priority for the state," Gladden continued. Sustained government funding is crucial if conservation groups are to take advantage of the temporary buyer's market and public support for such funding is even stronger than in past years. On November 4, voters nationwide approved 63 out of 89 conservation finance measures on state and local ballots (LandVote 2008). In other words, despite feeling the economic squeeze, 71% of voters still want to dedicate public funds to environmental conservation.
Another Chester County conservation story shows the economic downturn prompting a developer to decide that a property would be a greater asset if it were preserved as open space. The developer Wilkinson Nottingham, LLC had received approval for a subdivision on a 113-acre property in Franklin Township, Chester County, but recently chose instead to cooperate with Natural Lands Trust and the township to conserve the farm property. Wilkinson Nottingham donated a portion of the land's value to the Natural Lands Trust; the remaining funds for the purchase were provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Chester County Preservation Partnership Program, Franklin Township, and the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation.
"I am pleased that we were able to cooperate with Franklin Township and Natural Lands Trust to conserve such environmentally significant land that is adjacent to other land already under the stewardship of Natural Lands Trust," noted Charles Wilkinson, Managing Member of Wilkinson Nottingham. Natural Lands Trust will combine the parcel with an adjacent property it already owns to establish the 173-acre Peacedale Preserve. The preserve will have approximately 1 1/2 miles of trails and will be open to the public for hiking once amenities are constructed; Wilkinson Nottingham will create a parking lot at no cost to the conservation effort.
The green lining has historical precedent: during the Great Depression, John D. Rockefeller took advantage of rock-bottom land prices to buy up ranches in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. An active conservationist, he eventually donated the land to the National Park Service, according to The Oregonian. "Some of the great national forests, wildlife refuges, and national grassland reserves that we have today and from which we benefit so much came from the Great Depression," points out Earnest Cook, senior vice president of national programs for the Trust for Public Land, to Land & People magazine.
The current drop in land values is once again affording conservation organizations spectacular opportunities to acquire properties that were prohibitively expensive when developers were vying for them. "As land values fall, TPL is getting a chance to acquire much-loved landscapes, important recreation lands, and rare wildlife habitat once destined for the bulldozer. If money can be found to buy the land while it is inexpensive, TPL can create public parks where there would have been parking lots and preserve natural open space," says Will Rogers, TPL President. Rogers emphasizes that although falling land values represent a potential windfall for environmental conservation, without adequate funding, the opportunity will be lost.
Rogers explains that during tough economic times, accessible parks become all the more valuable to the public: people want to be active and outdoors, despite possibly having to give up gym memberships, vacations, and other luxuries. He says: "The recession also clarifies the importance of conservation work" especially in creating access to parks, recreation, and natural lands near where people live. As budgets tighten, families seek out opportunities for recreation and renewal on public lands ”places that all of us own and can enjoy at little or no cost."
Find Out More
Southern Chester County Farm Saved from Development
County spends $1 million to buffer bird habitat from encroaching development
In 2008, voters approved record state funding for land conservation
Conservation in Tough Times
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