EAST COVENTRY — An historic 24-acre farm has been preserved as the result of a voluntary conservation agreement between Raymond and Kathleen Nester and the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust.
This property, located along Halteman Road, has been home to generations of Nesters. The site hosts several ecologically notable features, such as a mature hardwood forest and more than 1,200 feet of Pigeon Creek.
Additionally, this property enhances the East Coventry trail system by providing a quarter mile extension that creates a connection to the 77-acre East
Coventry Nature Preserve.
The completion of this easement is particularly meaningful for the French and Pickering community as Raymond’s father, Raymond E. Nester, was an original member of the organization’s Board of Directors. Raymond E. Nester dedicated over 15 years to the board and made significant contributions to the organization’s conservation initiatives in northern Chester County.
“The Nester property has long been a conservation priority for the township, and we are grateful for the successful outcome. The willingness of the Nesters to include the public access trail provides an important amenity for the community,” Pam Brown, French and Pickering’s Senior Conservation Advisor, said in a press release.
Chester County granted French and Pickering $128,300 for the acquisition of the Nesters’ easement. Additional funding of $118,465 came from East Coventry Township’s dedicated open space funds.
The township prioritizes the protection of sustainable agriculture, and this easement meets that goal.
It’s been a busy year for the trust.
Using $623,765 from Chester County Parks and Preservation for the, French and Pickering has purchased four conservation easements in Northern Chester County of 228 acres in the past few months. They include:
• Camp Innabah in East Vincent Township along the French Creek, 126 acres, $221,000 awarded in addition to a previously announced county grant of $640,000.
• The Kirlin property in North Coventry Township near the headwaters of Pigeon Creek, 55 acres, $201,565 awarded.
• The Nester Property in East Coventry Township along Pigeon Creek, 24 acres, $128,300 awarded.
• The Billingsley Property in East Coventry Township along Pigeon Creek, 23 acres, $72,900 awarded.
• Additionally, the trust is also the recipient of a 4.6-acre easement in West Vincent Township as the result of a donation by East Nantmeal residents George and Martha Edwards.
Since 1967, French and Pickering has protected more than 13,500 acres in northern Chester County through purchases, conservation easements and public/private partnerships. The non- profit organization works with landowners, townships, foundations and the state and county to
purchase and monitor conservation easements, create parkland, and preserve environmentally
sensitive land.
