Our Farm to Table dinner event is nominated for "Most Happening"
Bucks County Foodie Event!
We were honored to win this category last year, and we'd be so thrilled to
retain this title.
But we can't do it without your help! If you think sustainable agriculture and protecting our farmland IS important, then please take a moment and vote
for us HERE!
------------------- We're also nominated for Best Bucks Charity for helping to protect the natural and historic resources that make our area so unique. If you think we're the best Bucks County charity, then vote for us HERE! Thank you for your support!
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Hit us with your best shot!
Now through April 15th
Send us your best photos that celebrate our natural and historic heritage in the winter and spring months. Three winners will have their photos included in our 2015 Heritage Conservancy calendar. Must be a Heritage Conservancy
member to enter.
Click HERE for a contest entry form, or call Tammy at 215-345-7020 ext. 107. |
Owl Prowl
Saturday, February 1st
7:00 to 8:30 PM
Manoff Market Gardens
3157 Comfort Road
Solebury, PA 18963
Learn about owls of Pennsylvania with bird expert, Diane Allison, and take a guided walk on our preserved property
in search of these feathered friends
of the night.
Free for members and children under 12; $5 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Please register by calling Tammy at
215-345-7020 ext. 107.
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 Wednesday, February 12th
6:00 to 8:00 PM
Aldie Mansion
85 Old Dublin Pike
Doylestown, PA 18901
Go to bat for bats! White Nose Syndrome has wiped out virtually entire populations of them, and they need our help! Spend an evening learning about the benefits of bats, and build a bat house to take home with you.
Cost: $15.00. Admission includes one pre-cut wooden bat box. Please bring
an electric drill and caulking gun.
Register by calling Tammy at
215-345-7020 ext. 107.
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William Mercer's "Lost" Artifacts: Concrete and Plaster Sculptures and How He Made Them
Thursday, February 27th
4:00 to 7:00 PM
Aldie Mansion
85 Old Dublin Pike
Doylestown, PA 18901
Bucks County recognizes Henry Mercer as its renowned sculptor, but the talent didn't stop with Henry! William Mercer, Henry's brother, created much of the concrete architectural work seen throughout Aldie Mansion. His molds and sculptures evoke the fine artisan craftsmanship of yesteryear that is so rarely seen today.
Come and see William's surviving work and learn from a modern-day cast-concrete artist how he made his art. Tours of Aldie will also be provided.
Free for members; $5.00 for nonmembers. Registration is not required. Call Tammy at 215-345-7020 ext. 107 for more information.
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Swamp Tromp 
Saturday, March 29th
6:00 to 8:00 PM
Richland Township Building
1328 California Road
Quakertown, PA 18951
Learn about the night sounds of swamp amphibians with Kyle Loucks, the North American Field Herpers Association's herpetologist, and then "tromp" to the edge of the swamp when frogs and other night creatures begin their chorus.
Space is limited. Contact Tammy at 215-345-7020 ext. 107 to register, or click HERE for more details. |
12th Annual Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference
May 1st through May 3rd
Reading Crowne Plaza
Berks County
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association is holding its 12th annual conference!
Three staff members from Heritage Conservancy will be presenting at the conference. Learn more about "Preserving Properties With Complex Issues," presented by Heritage Conservancy's Laura Baird and Kris Kern, by clicking HERE.
Registration is required. To learn more about the conference, click HERE. |
Any time of year is perfect for a wedding at historic
Aldie Mansion!
Visit our
for details.
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A Victory for Open Spaces
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA) works to protect our state's farms, forests, parks, and other special green spaces. It supports land trusts like us and other conservation practitioners to improve their effectiveness and build public understanding. PALTA also advocates for better government policy, and in 2013, that's just what it did.
In December 2013, the Governor signed Act 115, which amends Pennsylvania's Open Space Law. Previously, municipalities used voter referendums to gather citizen support to fund parks, trails, recreational areas and open space protection. If the referendum was voted on positively, the municipality would collect taxes for park acquisition and open space preservation. Under the old act, a municipality had the power to divert these open space funds for use on unrelated projects.
Act 115 provides protection against the appropriation of funds for other uses. Under this act, a municipality cannot rescind a dedicated open space tax without first proposing the change to voters through another referendum. This amendment helps to ensure that taxes collected for open spaces remain with open space protection projects.
PALTA played an integral part in shaping this bill and supported its enactment. Our president, Jeff Marshall, serves as Vice-President for this important association.
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Heritage Conservancy Assists in Preservation of 45-acre Property in Durham Township
The headwaters of Cooks Creek on the Hoffman property
On December 27, 2013, Heritage Conservancy finalized the preservation of a 45-acre property in Durham Township. The Hoffman property, a piece of land located in the Cooks Creek Watershed, will be protected in perpetuity. The property adds to the over 1,300 acres of contiguous preserved land in the area.
