Fall/Winter 2013
Volume 29 No. 2
Stewardship in the 21st Century
OLC Strategic Planning: Meeting the Challenges of the Future
The mission of Open Land Conservancy is to preserve open
space in Chester County and acquire land suitable for nature
preserves in order to: (1) protect natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas; (2) protect and enhance wildlife
habitat; and (3) provide the public with opportunities for
passive recreation. OLC also strives to engage residents in
conservation activities, education programs, and nature studies
that promote resource stewardship. To achieve our mission we
must evolve to address the challenges of the future.
direct public outreach and are in need of individuals with
specific skills to promote success. If you possess any of these
skills/experience and would be willing to participate as a
committee member please contact us!
Communication
Website development
Graphic arts/design
Social media
Writer/Editor
Environmental education
Challenges we face in the 21st century include increasing
pressure from visitation and recreational use, climate change,
competition for scarcer resources, declining budgets, and the
need to complete needed work more efficiently and effectively.
Therefore, in the summer of 2013, OLC began a strategic
planning process to identify our organizational strengths and
weaknesses and key actions to make OLC sustainable into the
future.
Your Skills Are Critical To Our Success!
Promoting Visitor Safety and
Enjoyment
The mission of OLC includes protecting and enhancing
wildlife habitat while maintaining trail systems for the
public to enjoy the full range of natural resources within our
preserves. Part of visitor enjoyment includes feeling safe as
well as intangible values such as peace, tranquility, and the
beauty of nature.
One of our first key actions has been to establish a formal
committee structure. Two of these committees are engaged in
Upcoming Events
Volunteer Vine Days 9:00am – 12:00pm
● November 2nd
George Lorimer Preserve
● December 7th
Cedar Hollow Preserve
● January 11th
Cool Valley Preserve
● February 8th
Diamond Rock Preserve
● March 8th
George Lorimer Preserve
● April 12th
TBD (make up if needed)
Funding
Grant writing
Event planning
Fundraising
Membership outreach
Each year over 4.7 million dog bites occur in the United
States and 50% involve children under the age of 12. Pennsylvania ranks 5th in the nation for number of recorded dog
bite incidents. This is also becoming
an issue at OLC preserves and
visitors and/or their pets have been
attacked by unrestrained dogs. Not
only are dogs required to be leashed
by OLC when visiting our preserves
- it’s the law.
Please wear protective clothing and bring gloves
and tools such as loppers, pruners and hand saws if
you have them. OLC will have a limited supply of
tools to share.
Our preserves are open to all and we welcome dogs. Keeping your dog leashed is an important element of making the
preserve experience pleasurable for everyone and being
good stewards of our environment.
Education Programs - Coming This Spring
To a Preserve Near You!
Please help us to better achieve our mission by
keeping your dog leashed when you visit and
letting us know if you encounter a problem with
other dog owners or off-leash pets.
Check our website for updates and details on OLC
events: https://openlandconservancy.org/
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Preserve Highlight: Cedar Hollow Preserve
Size:
67 acres
Trail Miles:
> 2 miles
Special Features: Tallest Hackberry tree in PA at
114.2 feet tall and 147 inches in circumference; Valley
Creek; PA Threatened sedge Carex tetanica v. canbyi
The Cedar Hollow Preserve has a rich cultural history, starting
over 300 years ago. When William Penn arrived in Pennsylvania
he sold a large area of land - called the “Welsh Tract” - to a
group of Welsh Friends. Expanded to over 100,000 acres, this
land included Tredyffrin Township and what is now the Cedar
Hollow Preserve.
The land was then sold in parcels primarily through the 1680s-1700s.
The 200 acre parcel that includes the Preserve was originally granted
to David Powell (deputy surveyor for Chester County and land
dealer) in 1705, who then sold it to Thomas David on April 2, 1708.
It changed hands many times after that but was generally described
as a “plantation having several streams and live springs of water in
it, the corn-land fresh, the wood-land well timber’d...”. (http://
www.tehistory.com/)
Farming has been the primary land use over time but was
interspersed with small industrial endeavors including a fulling mill
Photos by Bill Moses
(woolen cloth making) built in 1737, which was converted to a grist
mill (grinding corn and wheat) in about 1770. Just west of the Preserve is the quarry started by the Cedar Hollow Lime Company
in 1856, the oldest, largest, and longest-lasting of all the quarries in the Great Valley (1856-1994). The ruins from several workmen’s homes can still be seen on the south side of Saint Peters Road. The Trammell Crow Co. acquired the quarry (then known
as the Warner Quarry) and surrounding lands with funding from Chester County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under
the “Growing Greener” program. Shortly thereafter, in 1999, OLC acquired a conservation easement from Trammell Crow Co. on
approximately 60 acres of land and ownership of the property was transferred to OLC in 2002. The 4.6 acres of hillside between
the Trammell Crow parcel and Bulls Corner Road was acquired from Shared Medical Systems in 2001, with funding provided by
Chester County. Most recently, an agreement between OLC and Trammell Crow Co. resulted in a land exchange that added 5
acres to the north end of the preserve in 2009, extending the northern boundary of the preserve to St Johns Road.
