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 13,350 ACRES INCLUDING LANDS PURCHASED AND TRANSFERRED FOR STATE GAME LANDS, STATE PARKS, COUNTY PARKS AND MUNICIPAL PARKS. CURRENTLY FRENCH & PICKERING HOLDS APPROXIMATELY 189 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OVER 6,760 ACRES AND OWNS AND MANAGES 900 ACRES HELD IN FEE OWNERSHIP COMPRISED OF 28 PARCELS. ALL LANDS ARE MONITORED ANNUALLY BY FRENCH & PICKERING STAFF TO ASSIST LANDOWNERS WITH THEIR LAND MANAGEMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP. SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE O.IN 2021 THE FOLLOWING 4 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED:1) THE 19.8 ACRE EASEMENT SEIBERT EASEMENT IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS VISIBLE FROM 200 FEET OF PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY ON PIKELAND ROAD WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS A SCENIC ROAD IN THE CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE PLAN. OVER 8 ACRES OF CONTIGUOUS WOODLANDS ARE WITHIN THE PROPERTY PROVIDING HABITAT TO NUMEROUS LAND AND AQUATIC SPECIES. 2) THE 15.2 ACRE EASEMENT BALDWIN LONG IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS IN THE PICKERING CREEK WATERSHED WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS HAVING A HIGH-QUALITY WATER BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. THE PROPERTY HAS 10.2 ACRES OF MIXED AGED WOODLANDS THAT PROVIDE HABITAT TO NUMEROUS PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES. THREE ACRES HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED A FOREST FARMING AREA AND THE PROPERTY IS VISIBLE FROM BODINE ROAD - A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ON WHICH IT HAS 258 FEET OF FRONTAGE. 3) THE 57.4 ACRE MAXWELL EASEMENT IN WEST VINCENT TOWNSHIP PROTECTS 906 FEET OF PERENNIAL AND INTERMITTENT STREAMS THAT ARE TRIBUTARIES TO THE MIDDLE REACH OF FRENCH CREEK. THE PROPERTY IS VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FROM 1,484 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON SAINT MATTHEWS ROAD, WHICH IS A DESIGNATED SCENIC ROAD IN THE WEST VINCENT TOWNSHIP OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN. THE PROPERTY ALSO OFFERS SCENIC VIEWS FROM 346 FEET ALONG KIMBERTON ROAD. THERE ARE 3.7 ACRES OF PERMANENTLY PROTECTED FORESTED BUFFER ALONG THE FRENCH CREEK. THE FRENCH CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES ARE DESIGNATED AS HAVING EXCEPTIONAL VALUE AND HIGH-QUALITY WATERS BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. THESE AREAS ARE PROTECTED WITH A STREAM BUFFER AREA THAT IS WITHIN 100 FEET OF THE CENTERLINE OF EACH SIDE OF THE TRIBUTARY. THIS CRITICAL CONSERVATION PROPERTY IS HOME TO NESTING BALD EAGLES AND A VARIETY OF LAND AND AQUATIC SPECIES. 4) THE 46 ACRE EASEMENT CROWELL CHURCH ROAD IN CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP IS LOCATED WTIHIN THE PICKERING CREEK WATERSHED AND INCLUDES 679 FEET OF UNNAMED TRIBUTARY TO THE PICKERING CREEK. THE PICKERING CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES ARE DESIGNATED AS HAVING HIGH QUALITY WATER BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. THE PROPERTY HAS 16 ACRES OF MIXED AGED WOODLANDS AND VEGETATED STREAM CORRIDOR THAT PROVIDE HABITAT TO NUMEROUS PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES. THE PROPERTY HAS APPROXIMATELY 30 ACRES OF SOILS DESIGNATED AS "PRIME AGRICULTURAL SOILS" BY THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE. THE PROPERTY IS HIGHLY VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FROM 778 FEET OF FRONTAGE ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHURCH ROAD WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS A SCENIC ROAD IN THE CHARLESTOWN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 2021 INVOLVED OVER $290,000 IN DONATED LAND VALUE WHICH COUNTED AS REVENUE, AND OVER $2,375,000 IN PUBLIC GRANTS FOR THE PROJECTS ABOVE. THESE FUNDS REIMBURSED EXPENSES AS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE AFOREMENTIONED TRANSACTIONS.