Heritage Conservancy Assists in Preservation of 45-acre Property in Durham Township

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.

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. 

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.