Franklin Township's staff, Open Space Committee and preservation-minded landowners, in partnership with the Brandywine Conservancy, the Natural Land Trust (NLT), the White Clay Creek Watershed Management Committee (WCCWMC), and others:
- Completed the purchase of the 29 acre Howard property. The documentation and signage required for dispersal of grant funds was completed and funds were received in the second quarter of 2007.
- Obtained Commonwealth and Chester County grants to purchase a 17 acre portion of the Goodwin property. Parallel grants to London Grove Township and The Natural Land Trust will result in preservation of approximately 50 acres. The details of the various transactions are being worked out with closing expected by July 2008.
- Received a Chester County grant toward the purchase of the 80 acre D’Andrea property. A parallel grant application to the Commonwealth was submitted in October 2007.
- Submitted a grant application to Chester County for the purchase of a fourth property. A second grant application for this property will be submitted to the Commonwealth in March 2008.
- Negotiated an agreement with The Natural Land Trust which resulted in NLT submitting grant applications to support their purchase of a fifth property which recently became available
- Were informed by Chester County that a grant will be awarded for an agricultural easement on a property located in the Township. The owner is considering donating Conservation and Trail Easements on another portion of this same property.
- Were informed by Chester County that they had awarded a $2,000,000 grant toward the eventual purchase and preservation of the 1719 acre Springlawn Corridor, including around 919 acres in Franklin Township
- Supported Nan Latimer in her successful effort to obtain a conservation easement on her 40 acre farm
- Supported the Davis’ successful effort to obtain a conservation easement on their 80-plus acre property
- Opened discussions with several other landowners who wish to ease or sell their land
- Received a Commonwealth grant for a trail feasibility study. We selected a consultant to do the study and augmented the Open Space Committee with additional people with trail interests to help guide the study which is about one-half complete.
- Supported a Township botanical survey sponsored by the WCCWMC. Secured a $1250 grant to fund half of Franklin’s $2500 commitment to the study. This study identified hundreds’s of plants in the Township including several rare species and a sedge which may be a new species. The study is now complete and reports are being prepared.
- Supported a bird survey which has identified over 100 species on one property (which we are trying to preserve) during the last half of the year. The survey will continue until June.
- Supported a WCCWMC outreach program entitled Community Spaces – Natural Places, which will be offered in February to all landowners in the White Clay watershed.
The Franklin effort has been funded by a 0.5% property tax dedicated to Open Space Preservation enacted after 2003 passage of an Open Space referendum by Franklin voters.
– January 18, 2008