West Chester, Pa (January 18, 2023) – The Willistown Conservation Trust will receive $127,000 in funding to improve local watersheds, state Senator Carolyn Comitta and state Rep. Melissa Shusterman recently announced.
The organization will use the funding for the Rushton Woods Preserve Okehocking Run Watershed Enhancement project to construct a bioretention basin and vegetated swale.
“The Willistown Conservation Trust is a local leader in sustainability, conservation, and watershed protection,” said Comitta, who serves as minority chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. “I’m happy to announce this new funding so the organization can continue its great service to the public by ensuring the long-term health of our local streams and waterways.”
The funding was awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener Grant Program. The program’s mission is to restore Pennsylvania’s impaired waters and protect water ways from nonpoint source pollution.
“The Okehocking Run watershed is vital to our native wildlife and also provides significant research and recreation opportunities,” said Shusterman. “This grant will allow Willistown to continue its efforts to preserve this unique ecosystem, enriching the lives of Pennsylvanians for generations to come.”
Rushton Woods Preserve is one of three preserves owned and managed by the Willistown Conservation Trust. The 86-acre property includes a woodland, open meadows, a creek, and a farm. The preserve also hosts two miles of walking and riding trails leading to a broader network of local trails.
For more information on Rushton Woods Preserve and the Willistown Conservation Trust visit wctrust.org