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Heritage Happenings  
November 2013
 
 
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All Star Award
Giving Tuesday Bucks County
Tuesday, December 3rd
 
There's Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and now there's Giving Tuesday! 
 
Join in this national celebration of generosity by making a donation to 
your favorite not-for-profit organization on December 3rd. 
 
Click HERE to donate to your favorite land conservation and historic 
property preservation organization!
Take a hike!
 
After all of the turkey eating and naps, why not go outside and get some fresh air? Enjoy all of the beauty that our area has to offer. If you have the time, get outdoors and go for a hike! We are thankful to have such amazing recreational spaces so close by!
Heritage Conservancy Open House
 
Wednesday, December 11th
4:00 to 7:00 PM
Aldie Mansion
85 Old Dublin Pike
Doylestown, PA 18901
 
Celebrate 25 years of living our mission in the mansion! FREE for members; $5.00 for non-members.
 
Click HERE for more information, or call Tammy at 215-345-7020 ext. 107.

Art for Conservation
by Artists of the Gallows Run 

  
November 13th through January 8th
Palisades High School
35 Church Hill Road
Kintnersville, PA 18930

 

This year's exhibit, which is designed to showcase local artists and benefit 
land conservation, will focus on "Observations in a Changing Climate." 
50% of all works sold go to a fund promoting land conservation efforts
 in Nockamixon Township.

 

For more information, contact Sandy at [email protected]
Family-run tree farm

Located at 6320 Upper York Road in New Hope, PA, Tuckamony Farm is one of the oldest family-run Christmas tree farms in the country. In 1925, Forrest and Irene Crooks purchased the property and planted evergreen seedlings in 1929. They began selling Christmas trees to the public in 1934.

 

Part of the Honey Hollow Watershed, Tuckamony Farm is one of five farms totaling about 650 acres in Solebury Township. The farm specializes in choose-and-cut trees. They also provide pre-cut trees, fresh holly from the orchard, and hand-made wreaths. The Crooks named their farm in honor of 

one of the last Lenni Lenape Native Americans to live in this area, Peg Tuckamony. She wove hickory

baskets and traded with the 

colonists until her death in 1830.

 

Support a local farm this season by purchasing your holiday tree and/or wreath from Tuckamony Farm. Click HERE to learn more!

Our volunteer front desk receptionists have logged over 500 hours of volunteer time this year! 
 
Would you like to be a part of this great group? Serve as a friendly ambassador by greeting guests and answering the phones at our front desk at the beautiful Aldie Mansion in Doylestown, PA. We are looking for volunteers for Mondays and Fridays, shifts 9:00 AM -1:00 PM and/or 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Schedule is flexible. Additional projects assigned, if requested. If interested, please send a resume and/or a brief description of employment history and skills to [email protected]
Any time of year is perfect for a wedding at historic  
Aldie Mansion!



Visit our
for details.
We are so thankful!     
With Thanksgiving just days away, we wanted to take this time to reflect upon all that we have to be thankful for. 

Our volunteers--We have logged over 2,500 hours of volunteer time over the past year! Our volunteers' time is priceless to us. Thank you to our board members, committee members, clean-up crews, front desk receptionists, interns, and everyone else who has helped us in our mission to protect our area's beautiful resources!

Our members--Our over 500 wonderful business and individual members help to keep our organization strong. Thank you to every single one of you--we couldn't preserve our important historical structures and open spaces without your help!

Our donors--As a not-for-profit organization, we rely greatly on the support of our donors. Thank you for your generosity and passion for conservation!

Our staff-- The dedication of our group is unparalleled. We are so fortunate to work in an environment where individuals work as a team toward an important common goal. And it doesn't hurt that we have fun while we're doing it!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our supporters!
Heritage Conservancy signs installed in Montgomery County
In December 2012, we announced our merger with The Conservancy of Montgomery County. Through this union, we acquired eleven conservation easements totaling 126 acres in Montgomery County, PA, as well as several historic building facade easements and their historical research project and stewardship funds.
 
Earlier this month, we installed new signage on the properties that we acquired that hold conservation easements. We are excited to have these signs up to show residents the work that we're doing in their area! We will continue to monitor these Montgomery County properties to ensure that they follow easement guidelines and are preserved in perpetuity for the enjoyment of all Montgomery County residents and visitors.
 
