Falmouth Forest Garden at Conoy Wetlands Nature Preserve
The Falmouth Forest Garden is a 5 acre floodplain restoration project that was designed to function as a floodplain forest while honoring the productive alluvial soils by reintroducing native, perennial, crop producing native tree and shrub species such as black walnut, shagbark hickory, swamp white oak, persimmon, pawpaw, nannyberry, serviceberry, chokeberries, elderberry, hazelnut, blackberry and raspberry with a mixed herbaceous meadow of healthful and pollinator-specific nectars. The Falmouth Forest Garden is believed to be the first forest garden established on publicly accessible lands in Pennsylvania. It serves to enhance wildlife habitat as well as the experience for visitors of the popular 14 mile long Northwest River Trail.
Sponsors of the Falmouth Forest garden include: Lancaster County Community Foundation, Rotary Club of Lancaster, Conoy Township, Lancaster County Bird Club, Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education, and Green Light Plants LLC.
Watershed
Susquehanna River.
Hunting Information
No hunting.
Acquisition History
This land was purchased in 2017 with funds donated by the Pine Tree Conservation Society. In 2019, the Conservancy added 49 acres to the Conoy Wetlands Nature Preserve with funding from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR), using a grant from the High Foundation and property donated by Brookfield Renewable as the PA DCNR grant matches. The land donated by Brookfield Renewable was acquired as part of a nationally recognized landscape protection project known as the PPL Project. Funds for that Project were provided by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, The Conservation Fund, Lancaster County, York County, PPL, Talen Energy, and Brookfield Renewable.
Address
111 Collins Rd, Bainbridge, PA 17502
Conoy Wetlands is accessible via the Northwest River Trail. Parking is available at the Falmouth Boat Launch. Hike south on the Northwest River Trail for approximately ¼ of a mile to enter the preserve.
Amenities
Kiosk. Preserve sign.