5 Preserves, 1 Trail Connection is Now Open

 Wissahickon Trails, together with public and private partners, has completed the final link in the 9-mile trail system connecting five nature preserves across Whitpain and Whitemarsh Townships. The “5 Preserves, 1 Trail” initiative required the acquisition of land, trail easements, and trail construction and enhancement projects. Since 2018, Wissahickon Trails and its partners have preserved 51 additional acres of open space to support this effort, acquired two trail easements, built new trails, and invested in enhancements to improve user experience, such as an equestrian bridge and stepping- stone crossings across the Prophecy Creek. The open space and trail investments for this initiative were made possible with $1.7 million in public support from Whitpain Township, PECO, Montgomery County, and PA DCNR, and $2.5 million in private donations from Wissahickon Trails’ supporters.  

“Wissahickon Trails has a long history of successfully bringing together public and private partners to preserve land and protect the habitats and ecosystems that make our communities better places to live, work, and play,” said Gail Farmer, Wissahickon Trails’ Executive Director. “This 9-mile trail, connecting 5 nature preserves, has been decades in the making and would not have been possible without the willingness of residential property owners to allow trail users to walk through their property.” 

Today, the 5 Preserves, 1 Trail initiative is complete. A newly established trail easement through Willow Lake Farm, a private property in Whitemarsh Township, means that a trail visitor will be able to walk between Armentrout Preserve, Camp Woods, Briar Hill Preserve (which includes Hughes Family and Cheston Family Preserves), Willow Lake Preserve, and Whitpain Township’s Prophecy Creek Park. In total, this connects 436 acres of land and 9 miles of trails. The land for the last stretch of trail needed to complete the connection was provided by Ellen Lea and the funds to support its installation were donated by PECO and a private donation in memory of Phil and Barbara Albright. Construction on the final connector has now been completed, and Wissahickon Trails is planning a public opening event this fall to celebrate the fully connected trail system 

“PECO is proud to support the connection of Wissahickon Trails and greenways, which will provide greater access for individuals to enjoy this natural landscape,” says Suzanne Ryan, Regional External Affairs Manager, PECO. “This work is a great example of PECO’s commitment to powering a cleaner, brighter future for Greater Philadelphia and a beautiful reflection of our shared vision for the region.” 

Willow Lake Farm is a great example of sharing private land for public conservation. In 1993, Jane O’Neill donated conservation easements on 108-acres of wooded areas and pastures of her landmark farm to Wissahickon Trails. Then, in 2002, through Ms. O’Neill’s generosity and that of her children, Jake Lea, Ellen Lea, Sydney Lea, and Jane Lea, the land was permanently preserved and acquired by Wissahickon Trails which created the Willow Lake Preserve we know today. The private residence and horse farm—known as Willow Lake Farm—is still in use.  

"It's really important to us that we keep the trails at Willow Lake Preserve open for people to enjoy. Because once open space is gone, it’s gone forever. When my mother originally partnered with Wissahickon Trails in 1993 to allow public access to what would become the 108-acre Willow Lake Preserve, the idea was that equestrians and walkers could both be here and enjoy the land. It's a piece of heaven on earth,” said Ellen Lea, who owns the private residence, Willow Lake Farm. 

Ellen Lea’s family has supported public access to their property for decades – first through conservation easements, then land donation, and most recently, by granting a trail easement through their private residence to connect the 5 Preserves, 1 Trail initiative. “When visiting with Ellen Lea at her farm it is clear that her and her family’s connection with the land runs very deep and that they love it dearly,” said Gail Farmer. “From that love comes a generosity to share what they have with everyone and that is remarkable.” 

"Open space preservation is a priority to Whitemarsh Township because it helps preserve local habitat for wildlife and promotes biodiversity. Furthermore, it helps save taxpayer dollars because it curbs development thereby saving impacts on the infrastructure and services. Our partnership with Wissahickon Trails is very important to us because the collaboration helps us to pool resources to help achieve common goals in a broader target area," said Fran McCusker, Vice Chair of the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors. 

Now that the 5 Preserves, 1 Trail initiative is complete, Wissahickon Trails will be shifting its focus to connecting this trail with the Green Ribbon Trail which follows the Wissahickon Creek through Montgomery County, and the Cross County Trail, a major regional route that spans the Philadelphia suburbs. Creating these connections relies heavily on public and private partners and their continued support for public access to natural spaces and protecting habitats. 

Conservation partners gathered at Willow Lake Farm from left to right: Tom Blomstrom (Director of Parks and Recreation, Whitemarsh Township), Fran McCusker (Chair of the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors), Suzanne Ryan (Regional External Affairs Manager, PECO), Joyce Keller (Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors), John Ferro (Conservation Director, Wissahickon Trails), Gail Farmer (Executive Director, Wissahickon Trails), Kristen Haugen (Board Chair, Wissahickon Trails), Ellen Lea