To view more photos of the installation, click HERE.

Under the Snow

The gray tree frog has the ability to freeze and thaw with the 
changing temperatures of winter.

 

When autumn's last leaves fall from the trees and cold weather sets in for the winter, the ground can appear lifeless and barren.  With its frozen upper layer, it is understandable why one might assume that not much is happening in the soil and snow. But looks can be deceiving! There is a world thriving on our area's frozen tundra--you just need to know what to look for.

 

Throughout the fall, plant matter provides an ideal feeding ground for bacteria in the soil. This decomposition performed by bacteria converts ammonia into nitrate, which is essential for plant nutrition. As the weather cools, and with nothing left to eat, the bacteria go into hibernation during which they safely freeze.

 

Within the soil, insects prepare for winter. Some earthworms burrow deep underground, well below the frost line, where they hibernate for the duration of the winter. Other earthworms remain in the topsoil and eventually freeze to death; however, before doing this, they lay eggs in tiny sacks that will protect them from the harsh winter and allow them to hatch in the thaw of springtime.

 

Some amphibians migrate to warmer climates in winter while some burrow deep underground. Even more unique, some of them have the ability to freeze without dying!  We aren't am-phibbin'! Typically an arbor-dweller, the gray tree frog leaps down to the ground during winter and buries itself under a bed of leaves. The tree frog produces glycerol, which is converted to glucose in its body and then circulated throughout its cells. This glucose acts as anti-freeze and prevents ice crystals from forming in the frogs cells. This allows the frogs to freeze and thaw with the changing of the temperatures.   

 The meadow vole remains active throughout the winter months.

 

Some small mammals reside in hollowed logs, under leaves, or in constructed surface or underground tunnels throughout the winter. Deer mice store nuts and seeds for winter and remain awake during the cold months. The meadow vole, or "field mouse," makes a nest made of vegetation and relies on snow cover for protection and insulation.

 

These are just a few of the many examples of life taking place on what looks like uninhabitable terrain. So if you are out trekking in the woods this winter, whether it is by foot or all-terrain vehicle, be conscious of the activity going on beneath you. Stick to trails in the woods, and if you come across any critters, let them carry on peacefully. It's hard enough for them out there in the cold!

Many Faces, One Voice
Judy Cody 
  

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new member to our Board of Directors. The Board of Directors provides guidance to Heritage Conservancy to further its mission of land and historic property preservation, to assist with financial goals, and to achieve regional prominence through outreach and marketing. We welcomed Judy Cody to the board as of October 16, 2013.

 

Judy Cody brings with her an extensive marketing background that will lend even more expertise to our board. Judy graduated from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Marketing.  She received her M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern where she graduated with distinction and was selected for the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. Upon graduation, she began her career in brand management marketing for well-known companies such as Gatorade, Quaker and Pepsi-Cola. After working for ten years in the brand management field, Judy went into consulting to assist in strategic planning for Fortune 100 corporations, smaller start-ups and not-for-profits in the consumer goods and health care arenas.

 

With Judy's in-depth experience, it is no surprise that she is also serving as Chairperson for our Strategic Planning Committee. In this role, she hopes to develop a 3 to 5-year plan that defines a clear path forward for the Conservancy, one that continues to make our organization even more relevant to residents in the Bucks and Montgomery County areas, both today and into the future. She is particularly interested in developing the programming that would enable us to help develop the next generation of stewards--programs that would help connect kids with nature and the amazing world around us, and get them away from their screens.

 

Judy is married with four children, so she leads a busy and full life! When she does have spare time, she enjoys running half-marathons, cooking, traveling, and occasionally dabbles in wine making. 

 

It was her husband's job that originally brought her to Bucks County, but she quickly grew to love the community and beauty of our area. "I feel that we are so fortunate to live in a place where there are so many conservation-minded neighbors who have worked hard to preserve the natural resources that greatly enhance our quality of life. I love it here and can't imagine living anywhere else!" said Judy.

 

We are fortunate to add Judy's valuable knowledge, passion and enthusiasm to our diverse Board of Directors.