We are formally accredited!

In February 2016, French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust received accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance. This recognition formally confirms the organization’s due diligence in upholding national standards for excellence. Additionally, it proves French & Pickering upholds the public’s trust and ensures that the conservation efforts are permanent.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

Conservation

French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust actively works to protect endangered land and natural resources in northern Chester County watersheds through use of a variety of conservation tools and techniques. The most common of these is an agreement that takes place between the French & Pickering and a landowner, known as a conservation easement.

Sadly, many people already know how quickly the natural beauty of land can be lost, due to yet another housing development or shopping center taking the place of an open space. Now is a pivotal time for landowners to seek a way to protect their land from current or future development. When a landowner makes the decision to pursue placing a conservation easement on their land, they are granting French & Pickering the right to place restrictions on what the land may be used for, in order to protect the conservation values of the property for generations to come.

Conservation values may include trails, important habitats for native plant and wildlife, exceptional water quality, and scenic views—all of which could be devastated if left unprotected. The right to develop land has monetary value, which means that these rights can be accepted by French & Pickering as a potential charitable donation, or can be bought by the French & Pickering with funding gathered from a wide array of sources, such as grants, fundraising events, donations, and Annual Sponsorships.

A conservation easement does not have an expiration date, nor can it be removed by future landowners, allowing the land that is protected by the agreement to remain in its natural state of beauty for future generations to enjoy. If you are interested in conserving your land or would like to learn more about the organization’s conservation efforts, please contact Conservation Director, Pam Brown.

Benefits: The Economic Benefits of Open Space

Countless studies have been conducted that demonstrate how protecting open space benefits local and regional economies. For example, open space—specifically forested land—has demonstrated lower costs for water treatment. Other studies have also demonstrated the increase in property values that are adjacent to or in close proximity of public trails and protected properties. Please visit our Resources page for more information.

Trails: Connecting Communities to Nature

French & Pickering is not only dedicated to protecting open space and natural resources, but also to the belief that all people should have access to the healing powers of nature. Using conservation easements and strategic partnerships with other organizations and local governments, French & Pickering has led the development of a vast trail network in the region.

French Creek Trail

French Creek Trail (FCT) is an informal trail for hikers, equestrians, and fishermen which runs along the French Creek and highlights the scenic and historic charm of the region. The French Creek Trail is an important connector in the regional trail network and connects to larger trails such as the Schuylkill River Trail and the Phoenixville Iron Canal Trail in downtown Phoenixville, as well as to the 140-mile Horse-Shoe Trail which runs from Valley Forge National Historical Park to the Appalachian Trail northwest of Harrisburg. French & Pickering currently holds easements on certain stretches of the French Creek Trail and has partnered with several municipalities to receive significant grant funding to acquire and develop portions of the Trail. New sections of the trail are opening in the coming months and through next year, including the reestablishment of the section which traverses Lundale Farm. There are many access points to access the French Creek Trail – for more information on the French Creek Trail and where to access, please contact our Conservation Director, Pam Brown, at pbrown@frenchandpickering.org.

Horse-Shoe Trail

The Horse-Shoe Trail (HST) is one of the oldest and longest trails in our region. Beginning in Valley Forge National Historical Park, it meanders across numerous counties, townships, and protected lands before reaching its western terminus at the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in central Pennsylvania. In addition to traversing Valley Forge National Historic Park, the yellow-blazed trail traverses Warwick County Park, French Creek State Park, and the Hopewell Big Woods. As its name denotes, the trail is designed and used primarily for hikers and equestrians. The HST is designated as a major greenway of statewide significance in Pennsylvania Greenways: An Action Plan for Creating Connections. Many portions of the trail date back to the 18th century when trails were used to access forests for use as coal when furnaces and forges covered the region.

Schuylkill River Trail

The Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) is one of the most popular and widely used trails in our region and serves as the main connection between Philadelphia and northern Chester County. Large portions of the SRT have been developed, and upon completion, it will run 140 miles from downtown Philadelphia to Fort Mifflin. The SRT connects many other significant trails in the region, including the Chester Valley Trail, the French Creek Trail, the Perkiomen Trail, and the proposed Devault Line Trail. Like many trails in the region, a large portion of the Schuylkill River Trail is comprised of rail-trails. Rail trails are abandoned or unused railroads that have been converted for trail use.

In addition to the trails above, there are many other trails in the region that you can visit to connect to nature. Please visit connectthecircuit.org for an interactive map of the trail network in southeast Pennsylvania. Please contact French & Pickering to learn more about the benefits of trails, our ongoing trail projects, and to find out which trails can be found in your community.

Wildlife and Water Quality: We All Depend on Nature

Water is essential to all life, and without healthy stream buffers and conserved land to protect our waterways, the water we depend on is subject to degradation from erosion and pollution. Northern Chester County has some of the highest concentrations of Exceptional Value and High Quality designated streams anywhere in the state, and French & Pickering strives to preserve these waterways through conservation easements and assisting in the development of a robust water quality program in the region.

