Sadsbury Woods Preserve

FYI: It's come to our attention that some mobile map apps are pointing people to the incorrect address for Sadsbury Woods Preserve. We are working to get this fixed but in the meantime, make sure you are using the correct address (443 Old Wilmington Road, Coatesville, PA) when you visit the preserve. You'll know you've made it to the right place when you see the big red sign for Sadsbury Woods Preserve. Thanks so much!

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and partners are recommending the immediate removal of all bird feeders until more is learned about a mysterious health condition that has emerged among songbird species.

The Natural Lands shop is open! More than just cute t-shirts and tumblers, our merch says to the world that you care about conservation. And that you support Natural Lands. https://natural-lands.myshopify.com

This August cool off with a splash in Brandywine Creek. Kids and adults are invited to play in the stream, relax, and enjoy the summer weather at Stroud Preserve.

To long days, warm nights, fresh and the deep roots. Happy summer solstice from all of us at Natural Lands. Photo: Paula Brandl

Natural Lands is pleased to announce the permanent protection of two properties in East Coventry Township, Chester County, totaling 39 acres. In addition to preserving the rural viewshed, conservation of these properties protects the water quality of Pigeon Creek and, by extension, the Delaware River Watershed that provides drinking water to 15 million people.

Budget decisions are being made in Harrisburg this week. Contact your state senator and representative and ask them to direct American Rescue Plan Act funds to clean water and conservation initiatives. Protecting our creeks and rivers, parks and forests will benefit all Pennsylvanians.

During this public health crisis, Natural Lands’ nature preserves remain open to the public. Wear a mask if you are unable to maintain a distance of six feet from individuals who are not members of your household. If the parking lot is full please visit at another time. Thank you.

This series of photos taken by staff member Steve Eisenhauer document the two-month period during which female owls lay and incubate eggs and rear the young until they fledge.

"In the long run, Schnee thinks more people will relocate in order to be closer to recreational opportunities that will improve their quality of life. Public lands are places that people go for solace, she says."

The rescue and restoration of American chestnut stands as one of the most difficult, prolonged, and complex single-species conservation tasks ever attempted, said Kim Steiner, professor of forest biology at Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the University’s arboretum."

We'll take a cup of kindness yet with all our trusty friends, new and old. Photo: Adam Hribar

We are now accepting applications for the Force of Nature class of 2021! This program teaches land stewardship techniques that are put into practice across Natural Lands nature preserves. Learn more about becoming a Force of Nature on our website.

Before you take to the trails this winter, here are some tips on what to wear, how to stay warm and how to thoroughly enjoy yourself hiking this winter.

"All across the Delaware River watershed, people have reported seeing an increase in wildlife in and around their local waterways. Do their observations match what regional experts are noticing? And is it a good sign for the watershed?"

Like Bryn Coed’s eagles and songbirds? You can help improve habitat! Complete the Wilson Challenge for Bryn Coed Preserve. Double your gift. Before December 31st. Do it for the preserve. natlands.org/bryncoedchallenge... Photo: Greg Grimshaw

I hope that conserving our property with Natural Lands will further both historical and open space local preservation efforts. Perhaps the biggest benefit of all will be spreading the importance of con-serving these natural areas so that our children and their children will be able to enjoy them.

The $500,000 Wilson Challenge for Bryn Coed Preserve is a dollar-for-dollar challenge to raise support for much-needed projects including habitat management, tools for our preserve managers, and two miles of trail expansion. Double your gift. Before December 31. Do it for the preserve.

Snow removal is a big job for our preserve managers and the more snow we get, the bigger the job we have. We plow parking lots as we are able, but it may take us a little longer depending on the amount of snow. Please note that if the parking lot is not plowed, it is not open. Thank you for your patience as we care for our winter wonderland! Photo: Erin Smith

Photo by Photo by Emma Schad

It’s winter but just below the ice there are tiny signs of spring! Thanks to Stewardship Assistant Erin Smith for taking these photos as she cared for this amazing landscape.

We’re not in the business of acquiring land to save the buildings, but we can save buildings to service the land."

To get the computers to really understand the egg masses and recognize them, we’re looking for help from citizens to send us pictures from egg masses before they are destroyed, Verderame said.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Natural Lands.

In some ways, crown shyness is the arboreal version of social distancing, says Meg Lowman, a forest canopy biologist and director of the TREE Foundation. The minute you start keeping plants from physically touching each other, you can increase productivity, she says. That’s the beauty of isolation The tree is really safeguarding its own health.

