Heritage Conservancy's Community Conversation about Going Greener

At the end of October, Heritage Conservancy (an organization with a mission to preserve and protect our natural and historic heritage) hosted a “Going Green to Save Green” forum at the Grundy Library in Bristol, PA. The focus of the day revolved around ways that community members can protect the environment while saving money. Attendees of the forum included township officials, members of Environmental Advisory Councils, and planning firms—decision makers and influencers who can enact change in future environmental green planning.

At the start of the meeting, Heritage Conservancy took the group of attendees and panelists outside along the Delaware River to appreciate this important resource that the group continues to work to protect. Over 15 million people depend upon the Delaware River for their drinking water, and human activities on land can impact its water quality.

The “Going Green to Save Green” forum panelists included knowledgeable representatives from Heritage Conservancy, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Greenbelt Overhaul Alliance of Levittown, Lower Makefield Environmental Advisory Council, and Boucher and James, Inc. Panelists presented on specific projects that they have worked on to create greener communities, including cleanups along the river, a naturalized drainage basin, and a golf course that was turned into a park with natural areas. Additionally, there was enlightening discussion and presentation about projects at a variety of scales that can be incorporated into improving storm water management in urban and rural communities.

Heritage Conservancy staff members were pleased with the discussions surrounding different green infrastructure projects ranging from small local grass roots organizations up through larger groups that work across entire townships and beyond.

“We need to spread the word about the benefits of green infrastructure and how these practices minimize pollution, storm water runoff, and energy consumption, and they improve air quality all while saving money,” said Jeff Marshall, President of Heritage Conservancy. “I'm constantly amazed when I read about the benefits of planting even a single tree. That is something almost everyone can do.”

At the end of a day of brainstorming and sharing of programs, attendees walked away with an increased understanding of what can still be done to make a difference for our environment.

The forum was funded by an Alliance for Watershed Education grant and the William Penn Foundation. Through this support, Heritage Conservancy awarded Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center with a $2,500 grant to complete a “Real Time Water Quality Monitoring of Silver Lake” project.

To learn more about how Heritage Conservancy is making a difference along the Delaware River, visit HeritageConservancy.org.