It was a beautiful night for a hayride on a warm Saturday evening in early October. There was a bright orange harvest moon illuminating the sky and people were enjoying food, drinks, music and other outdoor activities as part of the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust’s annual Full Moon celebration.
The event was just one of the many activities hosted by the PERT each year, which helps to support the organization’s mission to preserve, restore and protect the land that encompasses the 956 acres of meadows, woodlands and floodplain forest that make up the Pennypack Preserve.
The Pennypack Trust is a privately owned, nonprofit nature preserve and land conservancy located in Huntingdon Valley within the townships of Upper Moreland, Lower Moreland, Bryn Athyn Borough and a small portion of Abington. It was founded in 1970 by Feo Pitcairn as a membership-based environmental group called the Pennypack Watershed Association, whose primary mission was to improve water quality in the Pennypack Creek’s rapidly suburbanizing watershed.
Over time, PWA began focusing on preserving underdeveloped and environmentally sensitive land in the central watershed. In 1976, the association began to assemble the Pennypack Preserve natural area through a combination of land donations, purchases and conservation easements.
By 1993, PWA had acquired 480 acres. As the water quality in the Pennypack Creek consistently improved and industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants upgraded their facilities, the organization began redirecting its efforts to the stewardship and restoration of the land it had acquired and renamed itself the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust to reflect its new role as a conservancy and a land trust focused on preservation and ecological restoration.
Today, the active restoration of the lands protected in the Pennypack Preserve is apparent everywhere. The Trust’s stewardship staff and volunteers have planted over 12,000 trees since 1990, large tracts of land that had been overwhelmed by non-native vines now support young forest, and the 160-acre Raytharn Farm, a former sheep farm alongside Terwood Road, has been planted with native grasses that provide a sanctuary for a species of meadow-nesting birds that are threatened on the east coast.
“The Preserve is more than just a park,” says Chris Mendel, PERT’s executive director. “In addition to conserving land, we support the local ecosystem, promote natural habits, improve air quality and provide a haven for 219 species of migratory birds that use the land, as well as mink, beaver, coyotes, deer and other wildlife.”
The grounds of the Trust are open to the public and supported by more than 1,200 dues-paying members. A variety of walking trails traverse the meadows, forest, wetlands, grasslands and woodlands throughout the preserve, providing excellent opportunities for bird watching, photography, tree and wildflower identification, or simply enjoying the fresh air and solitude.
A renovated 1950s-era barn serves as the Trust’s headquarters and visitor’s center, offering a wide range of programs and lectures, a store that sells birdseed, feeders and houses for wild birds, local honey, natural history books, local art and nature photography, and a small selection of gift items. Staffed by volunteers, the store is generally open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Trust also offers native plants for sale twice a year (in May and September) and throughout the summer months at its greenhouse.
“Events like our Full Moon Hayride help to promote the Preserve and programs we offer,” says Maureen Malloy, PERT’s director of development. “We have a preschool nature club that’s run by our director of education for kids 5 and under, featuring story strolls that combine literacy with nature exploration; mindfulness in nature classes; birdwatching walks; as well as hosting groups and events in our visitor center; and we have tons of volunteer programs.”
After Thanksgiving, the Trust will offer a Holiday Shop in the visitor center featuring unique nature-themed gifts, PERT-branded merchandise, items consigned by local artists, membership promotions and coffee and hot chocolate for shoppers to enjoy while browsing the store.
“One of our top sellers last year was our ‘Go Birds’ T-shirts and sweatshirts, featuring drawings of native birds that are found at the Preserve,” says Malloy. “The shirts are a hit with Eagles fans and bird enthusiasts,” she stresses.
The visitor’s center will be open extended hours during the week and on weekends during the holiday shopping season. ••
The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust’s headquarters and visitor’s center is located at 2955 Edge Hill Road in Huntingdon Valley. Hiking trails are open to the public 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to dusk. For more information call 215-657-0830 or visit www.pennypacktrust.org.
