C&N Banking, Lending, and Wealth Management (left) and Gilmore & Associates, Inc., Engineering and Consulting Services (right) were presented with awards at the event.

Last week, Heritage Conservancy hosted business leaders from across the region for a special evening of connection at historic Aldie Mansion. Business Partners who support the work of Heritage Conservancy gathered to celebrate the conservation work their support makes possible.

We were proud to honor two outstanding local business partners for their generosity, leadership, and dedication to our three-fold mission of land conservation, historic preservation, and community outreach and education.

Read more about our award winners and join these generous businesses.

A spotted salamander safely crosses the road during breeding season.

From the end of February to the beginning of April, a group of community science volunteers assisted Heritage Conservancy's Amphibian Crossing Initiative. They spent eight evenings providing safe passage for over 7,000 small amphibians crossing busy roads for their annual breeding season.

In areas such as the Quakertown Swamp, frogs, salamanders, and other native amphibians face a perilous journey each year as they cross roadways to reach vernal pools for breeding. Drivers rarely notice the small creatures and few vehicles slow down to let them pass safely, leading to the death of thousands of amphibians. But with the help of our volunteers, more amphibians can safely reach their destination for breeding.

In addition to being a vital part of our local ecosystem, amphibians are excellent bio-indicators. Their permeable skin is sensitive to chemicals in both the air and water, as well as any changes to the quality of their environment. A drop in amphibian populations could signify an unhealthy shift in their surroundings.

Thank you to our tireless volunteers, who show up day or night to help our amphibian population. If you're interested in joining our community science team, please reach out to Elizabeth Barmach: ebarmach@heritageconservancy.org.

Nancy works weekly to scan historical resource surveys into our database.

For the past three years, volunteer Nancy Fawley has played a vital role at Heritage Conservancy by helping to digitize Historic Resource Surveys — documents mostly from the 1980s and 1990s that include photos and descriptions of historic properties in Bucks County.

With her professional experience as an academic librarian and her lifelong ties to Bucks County, Nancy found the perfect match for her skills and passions, and has stumbled upon information about properties owned by Dorothy Parker and other visionaries.



Read more to learn about this project and how Nancy became a volunteer.

Shannon Fredebaugh-Siller presented at this year's WeConservePA Conference.

Earlier in April, Heritage Conservancy’s Education and Community Programs Director, Shannon Fredebaugh-Siller, presented at this year’s Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference, hosted by WeConservePA and attended by colleagues from across the state.

In collaboration with Bucks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU), Shannon presented Fostering Environmental Literacy and Sustainability in Schools: A Land Trust and Intermediate Unit Collaboration.

"I’m making the case for ways that land trusts can use their assets (land, data, knowledgeable staff, outdoor field supplies, etc.) to be a resource to support schools and teachers," says Shannon.

"Together, our organizations shared how we leverage our resources to develop and host professional development workshops for educators across the 13 school districts in Bucks County, empowering teachers to provide hands-on local environmental experiences and action projects for their students to support the long-term environmental restoration goals of land trusts."

Read more about Heritage Conservancy's education programs.

If you’re yearning to add an oak to your property and have a drier spot, consider adding a Chestnut Oak, with its beautiful leaves and stately bark.

When it comes to attracting and supporting biodiversity in the United States, oaks reign supreme. They support a great diversity of insect life, which in turn feeds other critters like birds, mammals, and even amphibians. 

It's best to choose the right oak for your setting, considering drainage and other conditions. Heritage Conservancy Conservation Steward Sebastian Harris has great advice on the many varieties of oak trees that thrive in Pennsylvania.

Check out his handy guide to oak trees.

“Preserving the history and character of our communities is not only about aesthetics. It's about community vitality and fostering places where people want to live, raise children, locate their businesses, and call home. Heritage Conservancy’s efforts are about preserving community character by preserving buildings that define the landscape, perpetuate the character of past generations, and enable us to tell the stories about the generations that preceded us."

– Lynn Bush

Vice Chair, Heritage Conservancy Board of Directors

Thank you to the following Platinum Business Leaders for supporting Heritage Conservancy's mission and making accomplishments possible through their generosity:

And to the following Business Partners for their new and renewed support:

Aqua Pennsylvania

Bucks Digital Printing

Clemons Richter & Reiss, PC

Curtin & Heefner LLP

Mack Industries, Inc.

NJM Insurance Group

Penn Color, Inc.

Period Architecture

Sunday Road Farm LLC

Warren Weiss Insurance Agency, Inc.

Worthington & Shagen Custom Builder, Inc.

Zaveta Custom Homes, LLC

EITC Webinar for Your Business

Tuesday, May 6, 9:30 - 10:30 AM

Learn about EITC, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, a tax-savvy way for qualifying businesses to support education programs in community schools. An expert will answer all of your questions.



Register now.

Spring Carnival

Friday, May 16, 4:00 - 6:00 PM

Celebrate nature at our annual Spring Carnival at Croydon Woods in Lower Bucks. Enjoy refreshments, nature-based games and activities, family fun, and expert-led hikes.

Learn more.

Native Tree ID Walk

Sunday, June 1, 9:00 - 10:30 AM

Join us for an introductory crash course on tree identification. Explore the diverse forest that is our Fuller Nature Preserve and get better acquainted with native PA trees. Beginners are welcome for this informative walk.

Learn more and register now.

Pipersville Bat Count

Saturday, June 7, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

Join naturalist Diane Allison to learn about PA bats, why they are important, and why Durham Bat Mine is a special place. Then help us with our annual bat count.



Learn more and register now.

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