The Conservancy’s newest Preserve, Valley Hill, has been little visited since its acquisition four years ago. In addition to access and terrain challenges, even the weather conspired against us: the months-long snow cover made a planned February volunteer day impossible. However, that meant that the crew that came out in April were treated with a beautiful spring day to admire and care for the pristine woodlands.
The nearly 11 acre Preserve straddles the East Whiteland/Charlestown Township line on the quartzite ridge extending west from the Conservancy’s Diamond Rock Preserve. It was donated to the Conservancy in 2021 by Rob Kendig. The land and the adjacent house where Rob was raised had been in his family for a century or more. Aerial photos from the 1940s indicate that the parcel lay within a larger section of woods, suggesting that, with the exception of occasional logging, the property has likely been forested since at least the early part of the 20th Century.
The great consequence of that history is the low incidence of the invasive vegetation that is found in our prior farmland Preserves. The Preserve was found by our vegetation consultant to “contain a quality selection of the woodland communities present on North Valley Hill, from dry oak-heath woodlands to an acidic spring seep wetland” – the latter in fact part of the headwaters of Valley Creek.
However, invasive species are gaining a foothold along the forest edges, and it was in particular an infestation of Greenbriar at the south-east corner that our team set out to target, under the leadership of Preserve Manager and neighbor Tim Pappas. The control strategy was to cut the shrubs at the base and spray the stumps with a herbicide to kill the root, without any broadcast spraying that would impact desirable vegetation. Although this was indeed a labor intensive effort, the team was focused and made excellent progress.
The team after a hardworking and fruitful morning.
We are so grateful to the volunteers and Board members that came out to give nature a helping hand. We also recognize two key contributions that made the undertaking possible. Thanks to Charlestown Township for allowing us to park on Township property across the street, and to Eagle Scout Jack Gosse and his team, who early last summer built the spectacular switchback trail down the steep initial slope that made it possible to reach the target area.
We continue to seek ways to improve access and maintain the high quality vegetation so that all Conservancy members have the opportunity to “forest bathe” in this precious woodland.