Greetings Willistown Parks & Recreation Friends,

I hope to see you at our Okehocking Sip, Story, and Stroll on October 22.
Sip: 8:30am ~ Story: 9:15am ~ Stroll: 9:30am

Sip hot beverages and breakfast treats while mingling with the board and staff members of Willistown Parks and Recreation and Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association, Willistown’s local watershed organization. Bart Van Valkenburgh, Chair of the Willistown Historical Commission, will tell us the history of the 185 acre Okehocking Preserve followed by a stroll led by Mary Hundt, Willistown’s Director of Parks and Recreation. We will talk about the conservation and watershed protection efforts at Okehocking and the ecological highlights of the property. It will be a fun and entertaining way to start the day! Please let me know if you plan to attend and park at the 996 Delchester Road preserve entrance. Dogs on leash are welcome. Stay tuned to the Township’s website in the event weather becomes a question.

Following includes information about Willistown Township Resident Recycling Events; Willistown Conservation Trust's newly released State of our Streams Report, which includes information gathered since 2018 from Okehocking Preserve; and, information on a Comprehensive Plan Update meeting. 

As always, please contact me with any questions, ideas, or constructive criticism.

Looking forward to seeing you in the park!

Mary 

Willistown Recycles!

Thanks to our Environmental Sustainability Committee for organizing these October recycling events. Please note all events are for Willistown Residents only:

October 22 - Wood Chipping
October 29- Document Shredding

And thanks to everyone who attended the electronics recycling event last Saturday!  

Willistown Conservation Trust releases State of our Streams Report

Okehocking Preserve one of ten sampling sites for study

The Willistown Conservation Trust Watershed Protection Program team has been monitoring water quality in the Main Stem of Ridley Creek at Willistown Township’s Okehocking Preserve monthly since 2018. Okehocking is one of ten of the Trusts’ sampling sites in the headwaters of the Darby, Crum, and Ridley Creeks. The stretch of Ridley Creek in Okehocking Preserve is designated as High Quality by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This designation adds a level of protection to the waterway when DEP is approached for permitting or approval for an activity that may impact the High Quality (HQ) standing. The HQ standing is outranked only by Exceptional Value—both are designations reserved for the cleanest waters in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Willistown Conservation Trust recently released its State of our Streams Report, Understanding Water Quality in the Headwaters of Darby, Crum, and Ridley Creeks, made possible by the William Penn Foundation. After four years of study, the Trust found impaired water quality at all ten sample sites. The water chemistry analysis demonstrated elevated chloride concentrations, excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and high water temperatures. They conclude, “There are a variety of causes for this pollution, and human activity is the primary driver. Elevated chloride concentrations are a result of winter road salts making their way into our waterways. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorous levels are likely a result of fertilizer runoff, animal waste, and leaky septic and sewer systems. High water temperatures can be linked to tree and shrub shade removal along streams, stormwater flowing over hot impervious surfaces, and hotter summers and heat waves.” To find out what you can do to help keep our local waterways healthy, check out this WCT article: What’s Flowing on in our Streams How we can keep our waterways healthy for all.

WCT’s research gives us information on the health of our local streams and contributes to the efforts of the more regional Delaware River Watershed Initiative stretching from the Catskills to the Delaware Bay. This collaboration of organizations across the four states of the Delaware watershed is working to conserve and restore the streams that not only provide jobs, recreational opportunities, and tourism revenues but also provide drinking water to 15 million people in the region. 

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE

Progress Meeting
October 20, 2022, 7 PM
Willistown Township Meeting Room
688 Sugartown Road, Malvern, PA 19355

Willistown Township is updating our Comprehensive Plan, Guidelines for Growth. The Plan explores Willistown history, considers current conditions, and charts a vision for the Township’s future including how to grow, develop, and improve facilities and services. We want to keep you up to date and would like to hear from you about this important plan. Join us for a progress meeting regarding the Willistown Comprehensive Plan Update! 

Sign up to attend virtually: willistown.pa.us/MeetingRegistration

Extensive information about the Comp Plan Update and public comment is available on our website: willistown.pa.us/CompPlan

Sign up for Comp Plan Update Bulletins: willistown.pa.us/NotifyMe

HEAD OUTDOORS in WILLISTOWN's PARKS & PRESERVES

WHERE ELSE TO GO to GET OUTSIDE:

• Check out our  Willistown Township Park Land and Open Space Fund Map, an at-a-glance view including short descriptions of the wonderful recreational assets Willistown has to offer. 

• Check out Chester County's Parks & Trails 

• Get the dirt on the best trail navigation and exploration mobile map applications here.

• Locate PA state parks through PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resource and their Find a Park by Region service.

• Scroll down for quick links to our award-winning GO WilMa! The Adventure Continues outdoor adventure program. It's easy to register and is free.

TOWNSHIP NEWS

AREA LEGISLATORS

Links to Willistown's representatives may be found here.

BE IN THE KNOW!

The Willistown Township website has loads of info & news about your township!

•    Visit the Willistown Township website

Township Email Notification System: Register through Notify Me

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