We are asking you to raise your voice in support of the Keystone and Growing Greener Funds! Make two simple phone callsone to your state senator and one to your state representativeto express your support of the funds, ask them to oppose any budget proposal that seeks to undermine these critical programs. https://natlands.org/growing-greener-keystone-funds.../

The members of the Church of the Loving Shepherd recognize that their property has important value to the community, Chris Ross, church president, said in a s...tatement. ... The members of the church feel it is very important that this section of our property be protected from development and other uses that would degrade its value to the public. See more

Join Horticulturist Sam Nestory as she shares the process behind selecting native species for Catalpa Court at Stoneleigh: a natural garden and how they will offer food, shelter, and nesting space for a myriad of birds and other wildlife.

Sadsbury Woods Preserve Photo by 4dogsphotography

Join us to go the extra mile for the natural lands you love. We're inviting all who visit a Natural Lands property to check in with a donation by November 1. Help leave a generous footprint during this special week of giving. Donate now natlands.org/givetotrails

Hike to give. Donate now during Giving Trails Week. natlands.org/givetotrails Photo: Alessandra Manzotti

Want to capture the perfect autumn picture of Sadsbury Woods Preserve? This map can help plan your trip. (And if you do take a great fall photo, please send it to us! We always give credit and we love to share beautiful photos from our visitors: [email protected])

Dudley Edmondson has been a pioneering role model for African-Americans in nature, working to make the outdoors more inclusive. Explore the issues faced by minorities in the great outdoors and the importance of connecting to our conservation heritage.

Each autumn, thousands of hawks, falcons, and eagles move across our region in a spectacle of raptor migration. Join avid birder Debbie Beer as she highlights fall raptors in our region.

On October 21 join us to learn how to add native vines to your garden. These climbing, creeping, or trailing plants can become a backdrop for other plants and food for wildlife.

You choose the race, you choose the place, and you choose the pace at Natural Lands' virtual ChesLen Chase. Register by 5pm Wednesday, September 23rd to receive your swag in the mail by race week! http://ow.ly/G9SL50BsBSc

If birds need bugslots and lots of themthe best way to support bird populations is to provide more habitat where insects can thrive.

Which side are you on? Are you pounding the pavement or hitting the trails? This year at Natural Lands ChesLen Chase we’re pitting trail runners against road runners in some friendly competition to see which team gets the most participants, most miles completed, and most elevation gained and who has the most fun on social media. Check it out and pick your team!

Natural Lands is seeking a Vice President to lead its conservation efforts. This is an exciting opportunity to join the senior leadership of a multi-faceted conservation organization and extend its impact in open space preservation. Learn more about this position and Natural Lands on our website.

You choose the race, you choose the place, and you choose the pace. Walk, hike, run, skip, or crawl at Natural Lands Virtual ChesLen Chase.

Pennsylvania has led the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease for the last decade, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Summer hike at Sadsbury Woods. Photo: Michelle Regits

Natural Lands invites amateur and professional photographers alike to enter our 2021 Calendar Photo Contest. We want your wildlife and nature photography, depicting all four seasons in our natural places, to share in our 2021 member calendar. Check out our guidelines and get your cameras snapping!

With this study, we have finally managed to come up with a way to estimate the number of birds in North America, to get to a point where we trust the math. And it turns out, over less than a single human lifetime, we’ve lost almost a third of our birds.

a challenge. a chase. all over the place.

Humans have always noticed owls. One of the earliest examples of Paleolithic art is an owl engraved on the wall of the Chauvet cave in France.

Please note: Sadsbury's parking lot will be closed between Monday, Aug. 10 and Sunday, Aug. 16 for repairs/repaving. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks for your understanding.

The #GreatAmericanOutdoorsAct passed congress with overwhelming bi-partisan support and was signed into law by the President on Tuesday, ensuring full permanent funding to protect land and water across America! This law will support repairs for National Parks, jobs around outdoor recreation, and provide grants to local governments to acquire land for recreation and conservation. Thank you to U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan for supporting jobs, National Parks, public lands, and the #LandAndWaterConservationFund.

Bass said there’s a new urgency to that work now. There’s been this interesting intersection of the pandemic, which has brought more people to our nature preserves, more people to the outdoors than ever before and then the overlay [of] how that access is not equitable.

Trees are remarkable. They help clean our air, reduce flooding and erosion, sequester carbon, shade our houses, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and add beauty to our forests, suburbs, and cities. Join us for this virtual event to learn about the most common trees in our region and how to identify them.

With most camps closed, pools shut down and resorts shuttered because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there’s one often-overlooked option still available to kids this summer: nature.

Natural Lands is proud to be part of the #RecreateResponsibly Coalition! We are a diverse community brought together by our love of the outdoors and a desire to help everyone experience the benefits of nature safely during this public health crisis.

"When you hear the phrase, endangered species, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind? Most people think of an endangered mammal. I think of an endangered bird. But birds and other wildlife aren’t the only endangered species out there; there’s plenty of native plants under threat, too."

