December 4, 2015

Natural Lands Trust announced recently the conservation of the Yoder Farm, a 114-acre property in Warwick Township, Chester County.

The scenic farm forms the gateway vista into Warwick Township. The property lies in the upper reaches of French Creek near the western boundary of the Hopewell Big Woods, the largest unbroken forest remaining in southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to its productive crop fields boasting soils classifying it as “prime farmland” and “farmland of statewide importance,” the property also contains important habitat for an endangered species.

Said Natural Lands Trust President Molly Morrison, “The intricacies of this project were remarkable. Kudos to the partners and funders who worked with us to navigate the twists and turns along the way so we could arrive at this successful outcome!”

The property was slated for a housing development with 26 residences, a nine-hole executive golf course and country club, and a 30,000-square-foot commercial space. The economic downturn led the owners to abandon development plans, and Warwick Township reached out to Natural Lands Trust hoping to find a conservation solution. Together, the Township and Natural Lands Trust developed a preservation strategy in which the farm fields would be preserved by an agricultural easement and the wetlands through a conservation easement. Under an easement, property remains in private ownership but is protected from future development in perpetuity.

“With the farm’s rolling terrain of farm fields and wetlands, you truly get a feeling of Warwick Township,” said Joan Grimley, Warwick Township administrator. “Thank you, Natural Lands Trust, for all your help to protect this iconic property.”

Once the restrictions were in place, the property in its entirety was purchased by Bill Beam, a local farmer who was honored with Chester County’s Farmer of the Year award in 1990. The award recognizes a farmer who maintains and exemplifies outstanding farming practices.

“My son Matt and his wife Rebecca plan to operate the farm and renovate the house, making it their home,” said Bill Beam. “It feels so good to preserve this farm forever.”

Support for this conservation of the farm was provided by the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board and the Chester County Preservation Partnership Program. Chester County Commissioners Terence Farrell, Kathi Cozzone, and Michelle Kichline noted, “Preservation of this working farm and important natural area highlights the county’s commitment to balancing progress and preservation, and we are grateful for the exceptional skills of the Natural Lands Trust and the other partners in bringing this to fruition. This project is a perfect example of the high return on investment provided by open space preservation in Chester County.”

Because the undisturbed wetlands and streams that run through the property are important for protecting water quality, this conservation project received a $250,000 grant from the Open Space Institute’s Bayshore Highlands Fund. The Fund, created with funding from the William Penn Foundation, seeks to accelerate strategic land conservation in the Pennsylvania Highlands and New Jersey Bayshore.

“By protecting both drinking water and economic opportunity for farmers, the Yoder Farm project is truly a win-win for the residents in the region,” said OSI Executive Vice President Peter Howell. “The combination of the two types of land preservation on one farm is an optimal model of how to balance the protection of agriculture and natural resources.”

Additional support for preservation of the Yoder Farm was provided by the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund and Warwick Township.

Natural Lands Trust is the region’s foremost land conservation organization and is dedicated to protecting the forests, fields, streams, and wetlands that are essential to the sustainability of life in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Since its founding in 1953, Natural Lands Trust has preserved more than 100,000 acres, including 42 nature preserves totaling more than 22,000 acres. Today, millions of residents enjoy the healthy habitats, clean air and water, bountiful recreational opportunities, and scenic beauty provided by the lands the organization has preserved. For more information, visit www.natlands.org.

 

A late Chester County prosecutor who garnered far-reaching admiration for his deft handling of child-abuse cases often asked his juries: “Who will speak for the children?”

In 1998, the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. (CVC) established the John J. Crane award in his honor. It was created to pay tribute to individuals or groups who are not directly involved in victim services but still exemplify the extraordinary commitment to victims that Crane exhibited for nearly 30 years.

A longtime Chester County chief deputy district attorney, Crane joined the CVC’s board of directors when he retired. In 1996, two years before Crane’s death, the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) chose him for its Allied Professional Award, adding national recognition to his local accolades.

Jose Reyes, who heads the CVC board, said Crane’s spirit and inspiration continue, and on Thursday, Dec. 3, he made presentations to this year’s co-recipients of the John J. Crane Allied Professional Award: West Goshen Township Police Det. Dave Maurer, AKA Mrs. Claus, and Tredyffrin Township Police Department Executive Secretary Sharon Rose.