Since 2013, the French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has been one of over 40 regional and national organizations selected as a partner in William Penn Foundation’s groundbreaking five-year $35 million initiative designed to preserve and protect the Delaware River watershed. The $35 million in grant funds will fund an innovative and comprehensive approach to watershed protection. Most notably, the initiative will permanently protect over 30,000 acres in the Delaware River watershed, help complete over 40 restoration projects in critical areas, and provide resources for businesses and organizations such as French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust to engage and educate communities on the importance of our waterways.

French & Pickering has partnered with Green Valleys Watershed Association, Natural Lands, Berks Nature, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Pennsylvania Audubon, Stroud Water Research Center, Academy of Natural Sciences, and Chester County Water Resources Authority to develop a strategy to take advantage of this unique opportunity over the next several years. To learn more about this program, please visit ansp.org.

Spotted Lanternfly in Pennsylvania: The bug we love to hate

Quick, Easy, Cheap, Non-Toxic, Environmentally-friendly, Non-harmful, Pollinator-protecting ways to deal with the Spotted Lanternfly. Our brand new, updated tips!

The bug we love to hate! This annoying bug swarms into neighborhoods, covering tree trunks and plants and fenceposts and whatever is in its way. The good news is that, after a year or two of residence, it has been disappearing, either all on its own or eaten by native fungus. The bad news is it then shows up somewhere else. More good news: almost every tree that was covered with the bug in the last 2 years has survived and looks no worse for the wear.

Because bees are disappearing at an alarming rate, and without bees we won’t have tomatoes or peppers or many other vegetables and fruits and flowers and trees, we worry about using pesticides which kill bees, because we can’t afford to lose any more pollinators. Plus, people are reporting seeing wasps, yellow jackets, spiders, dragonflies and assassin bugs killing the lanternflies, and we don’t want to impede their work.   Right now, there are no pesticides that target the lanternfly, although Penn State and Cornell University are working on a biological control made from the fungus.

So, what to do? Here are 10 Tips that we have gathered to deal with adult lanternflies meant to assist homeowners whose properties are about an acre or who have less than 10 or 20 trees. For large property owners or grape growers, check in with Penn State for chemical solutions. This advice was gathered from professional sources (thank you, Penn State!), plus many very useful and practical tips from folks who have been living with this prolific and destructive bug for a couple of years now. We are very grateful to all the generous people who shared their coping strategies!

