Chesco Achieves Milestone in Preserving Open Space

WEST CHESTER - Chester County has preserved 30 percent of the county’s land, reaching a major milestone.

To celebrate, the county is hosting “The Chester County Open Space Summit” from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 at Springton Manor Farm in Glenmoore.

Formal presentations will begin at 5 p.m., and tours of Springton Manor Farm and its agricultural operations will begin at 6 p.m.

As of December 31, 2021, Chester County has reached 147,000 acres of preserved land, according to the analysis of the Chester County Planning Commission’s Protected Open Space Tracking.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding will provide the keynote address at the summit, speaking about regenerative agriculture and providing a summary of Chester County’s open space preservation efforts in 2021.

The summit will highlight the county’s preserved agricultural land and how it plays a huge role in Chester County’s economy, quality of life, and sense of place.

It will call attention to the farming industry as a whole and ways that farming can be responsive to pressing environmental challenges.

Officials react

Marian Moskowitz, commissioner chairwoman, said: “We have been saying ‘nearly 30 percent’ for a number of years, and now Chester County can confidently proclaim that 30 percent – actually 30.2 percent – of our land is protected, preserved, and will never be developed.

Commissioner Josh Maxwell said: “One of Chester County’s greatest assets is its open space. From green rolling hills, to wooded acres and farm fields – there’s no doubt that preserving a portion of this land is important for the future of the county and its residents. And we are not stopping at 30 percent.”

Commissioner Michelle Kichline said: “Farmland is a key aspect of Chester County’s bucolic legacy. Thanks to the tremendous partnerships that have been developed with staff from our county departments, members of our Ag Land Preservation Board, our farm owners, conservancies and municipalities, we are able to add thousands of acres of preserved farmland every year."


David Stauffer, director of Chester County’s department of parks & preservation, said: “Chester County was the first in the region to formally set aside funds for a rigorous open space preservation program, and that program has grown to be appreciated, not just for the green fields, preserved farms and community parks, but also for the partnerships with municipalities, farmers and conservancies that have leveraged the County’s investment in protected land many-fold.\

Tours

Chester County Planning Commission and Chester County Parks & Preservation are offering tours of preserved farms across the county on the first three Saturdays in May.

These tours will showcase the variety of preserved farms and farm products in Chester County, and give residents a unique opportunity to visit agricultural lands and learn about the value of agricultural preservation.

These tours will be open to the public, but registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Summit presentations will be livestreamed. To learn more and register for the 2022 Open Space Summit and Farm Tours, visit https://bit.ly/ccopenspacesummit.