In celebration of Earth Day, April 22, and to highlight the importance placed upon protection of natural resources for future generations, the Chester County commissioners met with New Garden Township officials, Rep. Christina Sappey, and staff members from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and from Natural Lands to tour the site of the former Loch Nairn Golf Club. The golf club has been preserved and will be converted into a public park.
Conversion of the land in New Garden Township from a golf course to a park is expected to help improve water quality, absorb floodwaters, and offer additional environmental benefits. The property includes a tributary to White Clay Creek, which was federally designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 2000.
The Smedley family, which originally owned and operated the golf course, worked in conjunction with New Garden Township and a range of partners to preserve the property for public use in perpetuity.
Partners that provided the financial support for the land conservation include the Chester County commissioners, New Garden Township, DCNR, the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation's Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, the Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation, and the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Program. Natural Lands served as New Garden Township's consultant and prepared the grant applications.
This project is reflective of the ongoing work throughout Chester County to preserve the area's productive non-irrigated agricultural soils, provide adequate local and county park and recreation opportunities, preserve significant natural areas, and encourage revitalization of developed areas for residents of Chester County and beyond.
As of last year, more than 151,000 acres of Chester County, or 31.1% of the county, has been preserved through a combination of county and partner efforts.
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