1. Smushing the bugs is effective and the method that is least harmful to the environment. If the flies are on a hard surface, fly swatters and whiffle ball bats work. If you miss the first time, DON’T GIVE UP! Lanternflies jump GREAT the first time, not so good the second time, and then they lose energy. If you follow the bug, you will get it on the second or third try! Always try to come at the bugs from in front; they see better behind them. For the techies out there, there are special electric tennis rackets made for this – Zap-It, twin bug zappers – the first zap stops them from flying, then you can squash or zap again-Zappers – Rechargeable Mosquito, Fly Killer and Bug Zapper Racket – 4000 Volt – USB Charging, Super-Bright LED Light to Zap in the Dark, available on Amazon and at Aldi’s.
2. Smushing again! If you are outside without your fly swatter, and you see one bug and want to smush it, this technique is fool-proof (but not good if you are squeamish). Very, very SLOWLY, put one hand in front of the bug. Very, very SLOWLY, put one hand behind the bug. Very, very SLOWLY, bring your back hand towards your front hand until you have the bug trapped between your hands. You can then squish it, step on it, or drop it in a jar or tub of water and quickly put the lid on.
3. One of our 2 favorite methods for catching many adults on one tree or on the side of a house – a shop vac! A shop vac will suck them up quickly and they will be gone. If you don’t own a shop vac, you can buy a small bucket-sized one on Amazon or in many local stores.
4. The sticky paper + hose method: If you have a tree with a bad infestation of lanternflies, wrap wide sticky paper or several strips of thinner sticky paper or inside-out duct tape around the bottom of the tree. Get out your hose or pressure washer and spray the bugs with water – or get out your leaf blower and spray the bugs with air – or knock the tree limbs with a broom – so they fall off of the tree. They will scramble to climb back up the tree, and they will get caught on the sticky paper. You may need to replace the sticky paper if it starts to fill up with lanternflies. Once most of the bugs have returned to the tree and been captured, remove the paper from your tree and fold it back on itself. Never leave sticky paper unattended, because it can harm beneficial insects and birds and other wild life.
5. Protected sticky paper – Using narrow sticky paper or inside-out duct tape in 2” or less strips minimizes harm to wildlife. You can build a wire cage to go around the sticky paper to keep birds and animals away from the surface. Keep tape at least 4’ off the ground. Only use the tape around trees that the lanternflies are attracted to or around deck posts, if they like your deck. If you find a bird or bat attached to sticky paper, wildlife rescue associations ask that you do not try to rescue the animal yourself, but bring it in to them. They will remove the animal while trying do the least harm. If you cannot get to a wildlife rescue association, olive oil and soap can help remove the glue, but you do risk harming the animal.
6. Bug Assault is a gun that shoots table salt at close range, and it works great on lanternflies. Here is a link to one that works: https://amzn.to/2P2NUEV With older flies, the first shot may not kill them, but it will stun them, and then you can squish or step on. Air guns and BB guns with no BB’s also kill them! To quote: just pump 4 to 5 times, get really close to them and pow, blown to smithereens!!
7. Plant more milkweed! It appears that the lanternflies are attracted to Common Milkweed. We find dead lanternflies on it every day. The lanternflies are new here, and they don’t know it is poisonous, so they eat it and it kills them. The poisonous sap also slows them down, so they are much easier to catch and smush in your hand. At the very least, you will be helping save the Monarch Butterfly and helping other pollinators, who love the flowers. Asclepias syriaca
8. If you are dying to spray them with something, these pesticides are endorsed by Penn State as excellent at killing them on contact, but they don’t stay long on surfaces, so they should do the least harm to the beneficial insects we need: Purely Green, Spotted Lanternfly Killer 2 (active ingredient essential oils); Bonide Neem Oil (active ingredient Neem); Garden Safe Multi-Purpose Garden Insect Killer, Natria Insect Mite and Disease Control (active ingredient natural pyrethrins; and Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap (active ingredient insecticidal soap).
9. Don’t remove your spider webs! Spiders are catching lanternflies in their webs every day. Some of our spiders are learning to eat them. They will do lanternfly removal for you.
10. Remove Tree of Heaven from your property and replace it with a native tree. There is a strong relationship between Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus) and the Spotted Lanternfly – they love it. Tree of Heaven is an invasive, noxious plant that produces ailanthone, a chemical which has been reported to possess herbicidal activity similar to glyphosate (Round-Up) and paraquat. It prevents native plants from growing around it. Removing Tree of Heaven from your property is always a good idea. You may need a professional to do this. Breathing the fumes from a freshly cut tree can be toxic. It will vigorously resprout once cut, so the stump will need to be treated to prevent regrowth. Tree of Heaven leaves are similar in appearance to walnut and sumac. There are 2 distinguishing features: 1) although the edges of the leaflets are smooth, there is a notch/bump near the base of the leaflets, and 2) if you tear the leaf and smell it, it gives off a strong, noxious odor.
11. When trying to handle a nymph: Leave out trays of water. Some people add some lemon oil.  For some reason, they climb in the tray and drown. Our use The Tupperware Tub method – you can catch oodles of nymphs in a very short time. You will need a Tupperware tub, margarine container, or large yogurt container with a tight-fitting lid.  Put a couple inches of a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water in the bottom.  Hold the tub under a branch on which there are nymphs. Tap the branch from above, the nymphs fall in the liquid, slap the lid on, and the nymphs will drown within 15 seconds. You can save the liquid for next time.  Remember, never pour this liquid on the ground – pour it down your garbage disposal or toilet. Thanks to Lorraine Phillips for this idea.

Questions:

Why shouldn’t I use Sevin?

Sevin is a non-specific pesticide (which means it kills all insects) that lasts for 7-10 days. It will kill beneficial insects that land on it. Our beneficial insects, like bees, butterflies and other pollinators, are struggling – they could be extinct from our area if we are not careful. Without beneficial insects, it will be impossible to grow fruits and most vegetables, and most of our trees, flowers and other plants won’t be able to reproduce. We need to be really smart in how we attack this infestation, or we will end up with a bigger problem.

Should I buy praying mantis online to eat the lanternflies?

Sadly, it is almost impossible to buy our native mantis online, and our native mantis is almost gone from the wild. Most of the ones sold online are the Asian mantis, which is 2-3 times larger (4″ and up) than our native one (2″) and causing enormous problems itself. Even if it says native Carolina mantis on a website selling them, it usually isn’t. It is eating large numbers of beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies and other pollinators, including hummingbirds. The only somewhat reliable way to tell the Asian species apart from the native is size.  All mantises can be a variety of colors.  They are good at camouflage

And for the egg masses:

Spotted Lanternfly Eggs Masses start appearing in early fall.  They are grey or brown globby 2-4″ smears that look a bit like old chewing gum on trees, cement blocks, rocks, cars, houses, barbecue grills – any hard surface. The good news is this is the easiest phase to get rid of – you can scrape them off using a plastic card, like a credit card or a putty knife. Scrape them into a small baggie or container filled with isopropyl alcohol or hand sanitizer. This is the most effective way to kill the eggs, but they can also be smashed or burned. Remember that some eggs will be laid at the tops of trees and may not be possible to reach.

How to be an expert at identifying and killing eggs – this great video from Penn State will get you up to speed in 2 minutes.  https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-remove-spotted-lanternfly-eggs?fbclid=IwAR0dI44LVqr_JgMGh9wUMGQIMZZ82GdDoPTAqe41QTQqHWb2l0XggB71_gA

Many lichens look similar to the egg masses.  If you don’t see little pearl like egg balls inside your scraping, you are probably removing an innocent lichen.