Working as a strategic partner, Heritage Conservancy provided assistance to Durham Township throughout the process of preserving the Hoffman property. In 2010, the Conservancy created an open space plan that identified important natural and agricultural resources within the Township that were high priorities for preservation. Based on the open space plan, the Hoffman property was ranked as a high priority to preserve. This ranking allowed Durham Township to seek funding for its preservation. Bucks County Municipal Open Space Program, PA DCNR, Open Space Institute Bayshore Highlands Fund, and 1772 Foundation all provided funding for the preservation of this piece of land.
The Hoffman property contains a vital source of water: the headwaters of Cooks Creek. Had the property been left unpreserved and open to development, it could have had a profoundly negative effect on surrounding areas and their water quality. Cooks Creek is designated as an Exceptional Value Cold Water Fishery under the Pennsylvania Chapter 93 Water Quality Standards. Brown trout and brook trout, both of which are bioindicator species that can only survive in pure cold water, breed naturally in these waters. Their survival is indicative of just how pristine this environment is.
For the full article, click HERE.
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Year of the Salamander
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation(PARC) is celebrating 2014 as the Year of the Salamander! PARC intends to raise awareness about the importance of salamanders and to energize education, research, and conservation of these critters. Heritage Conservancy is pleased to partner with PARC in helping to spread the message of this recognition!
According to PARC, nearly half of the 600 species of salamanders worldwide are threatened with extinction. Salamanders are integral in food chains and are connected to many animal groups. Considered excellent bioindicators, a drop in the population of salamanders could indicate an environment's degrading health.
Recognizing the importance of protecting our salamanders, we helped to start the Quakertown Swamp Amphibian Rescue Partnership along with a group of volunteers and members of Richland and East Rockhill Townships. At the end of every winter, this partnership helps to provide safe passage for salamanders and other amphibians across several busy Quakertown roads in order to get to vernal pools on the other side to breed. Last year, the group counted over 900 amphibians crossing the road at Quakertown Swamp! This number indicates that this Heritage Conservancy-protected swamp is doing well. We will continue to monitor the numbers each year in hopes that they stay consistent or grow.
To learn more about the Quakertown Swamp Amphibian Rescue Partnership, click HERE. To learn more about Year of the Salamander, click HERE.
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Annual MLK Day of Service at Bristol Marsh Preserve
For the sixth year in a row, we joined forces with approximately 30 volunteers from Bristol Borough High School, Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown, US EPA Region 3, local residents and staff from The Nature Conservancy to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a national day of service. On Monday, January 20th, we held our annual cleanup of the Bristol Marsh Preserve. Located adjacent to Historic Bristol Borough's Waterfront Park, this 33-acre preserve contains a unique fresh water tidal marsh and forest habitat that helps to filter water before it enters the connecting Delaware River. The marsh also helps to prevent stream bank erosion.
After years of performing this cleanup, we are happy to report that we've noticed an encouraging trend. Each year, there is less trash to pick up than the year before. There was still quite a bit of trash that needed removal, but the hard work of our volunteers is making a huge difference in the community!
One group that continues to help make that impact is the Leonard family. They have been attending this annual day of service at Bristol Marsh for the past four years in a row! The Leonard family's commitment to the cleanup is truly inspiring.
"We think it's important to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dedication to doing good things for others. We are real advocates for the benefits that open spaces provide to people both tangibly and psychologically, and we use the opportunity to help clean up the marsh since it provides an inspirational location for many to enjoy," said Paul Leonard about his family's devotion to the annual event.
 Thank you to all of the volunteers, community leaders, and public officials who participated in making this important day such a success," said Linda Cacossa, Chief Operating Officer for Heritage Conservancy. "We hope that this cleanup has helped to raise awareness of the significant ecological resource that we have right here in Bucks County."
Click HERE to learn more about the Bristol Marsh.
View more photos from this event on our Facebook page HERE.
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Host your winter event at Aldie Mansion at a discounted rate!
Jeffrey Miller Catering invites you to host your winter wedding at the stately Aldie Mansion. Enter the Great Hall to sip hot cider beside a roaring fire. Sample sumptuous hors d'oeuvres in a classic Tudor library surrounded by leaded glass. Step into our 2,650-square-foot atrium for a magical winter night of dining and dancing under the stars.
**Winter Wedding Special!**
January, February, and March
20% off for Fridays and Sundays; 15% off on Saturdays
If you have any questions or would like to book your party or wedding, contact Jeffrey Miller Catering's Sales Manager, Kimberly Bates,
at 215-348-3509.
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