One of the Conservancy’s three mission areas is to protect open space. When we talk about open space, we are referring to undeveloped land maintained with vegetative cover, from backyards to public parks. Planted areas absorb stormwater, capture carbon, muffle sound waves and reduce urban heat island effect. They also serve as habitat, which can be hard to come by in suburban communities. The Conservancy works to protect open space with conservation easements, which protect land in perpetuity. Where easements are not feasible we seek to maximize outdoor spaces with planting programs and projects. Local actions can add up, so maintaining a garden instead of a patio or woodlands instead of a lawn makes a difference.
In 1990, Lower Merion Township passed an Open Space Ordinance to create formal protections for some of our natural areas. The Ordinance requires any subdivision plan of properties 5 acres or larger to maintain at least 50% of the open space in contiguous segments. Maintenance and operations plans are drawn up for the natural spaces, referred to as preservation areas, and the owners of the new properties share responsibility for these areas. The Conservancy works with the Township to monitor the preservation areas, making sure the maintenance and operations plans are followed.
While the Open Space Ordinance has certainly helped reduce the footprint of big developments, we still see rampant development on properties under 5 acres. Lower Merion’s Comprehensive Plan recommended adjusting the Open Space Ordinance to cover all properties 3 acres or larger, which would have a huge impact. The map below – created by our former intern Gina Talamo during her time with Villanova University’s Department of Geography and the Environment – shows all properties 3 acres or larger in Lower Merion; including properties between 3 and 5 acres would significantly increase the reach of the ordinance.
Not all properties on the map are equally at risk – some are protected by other organizations – but there is a lot of land to be protected. Consider placing a conservation easement on your property to ensure that your legacy of stewardship continues.
Click on individual parcels to learn about their tree canopy cover, approximated by the U.S. Forestry Service. Press the “hamburger” button below the Lower Merion Conservancy logo, to the right of the zoom out button to open the legend. If nothing appears, view the map here. The parcel data – obtained from Montgomery County – is imperfect, so some property lines and acreage totals may be off.