The Guardians of the Brandywine are watching the waters of the Upper East branch of the brandywine
The Clinic is available to help and assist PA Residents tackle environmental threats to the natural resources within their communities. Protect the beauty, diversity of place and habitats in PA. More info below
Support the Clinic and visit their website www.widenerELC.orgUpdate - February 2010
The Guardians of the Brandywine will continue the challenge to the PCCC 1323 at the Wallace Township Zoning Hearing Board.
The Guardians are awaiting the Zoning Hearing Board Officer to establish the dates to resume the Guardians opposition to the adoption of the PCCC 1323 Zoning Amendment (also known as the Greenfield Ordinance). Jordan B. Yeager and the Environmental Law Clinic from Widener Law University will be present to represent the Guardians challenging the Greenfield Ordinance specifically designating a development with a golf course that includes both commercial and residential property.
Although the BOS approved the Greenfield Ordinance the Chester County Planning Commission recommended that the township not amend its ordinance without further investigation as to the sustainability of this development on the limited resources along the Upper East Branch of the Brandywine. It is the belief of the Guardians of the Brandywine that the ordinance is substantively invalid. The ordinance would allow for a complete change in what is allowed in this rural community and pose a significant risk to the water resources this community relies on and the other communities downstream.
The challenge to the ordinance lists several objections and argues the zoning change violates the state's Municipalities Planning Code. The Greenfield Ordinance as written does not protect the natural and historic features and resources and is inconsistent with the township's comprehensive land use plan.Neighbors Seek to Expand Marsh Creek Park
You can learn about our neighbors' efforts to expand Marsh Creek Park by visiting their website, www.addparkland.org
Residents of Glenmoore threatened with the loss of property want the Marsh Creek Park to be expanded for the benefit of Chester County and all boaters, birders and hikers along the Marsh Creek Trails and Struble Trails.
Our thanks to the many donors, volunteers and supporters for a very successful year for the Guardians of the Brandywine.
With your continued passion and support we can continue to showcase the beauty, culture and diversity of habitats here along the enchanting waters of your Brandywine. We continue to seek the best experts with a science based approach that allows us to tackle the land use threats to our community, the water that runs through it and species that depend upon its protection in a High Quality watershed.
Meet the Widener Environmental Clinic
The Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic at the Widener University School of Law provides assistance to the Guardians of the Brandywine. We thought you might like to find out more about the Clinic and what it does.
The Clinic trains the attorneys of tomorrow by giving Widener law students the opportunity to prepare for the practice of law through helping Clinic Clients protect the environment.
More than 250 students have trained in the Clinic since it opened its doors in 1989. Each Clinic Student Attorney works under the close supervision of the Clinic Director, Professor Kenneth T. Kristl, and learns by doing, watching, and reflecting on the Clinic’s representations and activities.
Widener Student Attorneys and the Clinic Director work as a team to help Clinic Clients address environmental problems--whether directly representing clients in litigation, helping to draft public comments and advising on public participation, assisting with strategy development, or developing educational outreach programs.
While the Clinic has always operated out of Widener’s Delaware campus, in January 2010 it began operating on Widener’s Harrisburg, PA campus. Thanks to a generous grant from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Clinic’s Harrisburg Office operates the Widener Environmental Help Line, a resource for Pennsylvania citizens facing environmental problems.
Through the Help Line’s Toll-Free phone line (1-888-953-6853) or through a Request for Help Form on the website for Widener’s Environmental Law Center (www.widenerELC.org and click on the Request for Help Form link on the right-hand side), Pennsylvania citizens can contact the Clinic to obtain assistance in preparing to represent themselves or Clinic direct representation when confronting environmental problems.
While the Clinic works hard in representing its clients, Clinic Student Attorneys also have the opportunity to learn in other ways. Each year the Clinic travels down to Washington, D.C. to hear oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court (where they have also met with Justices Kennedy and Ginsburg).
The Clinic has also adopted Smith Bridge Road from the Delaware State Line to U.S. 202 and conducts 4 cleanups a year as part of PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program.
"The Clinic has been very pleased to assist the Guardians protect the Brandywine,” Clinic Director Ken Kristl said. “The students have enjoyed working through the complex legal issues, attending public hearings, and meeting clients who are really committed to environmental protection. Working for the Guardians has enriched the clinical experience of many Student Attorneys.”
You can learn more about the Clinic by going to the Environmental Law Center’s website (www.widenerELC.org) and clicking on the Environmental Law Clinic tab.
Spread the word about the Widener Environmental Help Line! 1-888-953-6853
Resort plan gains key approval
Wallace officials OK conditional use for development
Wallace Township supervisors Thursday night unanimously approved the conditional use of a 606-acre property to be turned into a golf club resort and community.
The board approved the conditional use for Valhalla Brandywine, which is proposed by developer Albert M. Greenfield III.
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/11/07/news/srv0000006768607.txt
Read the decision from the Wallace Board of Supervisors for your self:
Our Mission
As our mission is to preserve the rural character of Wallace Township, our activities focus on the protection and enhancement of the waters and other natural resources of the Upper East Branch of the Brandywine Creek's Watershed, including all of its tributaries.
We believe that the mission requires us to educate the public about the quality of our natural resources and the quality of life enjoyed by our predecessors, and to further inform the public of the challenges to these qualities posed by the pressures of the twenty first century.
Preservation and maintenance of riparian buffers are at the top of the list of the subjects which the public must understand if the Brandywine waters and surrounding environs are to be preserved from deterioration. This entails hiring counsel and scientists to gather and analyze data, review planning and land use, and the study the environment. Their findings are then conveyed to the community through Guardians’ educational outreach.
Guardians of the Brandywine, Inc. (“Guardians”) is a non-profit corporation and has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt Public Charity. Contributions to Guardians are tax deductible to U.S. taxpayers to the extent permitted by law. Non-reimbursed expenses related to volunteer work with Guardians are tax deductible for volunteers who file itemized tax returns. Speak with your tax preparer regarding taking tax deductions for your contributions or volunteer expenses.
Funds raised by the Guardians of the Brandywine, Inc. will be used to educate the public and protect the Brandywine within the restrictions of the IRS 501 (c) (3), relating to charitable contributions. We believe that the natural resources associated with the Brandywine Watershed are themselves incapable of political affiliation,we intend to see that our organization should also be without political affiliation. We expect to educate all who will hear our message about preservation and conservation of the Brandywine Watershed, regardless of anyone’s political affiliations. As an organization, we have no political affiliation or involvement.
Protecting our streams: wallace township stream quality & regional watershed map
Can you find your property on our map? Can you tell us what's missing? Do you know the name of any of the streams not yet named on this map?
Please email us with the name and we'll have our professionals add them to the map and we'll update it on the original.
How to Download the Map
Identify which section your property is in, click on that section, and download the corresponding PDF map of that section. This is a very large and detailed map, but we've sectioned it so that each section is a size of a 8 1/2 by 11 page so you can print it on your printer.
Or download them here: A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3
This map was provided by Schmid & Co. Inc,, Consulting Ecologists. Find them on the web at www.schmidco.com or call them at 610-356-1416
