On Thursday, October 20th, leaders from PECO presented Heritage Conservancy with a check for $15,000 while outside of the Conservancy’s Aldie Mansion home. $10,000 of the grant from PECO will go toward the planting of a native pollinator meadow at Heritage Conservancy’s Jackson Pond Preserve in Buckingham, PA, and $5,000 of the grant will go toward stream bank restoration on the organization’s Hart’s Woods Preserve in Doylestown, PA.

Pollinator species (such as bees and butterflies) support nearly 40% of the world’s food crop production, and many of our vital pollinators are threatened with extinction. PECO’s support will enable Heritage Conservancy to plant a 4-acre native pollinator meadow on its Jackson Pond Preserve. This meadow will provide habitat for all aspects of a pollinator’s life cycle, it will become a destination for community members to view and enjoy our native wildlife, and it will serve to educate the general public concerning the importance of pollinators to human foods. It will take two years to fully release the wildflower meadow to grow.

The stream bank restoration on Heritage Conservancy’s Hart’s Woods Preserve will help to increase water quality and provide critical habitat. The removal of invasive species followed by the planting of native trees and shrubs along a tributary of the Neshaminy Creek will strengthen the stream bank in this area and help to filter pollutants in the water. Since native wildlife prefers native plantings for food and shelter, it will benefit local wildlife as well.

“Heritage Conservancy is excited about this partnership with PECO,” said Jeff Marshall, President of Heritage Conservancy. “The grant from PECO will allow our organization to not only preserve and protect our natural resources but also enhance two of our properties while strengthening our effort to protect our water and food supply.”