Animals don’t leave just footprints behind. They leave evidence that they have visited a place in many other ways. Join us to learn how to look for traces like scat (a.k.a. poop), dens, food piles, and other evidence that wildlife leave behind.

Photo: Bill Moses

"It has been argued that this unequal access is the product of unequal interest, but there is a long history of public lands spaces intentionally excluding black people, including through very concrete rules which prevented black people from accessing public lands."

The spring/summer issue of the Natural Lands magazine is up on our website. Check it out!

Natural Lands has been protecting open space since the early 1950s. In that time, we have completed hundreds of conservation projects. So how does it all work? On June 26 join Vice President of Conservation Services Peter Williamson as he shares how Natural Lands saves open space.

These wildflowers were spotted blooming at Sadsbury Woods Preserve. Thanks to Samuel Alderson for sharing these blooms with us.

There are real reasons, both historical and contemporary, that can make stepping outside in your free time while black or brown a politically charged move.

Have you ever hit a pile of dog poop with a weed whacker? Well, ask anyone on our stewardship staff how quickly a nice day can turn horrible.

Seeking out birds helps my kids sharpen their observational powers, gets them away from screens, and lets them bathe in nature when most of the day is spent indoors. Our bird walks not only give us something to search for when we’re outside, they may be helping my kids learn.

nature for all. https://natlands.org/news/nature-for-all/

Our preserve staff are working to clean up storm damage as quickly as possible. Please observe temporary trail closures. Thanks for your understanding!

This week is about highlighting the magic and thrill of taking a walk in the woods in search of a bird that’s migrating back north from its winter away. It’s about celebrating the black people who take part in this spaceand about inviting more to join them.

Join Stewardship Assistant Emma Schad in exploring the exciting lives and forms of lichens, ferns, and mosses! On May 29 log on for this virtual event to learn how some moss and lichen species have adapted to harsh conditions around the globe.

Looking for guidance on enjoying the outdoors responsibly? Check out the #RecreateResponsibly guidelines and learn how to protect the people and places you love on your next outdoor adventure.

"The good news is that even small actions by individuals can help. A key to making native pollinators more abundant is increasing native plant abundance. " via The Nature Conservancy

As nature continues to go about its business, so does Natural Lands. Whether working from their tractors or kitchen tables, our staff has never felt more committed to our conservation mission and to you. https://natlands.org/donate

These wildflowers were spotted blooming at Sadsbury Woods Preserve on Sunday. A beautiful Mother's Day bouquet from our very own Mother Nature! Thanks to Samuel Alderson for sharing these blooms with us. Moments like this are brought to you by the support of Natural Lands members. Join us: https://natlands.org/support/membership/

Natural Lands’ Trek-a-Thon won’t beam you to another planet, but it will help lift your spirits and get you moving. It’s simple: hike, walk, or run either at our nature preserves, in your own neighborhood, or on your treadmill. Log your miles and submit them to us each week. Can we reach 6,000 miles as a (safe, socially distant) community goal? 6 feet apart.... 6,000 miles together. See more

Today's moment in nature comes from Sadsbury Woods Preserve where visitor Zach Chupa caught a rainbow over a field of gold on the trail.

Whether you’re a new memberor you’ve recently renewed your place in our White Oak Societywe’re immensely grateful for the dedicated and caring conservationists who took the #PreservePledge. With friends like you by our side, nature can meet any challenge. Thank you for the invaluable work you make possible.

For everyone who needs a smile right now, here's a side-by-side comparison of one month old babies. Thanks to Lora Lowery for sharing the cute photo of her son Gavin and to Steve Eisenhauer for the puffy Screech Owls.

You did it! Thanks to you, we've raised 100% of the #PreservePledge Challenge goal! On behalf of us all at Natural Lands, we're grateful for all the dedicated members who gave big and joined the land for life, nature for all movement. You've all made a widespread impact, close to home. Thank you.

It's the FINAL DAY of the Preserve Pledge Challenge. Conservation is critical and our commitment is unwavering. Nature is essential to all. Take the #PreservePledge to stand with the community of dedicated members who pledge to ensure land for life, nature for allwith you and so many others in mind. natlands.org/preservepledge

There is 1 day left to pledge your support for our preserves. Every acre saved, every mile of trail relies on care from visitors like you. Access to nature is more relevant than ever. We need you to raise your hand and take the #PreservePledge to ensure it remains accessible. natlands.org/preservepledge

Over 100 nature lovers took the pledge to support land for life, nature for all this weekend. Green Hills Preserve needs more support. Will you stand up for the rolling farm fields, woodlands, and wetlands of Green Hills? natlands.org/preservepledge