French And Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust Inc

TO PRESERVE, STEWARD, AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE LAND IN NORTHERN CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA

FRENCH AND PICKERING CREEKS CONSERVATION TRUST HAS WORKED WITH LANDOWNERS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS, TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF NORTHERN CHESTER COUNTY. SINCE 1967, FRENCH & PICKERING HAS HELPED PERMANENTLY PROTECT OVER 13,500 ACRES INCLUDING LANDS PURCHASED AND TRANSFERRED FOR STATE GAME LANDS, STATE PARKS, COUNTY PARKS AND MUNICIPAL PARKS. CURRENTLY FRENCH & PICKERING HOLDS APPROXIMATELY 193 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OVER 7,768 ACRES AND OWNS AND MANAGES 882 ACRES HELD IN FEE OWNERSHIP COMPRISED OF 27 PARCELS. ALL LANDS ARE MONITORED ANNUALLY BY FRENCH & PICKERING STAFF TO ASSIST LANDOWNERS WITH THEIR LAND MANAGEMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP. IN 2022 THE FOLLOWING 5 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED:1) THE 71.5 ACRE BERRY EASEMENT IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS VISIBLE FROM PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY ON MERLIN AND PIKELAND ROAD, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS A SCENIC ROAD IN THE CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE PLAN. THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF FIVE CONTIGUOUS FARMLAND PARCELS WITH ROLLING TOPOGRAPHY. THIS SCENIC LANDSCAPE COULD HAVE HAD 23 MORE RESIDENCES BUT IS NOW RESTRICTED AGAINST FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. IT IS ADJACENT TO OTHER PERMANENTLY PRESERVED PARCELS RESULTING IN OVER 400 CONTIGUOUS ACRES OF NATURAL AREA UNDER PERMANENT PRESERVATION. THE PROPERTY ITSELF ALSO HOSTS A NICE SELECTION OF NATIVE HARDWOODS AND EVERGREEN TREE SPECIES, A STREAM, AS WELL AS FIELD HABITAT VALUABLE FOR WILDLIFE INCLUDING NUMEROUS BIRD SPECIES. 2) THE 64.3 ACRE CROWELL EASEMENT ON CHARLESTOWN ROAD IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS IN THE PICKERING CREEK WATERSHED, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS HAVING HIGH-QUALITY WATER BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF MID-AGED WOODLANDS AND A VEGETAGED STREAM CORRIDOR. A HISTORIC HOUSE, BARN AND SPRING HOUSE ARE CURRENTLY ON THE PROPERTY AND THE EASEMENT ELIMINATES ALL BUT A FEW ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDING RIGHTS. THE PROPERTY HOSTS A VARIETY OF NATIVE TREE SPECIES INCLUDING TULIP POPLAR, BLACK WALNUT, BLACK CHERRY, DOGWOOD, ASH, SWEET BIRCH, OAKS AND HICKORIES. THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO OTHER PERMENANTLY PRESERVED PARCELS AND IS VISIBLE FROM PIKELAND AND CHURCH ROADS, PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY ON WHICH IT HAS EXTENSIVE ROAD FRONTAGE. 3) THE 7.5 ACRE RODGERS EASEMENT IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS SURROUNDED BY PRESERVED LAND ON ALL SIDES. FRANCES RODGERS WANTED TO SELL HER PROPERTY, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS PROTECTED AGAINST FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BY ELIMINATING TWO POTENTIAL BUILDING SITES. BY ACQUIRING THIS EASEMENT, FRENCH & PICKERING HELPED FRANCES HONOR HER INTENTIONS FOR THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO SELLING AND ADDED TO OVER 100 CONTIGUOUS ACRES OF PERMANENTLY PRESERVED LANDS PREVENTING ANY FUTURE FRAGMENTATION OF THIS PROTECTED LANDSCAPE. THIS SITE HOSTS A NUMBER OF SPRINGS AND SEEPS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIBUTARIES TO PICKERING CREEK, WHICH FLOW OVER ADJACENT CONSERVED LANDS.4) A NEW CONSERVATION EASEMENT ADDED 7.3 ACRES TO THE COVENTRY HOUSE PROPERTY IN SOUTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, WHICH HAS AN EXISTING EASEMENT IN PLACE. AARON COHEN AND LIANA YOO PURCHASED TWO ADJOINING LOTS, OWNED BY FRENCH & PICKERING, TO ADD TO THEIR EXISTING 17.4 ACRE PROPERTY. THE EASEMENT ELIMINATED ALL BUT ONE HOUSING RIGHT AND MAINTAINS AN IMPORTANT HABITAT CORRIDOR, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ACCESS TO A HISTORIC BURIAL GROUND FOR A CARETAKER.5) THE 4.5 ACRE "ESTATE OF ELLEN DIXON" CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROVIDED AN IMPORTANT TRAIL SEGMENT FOR THE EAST PIKELAND TRAIL NETWORK. THE ACQUISITION OF THIS EASEMENT PROTECTS A LARGE WETLAND, WHICH SERVES AS LAND AND AQUATIC SPECIES HABITAT. SIXTEEN TOWNHOMES WERE PROPOSED FOR THE SMALL PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE OF KIMBERTON VILLAGE. THIS EASEMENT EXTINGUISHED ALL BUT THE EXISTING HOUSE RIGHT AND AGRICULTRUAL STRUCTURES. THE PROPERTY WAS A PRIORITY FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND INCREASES PUBLIC ACCESS IN A WALKABLE COMMUNITY.2022 INVOLVED SIGNIFICANT DONATED LAND VALUE WHICH COUNTED AS REVENUE AS WELL AS PUBLIC GRANTS FOR SEVERAL OF THE PROJECTS ABOVE. THESE FUNDS REIMBURSED EXPENSES AS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE AFOREMENTIONED TRANSACTIONS.