Chester County has received an early Christmas present in the form of a $1.5 million state grant earmarked for open space preservation, according to a report from the Daily Local News.

This will ultimately create one of the largest connected preserved land areas between Washington, D.C., and New York City.

The Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant was awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The funds are crucial for the second half of the plan led by The Conservation Fund, as it aims to acquire 1,718 acres owned by George Strawbridge Jr. and add them to the White Clay Creek Preserve.

“Southern Chester County is home to some of the last large bastions of open space in our region,” said State Sen. Andrew Dinniman. “(We need to) ensure that they are conserved and protected for posterity.”

The Strawbridge property, which is probably the single largest privately-owned tract in Chester County, is a critical resource in the rapidly developing southeastern Pennsylvania area and tri-state region. The property has nearly 700 plant species, with 15 of them currently endangered or vulnerable.

Read more about the grant in the Daily Local News here.

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