Both launched separate efforts in different parts of the county to ensure that child victims would not be forgotten during the holidays, and both downplayed their roles in the initiatives’ success, insisting that others deserved the credit. Contrary to those insistences, Peggy Gusz, the co-founder and longtime executive director of CVC, said Maurer and Rose were directly responsible for bringing joy to more than 100 children.

District Attorney Tom Hogan expressed thanks to both on behalf of law enforcement as well as the children they served. He commended them for their efforts “to reach out and take care of those kids who would not otherwise be taken care of and give them the sort of Christmas that all of us try to give our own kids.”

Maurer, who is married and has a son, has worked in law enforcement for 23 years, 18 of them with the West Goshen Police Department. A year ago, he learned from one of the CVC advocates that a 14-year-old girl really wanted a coat – “one like she used to have” before violence shattered her life.

Maurer also learned that a number of police departments that annually donate money to CVC around the holidays for such purposes had redirected their contributions to a trust fund for the 6-year-old brother of 3-year-old Scotty McMillan, who had been savagely beaten to death in West Caln Township, allegedly at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend. The brother was also believed to have been abused.

The reallocation of funds had left CVC struggling to come up with money to purchase gifts for all of the children whose lives had been upended by crime in 2014. The poignancy of the request prompted Maurer not only to cover the coat’s cost but also to ask if he could post something on Facebook in case others wanted to help other children.

Maurer’s goal for what became known as the Mrs. Claus Project was to raise $500, but his Facebook followers and community contacts were so touched by his compassionate outreach that Maurer ended up giving CVC a check for $6,786. It would be used to purchase gifts for child victims of crime and violence, seamlessly dovetailing with Rose’s efforts several townships away.

Sharon Rose, executive secretary to Tredyffrin Township Police Superintendent Anthony Giaimo, coordinated the first CVC Kids Holiday Party in 2014 for all child victims and their families served by CVC during the previous year.

Rose, a widow with four children, said she was also deeply saddened by 3-year-old Scotty McMillan’s death. “It got me thinking of the enormous contrast of childhood memories some kids have, and wished I could share some of my happiest memories with them, since childhood should bring joyful memories,” she said. She shared her thoughts with Giaimo, who also heads the Chester County Police Chiefs Association, and the idea of giving the children a holiday celebration took root.

Word spread, and donations started flowing from a variety of sources, including Tredyffrin Township employees – past and present –and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Rose, who has been in Tredyffrin for eight years, previously worked as the administrative assistant for former District Attorney Joseph Carroll.

Assisted by other Chester County law enforcement, Tredyffrin Township Police served as hosts for the CVC Kids Holiday Party. The Knights of Columbus Hall generously donated its space, and approximately 120 children adversely affected by crime received gift bags. Special guests included Santa and action hero Spider Man.

The event was so successful that Rose is busy coordinating the Second Annual CVC Kids Holiday Party, which will take place later this month.

Rose said watching the news could easily give one the impression that the world is a terrible place, but she has evidence to the contrary. “With the generosity and kindness shown by so many compassionate people who eagerly helped with an event like this, it is easy to see that the world is overflowing with love and kindness,” she said.  “Individually, we may not be able to do as much as we would like, but together we truly can make a positive change in the world.”

After the awards ceremony, Maurer said the Mrs. Claus Project is also continuing this year. In fact, minutes earlier, Willistown Township Police Det. Steve Jones handed Maurer a check from his police union. Maurer said he expected other departments would do the same. “There’s no guarantee,” he said, “but based on what happened last year, I think it’s likely.”

The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. is a private, community-based, nonprofit agency that provides a broad range of supportive services, including hotline response; counseling and advocacy; and accompaniment to medical, police, and legal procedures- to victims of crime and their families in Chester County. The agency also provides educational programs to schools, churches, businesses and community organizations.

Operating since 1973, CVC has been recognized nationally and even internationally for its victim advocacy work. For more information about CVC, call 610-692-1926 during regular business hours, or visit www.cvcofcc.org. CVC’s two 24-hour crisis hotlines are available to victims of all types of crime:  610-692-7273 (sexual assault) and 610-692-7420 (other crimes).