The Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s Easement Program plays a crucial role in preserving the natural and cultural landscape of Northwest Philadelphia and adjacent areas of Montgomery County, all within the Wissahickon watershed. Established in 1990, the program leverages conservation easements – a powerful tool that allows private landowners to protect their properties while ensuring that critical natural resources are safeguarded for future generations.

Wissahickon Valley Park, a cherished urban green space spanning over 2,042 acres, offers a diverse range of recreational, educational, historical, and ecological benefits to its approximately 1.1 million annual visitors, according to the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Department. However, the park faces significant stormwater runoff and wastewater challenges, threatening its ecological integrity. All land that drains into the Wissahickon Creek is considered part of the Wissahickon watershed. 

The importance of conserving privately-owned land within the watershed cannot be overstated. The buffer provided by these lands plays a critical role in slowing and reducing the impact of stormwater runoff on the Wissahickon Valley Park, which is essential for protecting the drinking water of 350,000 Philadelphians, protecting the beloved Wissahickon Park and preserving the health of Wissahickon Creek.  As identified in the Friends of the Wissahickon’s “Protect Our Watershed” study, more than 400 acres in Chestnut Hill have been designated as priority parcels for protection. Preserving these lands through easements is vital to restoring the watershed and ensuring its sustainability.

Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements restricting certain types of development and land use and promoting best practices in conservation on private property to protect conservation values. Easement agreements are created by the property owner working together with land trusts such as the Conservancy to ensure that the natural and historic character of the land is preserved while the property remains under private ownership. The Chestnut Hill Conservancy, in partnership with the Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW), currently holds 52 conservation and preservation easements, protecting over 105 acres within the Wissahickon Watershed in both Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties.

The Chestnut Hill Conservancy is at the forefront of urban land conservation, being the first urban-focused land trust in the nation to earn Accreditation. This accreditation reflects and confirms the Conservancy’s commitment to integrating land conservation with preserving historic architecture, archival resources, and sustainable practices. 

As development pressures increase and the population continues to grow, conservation easements are more critical than ever. Public protection of open spaces can be slow and sometimes insufficient, making private protection tools like easements indispensable. These agreements provide lasting, inextinguishable protections that benefit both the environment and the community.

Easements are truly the community’s conservation tool, offering landowners a way to protect the places they love. 

To learn more about easements' impact on protecting our natural and cultural resources or to explore the possibility of placing an easement on your property, visit the Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s website or contact the Conservancy at Info@CHConservancy.Org.