Today, the Cedar Hollow Preserve protects meadows, forests, wetlands, streams and springs that provide habitat for native
wildlife and opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors. The Preserve offers the community many forms of passive
recreation, such as hiking, bird watching, photography, and trout fishing. As you walk the trails you may see youth groups and
other community volunteers planting trees, removing invasive plant species, or picking up trash. As with many of our OLC
preserves, Cedar Hollow also provides critical protection for Valley Creek - serving as a buffer that reduces water pollution,
keeps the stream cold, and mitigates flooding. Join us in enjoying and protecting this outstanding natural resource. For more
information on the Cedar Hollow Preserve including a trails map please visit https://openlandconservancy.org/
Cedar_Hollow_Preserve.html.
On May 5, 2013 27 volunteers contributed over 87
hours of time to plant 190 trees near Valley Creek
at the Miller Preserve (adjacent to the Cedar
Hollow Preserve). Members of Girl Scout Troops
416, 41044, and 4416 joined members of OLC,
Valley Forge Trout Unlimited, and the Green
Valleys Watershed Association.
Thank You!
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Nature Note: Year of the Snake
There are many misconceptions and fears about snakes. These fears are relics of an earlier
Snakes Potentially
time and of people having very little familiarity with and knowledge about snakes. Snakes are
Occurring on OLC
generally not aggressive and given the chance, will flee from human contact. This is true of all
of our local native snakes - they don’t curl up, hiss, puff up, or strike unless pursued, cornered
Lands
or surprised. Snakes are considered poikilotherms, or cold-blooded vertebrates, which means
they have no internal means of controlling their body temperature and rely on their environ Black Rat Snake
ment to stay warm. This is why you may encounter a snake on a trail or rock near the stream
 Eastern Garter Snake
on a sunny day. Basking in the sun is critical not only for temperature regulation but also for
digestion and egg development. The best course of action if you see a snake at an OLC
 Eastern Hognose Snake
preserve is to appreciate the moment and leave it alone.
 Eastern Milk Snake
Twenty-one snakes are considered native to Pennsylvania and more than half of those
potentially occur on OLC lands. Snakes are an essential component of the food web and
provide services to us that we rarely see or appreciate. Snakes play an important role in our
environment as predators and feed primarily on insects, rodents, amphibians, and birds
(including eggs). All snakes can swim but those who regularly live near water (e.g. Northern
Water snake, Queen snake) have also evolved to eat things like small fish and crayfish. A
single Black Rat snake can eat dozens of rats a year - now translate that to white-footed mice,
the primary carrier of Lyme disease! Not only do snakes benefit our natural environment but
also our health, gardens, and farms.
 Eastern Ribbon Snake
 Eastern Earth Snake
 Northern Black Racer
 Northern Brown Snake
 Northern Copperhead
(our only poisonous snake)
 Northern Redbelly Snake
 Northern Ringneck Snake
The area’s only poisonous snake is the Northern Copperhead, considered one of our most
docile snakes. Characteristics of a poisonous snake should only be used as a guide because
 Northern Water Snake
non-venomous snakes may mimic some of these same characteristics. Often these traits
 Queen Snake
include a triangular-shaped head, vertically elliptical pupil, and in the case of rattlesnakes - a
rattle on the tail. However, many snakes rattle their tail in warning (even though they don’t
 Rough Green Snake
have a rattle) and flatten their heads when aroused or cornered to a diamond shape. Hognose
snakes, when confronted, suck in air, spread the skin around the head and neck (like a cobra),
hiss, and lunge - pretending to strike. Eventually, they will even play dead, rolling on their back and opening their mouth.
Despite this convincing show, they almost never bite - it’s just a reminder that he’s more scared than you are!
For additional information about snakes in PA please visit: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/factsnake.htm
For information on the Northern Copperhead snake please visit: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/copprhe.htm
Northern Copperhead
Northern Black Racer
Eastern Garter Snake and Red
Salamander
Photos by Bill Moses
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Board of Directors
Michael F. Wilson, President
W.E. (Pete) Goodman, III, Vice President
Richard B. Lander, Secretary
Robert W. Haver, Treasurer
Michael S. Burg, Solicitor
Art Blumenthal
Scott Bush
John H. Chidester, M.D.
Raymond Clarke
Molly Duffy
John J. Etherington
Kristina Heister, Newsletter Editor
Timothy S. Magee
CONTACT US
The best way to contact us is via our website at:
https://openlandconservancy.org/
What Can You Do On-line?
● Become an OLC Member
● Make a Donation
● Become a Volunteer
● Obtain Information on OLC Preserves Including
Preserve Trail Maps
Executive Secretary
Sharon L. Danbach
● Find Out About Upcoming Events
Emeritus Board Members
Marian T. Toland, Chairman
Katharine A. E. Campbell
Alexander N. Rubin, Jr.
Penelope P. Wilson
Going Green in 2014
● View the Landmarks Newsletter (and much more!)
Follow Us On Twitter @openlandconserv
Address:
Open Land Conservancy
PO Box 1031
Make sure we have your email
address! Two issues of
Landmarks will be e-newsletters.
Phone:
610-647-5380
4
PO Box 1031
Paoli, PA 19301
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recycled paper
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