Brandywine Conservancy awards mini grants to seven municipal partners funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Chadds Ford, PA, December 10, 2020 —The Brandywine Conservancy is pleased to announce the awarding of $40,000 shared across seven municipal partners through the Brandywine Creek Greenway’s (BCG) new Mini-Grant Program for 2020-2021. Funded by a recent grant from the Pennsylvania DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Program Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC), the granted funds will be used to implement park, open space and trail projects within the Greenway. All projects support and advance the goals and objectives of the BCG’s Strategic Action Plan (2014).
“The Mini-Grant Program reinforces the work of the strong and collaborative partnerships that have been created through the Brandywine Creek Greenway over the past decade,” said Ellen Ferretti, Director of the Brandywine Conservancy. "We are thrilled to offer these grants to smaller, yet critical, projects that may otherwise be overlooked for traditional sources of funding.”
Grants were awarded to the following municipal partners:
- Chadds Ford Township’s Brandywine Creek Emergency Locator/ Educational Signage Project — $5,000
- East Bradford Township’s Strode's Barn Restoration Design Project — $5,000
- East Fallowfield Township’s Outdoor Exercise ‘Park’ and Park Bench Installation Project — $3,600
- Kennett Area Park Authority’s Project to Convert Former Paved Entrance to Pedestrian Trail — $8,000
- Borough of Modena’s Mode House Park Project — $9,988
- Pocopson Township’s Restoration of Locust Grove Schoolhouse — $6,000
- Wallace Township’s Burgess Park Rain Garden Restoration Project — $2,400
Working with private landowners, Chadds Ford Township will use their funds to install 12 new signs along the Brandywine Creek within the Township to provide educational and safety information and facilitate location efforts for emergency responders. With support from the Friends of Strode’s Mill, East Bradford Township will engage and work with a licensed architect—specializing in historic preservation—to prepare formal design plans for the preservation and restoration of the historic Strode’s Barn at the Plum Run Preserve. East Fallowfield Township will purchase outdoor fitness equipment and benches for the Township’s Community Park, following resident feedback from an online survey that will be developed by its Park and Recreation Board. Kennett Area Park Authority will transition the existing blacktop of its pedestrian trail entrance to a sustainable pervious surface. The Borough of Modena will use their funds to help restore the historic Mode House property and create a small pocket park for passive recreation. The Pocopson Township's Historical Committee will complete restoration work on the Locust Grove Schoolhouse historic site. Wallace Township will complete a restoration of its existing rain garden at the entrance to Burgess Park to ensure that it can thrive and serve as an example of sustainable water quality practices to park visitors.
About the Brandywine Creek Greenway:
The Brandywine Creek Greenway is a regional planning initiative of the Brandywine Conservancy—involving 29 municipal partners in Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania and New Castle County and the City of Wilmington in Delaware—to create a 40-mile-long conservation and recreation corridor along both branches of the Brandywine. The Greenway stretches from the Christina River in the City of Wilmington, Delaware, to the Pennsylvania Highlands in Honey Brook Township. The Brandywine Creek Greenway and its network of parks and trails form the western limit of the Circuit Trails, a regional trail network of the greater Philadelphia region. The vision of the Brandywine Creek Greenway is to build healthier, more sustainable communities, by emphasizing the natural and cultural resources of the area; preserving and protecting the Brandywine River; and creating connections among open space, parks, river access points and area attractions. Generous support for the Greenway has been provided by the William Penn Foundation. To learn more, visit www.brandywinegreenway.org
About the Brandywine Conservancy:
The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds over 485 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of more than 66,000 acres of land. The Conservancy is a program of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands throughout the Brandywine Valley, developing new conservation approaches and assuring access to majestic open spaces and dependable water supplies for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.
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