Credit: Submitted
Nearly 25 years after fourth-grade students from Pennsbury School District’s Penn Valley Elementary School helped plant native trees at Pennsbury Manor, the forest grove at the Falls Township historic site has been spruced up.
Through the years, vines and weeds took over William Penn Forest that sits at Pennsbury Manor and in a habitat restoration area developed by Waste Management, which owns the landfill and property around the site. The two decade old sign that marked the forest and William Penn’s 17th century mansion’s 350th birthday was felled by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
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Recently, attention was paid to the area and vines and debris was cleared by Ginger McAllister and a crew from the Penn Warner Club. Pennsbury Manor horticulturist Charlie Thomforde worked with Waste Management’s Judy Archibald to identify each tree in the small forest for education opportunities.
Using funds through Waste Management’s participation in the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, the Pennsbury Education Foundation was able to work with Pennsbury High School teachers Jessica Perfetto and Rick Stellwagen to purchase a laser engraving machine for their classes. The machine was then used by students and teachers to create a new sign for the forest and recognize William Penn’s 350th birthday.
Late last month, Waste Management employees and their families joined with Doug Miller, Pennsbury Manor’s executive director, and Ann Langtry, Pennsbury School District’s supervisor of communication strategies, at the forest to dedicate the new sign and restored area.
Credit: Submitted
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“We value our community partnerships and the opportunities we have to come together to work on environmental projects and celebrate their successes,” Waste Management Senior District Manager Bob Jones said.
The William Penn forest was planted by the elementary students on October 23, 1994 and coincided with a proclamation ceremony, mansion tours, demonstrations, open-hearth cooking, a blacksmith demonstration, theater performances, and a birthday cake.
The trees in the forest match those noted by Penn in his 17th century writings.
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