Landscape

365 acres of urban wilderness

The Schuylkill Center stands on the Indigenous territory known as Lenapehoking, the traditional homelands of the Lenape, who were stewards of this landscape for thousands of years. The 365 acres we care for now are located on agricultural land that was farmed until the mid-1960’s. The Center began as 11 acres gifted by the Center’s founders, Lawrence M. C. Smith, Mrs. Lawrence M. C. Smith, Mrs. Robert R. Meigs, and Henry H. H. Meigs. In 1965 the Center operated out of River House, a historic summer home. In 1967 the Visitors Center was constructed which houses laboratories, classrooms, an interactive children’s exhibit (Discovery Center), a gift shop, an auditorium, staff offices, and our Nature Preschool.

Under the direction of Richard James, our founding Executive Director, the Center grew to encompass 365 acres of land – the largest privately-owned open space within the city of Philadelphia – featuring a variety of habitats including woodlands, meadows, ponds, and wetlands. Four miles of hiking trails, diverse events, school programs for preschool-graduate level students, adult learning programs, and teacher workshops attract a multitude of visitors to the Center. The Center’s grounds hold a pavilion, environmental art installations, a native plant nursery, and various ecological restoration sites. Located on the eastern side of the property is the Center’s wildlife clinic, which treats injured, orphaned, and sick wildlife.

  • Land Restoration

    Since 1999, the Center has focused efforts and resources on creating a preserve that supports the highest level of plant and animal diversity native to southeastern Pennsylvania. Academic study is integrated with recreation and enjoyment to establish a basis for meaningful programs and to help instill a sense of discovery in those who visit our grounds.

    Until the mid-1960’s, the majority of the land that is now part of the Center and surrounding area was farmed. If you look at the Center’s woodlands, you will see that the trees are all relatively young. The past agricultural use of the land has strongly influenced the makeup of our current woodlands. Continued disturbance of the soil eliminated much of the seed source for native, successional meadows, edges and woods. This disturbance has allowed invasive, non-native vegetation to thrive as this old farmland reverts to forest.

    Some non-native species of plants and animals, such as Queen Anne’s Lace and honeybees, have been introduced into our ecosystem and coexist with the native species without disrupting the balance. Other non-native species, called “invasives”, disrupt the natural process by displacing native plants and creating monocultures. On the Center’s grounds, the native understory layer of vegetation has been largely replaced by several non-native, invasive plant species. The “Top Least Wanted” invasives at the Center are: Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum), Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), and Asian Earthworms (Amynthas spp.).

  • Conservation Easements

    (Photo illustration) Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, on July 6, 2023, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. (photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/ For The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education)

    Conservation Easements have been placed on 325 acres of our core property (the land between Spring Lane, Hagy’s Mill Road, Port Royal Avenue, and the Schuylkill Bike Trail). The easements will be held by Natural Lands and will preserve our land in perpetuity.

    Conservation easements are one of the most powerful, effective tools available for the permanent conservation of private lands in the United States. The use of conservation easements has successfully protected millions of acres of wildlife habitat and open space, keeping land in private hands and generating significant public benefits. The Schuylkill Center’s Conservation Easements protect the majority of the property from future development while permitting the continuation of educational, recreational and agricultural activities.

  • Our Partners

    The preservation of the 24-acres Boys Scout Tract is celebrated during a Vine-cutting ceremony at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, in the Upper Roxborough section of Philadelphia, PA on September 13, 2023.

    The Schuylkill Center’s valued partners in conservation have been Natural Lands, a non-profit land conservation organization serving eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which maintains Pennsylvania’s 117 state parks and manages its 2.2 million acres of state forest land.

    “It is difficult to overstate the significance of preserving 325 acres of open space in Philadelphia, noted Molly Morrison, then president of the Natural Lands. “This really is an historic moment for the city. We are grateful to The Schuylkill Center’s Board of Trustees for having the foresight to ensure that this wonderful resource is preserved for future generations.”

    “This easement to protect The Schuylkill Center’s land is critical for the conservation and enhancement of the broader Schuylkill River Trail,” added DCNR Deputy Secretary Cindy Dunn said. “DCNR also supports this project because it ensures that children will always have access and a connection to nature in this special place.”

    The placement of conservation easements was a detailed process over two years in the making. “This is a very historic moment for The Schuylkill Center, and for our community,” said Schuylkill Center Board Member Anne Bower, Associate Professor of Environmental and Conservation biology at Philadelphia University. “The placement of Conservation Easements ensures that The Center’s mission to preserve and improve our natural environment by fostering appreciation, understanding, and responsible use of the ecosystem will be recognized in perpetuity. It is our hope that the community will embrace The Schuylkill Center’s mission, and foster conservation and stewardship by participating in the many exciting activities that will be planned to celebrate this momentous occasion.”

    “I am thrilled to see the culmination of this landmark partnership project with DCNR and Natural Lands,” added Michael DiBerardinis, Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. “The Schuylkill Center’s Conservation Easements expand, for public use and education, the natural resources of the City of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park system.”

    Benefits to Our Neighbors 

    With the placement of conservation easements, The Schuylkill Center firmly establishes itself as a neighbor committed to stewardship and conservation of land. Our neighbors can enjoy the land and rest assured that it is protected by a conservation easement held by the region’s leading conservation organization.

    Trails will remain open to the public at no charge.