Rushton Farm

Willistown Conservation Trust, initially known as the Willistown Area Conservation Program, was established in 1979 as a satellite program of the Brandywine Conservancy. With the encouragement of the community and key local conservation leaders, it became an independent, community-based land trust and 501(c)(3) in 1996. Founded by Bonnie Van Alen with Alice Hausmann and Kathe McCoy, the organization quickly began teaching neighbors about the benefits of conservation easements and creating a community of conservationists within Willistown. Despite growth pressures, the focus area in Chester County remains largely an oasis of green space. The Trust has helped permanently conserve over 7,500 acres, including three nature preserves open to the public.

Rushton Farm serves as a model for sustainable agricultural practices, promoting the values of open space and natural resource protection. The farm program seeks to contribute to the growth of local, sustainable food networks and connect people more closely with the rural landscape and agricultural heritage of the Willistown countryside. The Trust employs a holistic approach that explores the connections among land, birds, habitat, farm, and water.

The work of Willistown Conservation Trust takes place on the ancestral lands of the Lenni Lenape. The organization honors the Lenape and other Indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters, acknowledging their continuing relationship with their territory. By sharing their story with the community and working with local Native American organizations, the Trust hopes to ensure that their legacy lives on with the land. The Trust offers six renowned programs for public engagement and research: Bird Conservation, Community Farm, Education and Outreach, Land Protection, Stewardship, and Watershed Protection Programs.