People. Plants. Community.
After a cold snowy winter, we all look forward to the first signs of spring. For me they include the calls of spring peepers, the return of migratory birds and the first visible leaves of skunk cabbage. Spring ephemerals, as many of these plants are known, are celebrated widely and literally exude heart warming qualities … Read more
What are the Hershey Trees?We hear the term “Hershey Trees” tossed around a lot—by us, by others in related fields, and by local volunteers. But what exactly are they? Why do they matter? And do they actually have anything to do with chocolate? John Hershey, a Downingtown resident for 50 years and an early pioneer … Read more
You’re sitting inside staying warm, happy that you’re not out in the freezing cold. You look out the window and watch the birds happily gathering around the feeders that you just filled up this morning. (I swear they’re waiting for me when I go outside to do that.) Soon the squirrels use their unbelievable athleticism to … Read more
Written by ROR Member Mark Eberhardt, Principal, MSE Landscape Associates, LLC. Your personal naturalized landscape or any public garden space can not only be beautiful in winter, but also can be functional to the ecosystem. Gone are the days of cutting back our gardens around Thanksgiving and calling it a season. With ecologically sensitive plantings, … Read more
The New Zealand Mud snail(NZM), Potamopyrgus antipodarum, is an aquatic invasive species that has now been found in different parts of the Brandywine Creek watershed. Check out this recent article to learn more. This is not our first aquatic invasive, but it sure can cause some havoc to the ecosystem if it continues to spread, … Read more
Dr. Doug Tallamy is an entomologist from the University of Delaware and he’s also the co-founder of Homegrown National Park (HGNP) which is a national grass roots movement urging folks like us to create habitat in our yards. He recently spoke at Penn State Great Valley about biodiversity, caterpillars, native host plants, and shrinking our … Read more
Along the far eastern border of the borough of Downingtown exists an ever-dwindling grove of nut trees. Nestled in and around Woodbine Road, the historically significant “Hershey trees” were planted circa 1921, by John W Hershey, a botanist enthused by concepts of sustainable agriculture. Hershey owned a nursery in Downingtown and it was in Downingtown where he synthesized what many call … Read more
The name John Hershey is commonly referenced by Restore Our Roots (ROR) when presenting the type of projects we would like to pursue in Downingtown and when speaking to interested collaborators. Understandably, this may be the first time you have heard his name; I have only learned about him in the past two years from more knowledgeable Hershey enthusiasts including … Read more
It has been an unusually dry spring. In the past 60 days we’ve only had 8 days of rain, hardly invoking thoughts of “April showers.” The lack of rain has not only prematurely ended the spring 2023 growing season but has also left many trees, shrubs, and crops in danger. Heat stress occurs when plants … Read more
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