When 309 Acres Becomes Your Responsibility: The Story of a Wildlife Preserve

When Connie Dent and Ann Gundry entrusted Berks Nature with 309 acres of land in Rockland Township, they did so with a vision: to protect the property in perpetuity as a wildlife preserve. Their legacy was not just a gift, it was a responsibility.

Receiving such a large plot of land is both an honor and a challenge. Where do you even begin?

The answer is simple yet complex: the same way you eat an elephant—one bite at a time.

Kim Murphy, Berks Nature President, and Larry Lloyd, Senior Ecologist, tour the green expanse of the recently acquired Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve.

A key principle of conservation is maintaining a diverse landscape. Different species thrive in different environments, thus a landscape rich in ecological variety fosters greater biodiversity. A monoculture, whether of grass or crops, provides little ecological benefit. But a landscape filled with different habitats—that’s where nature thrives.

The goal of Berks Nature in managing the Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve was to restore a balanced, mosaic of habitats from the medley already present across the property.

To care for the woodlands, Berks Nature partnered with Shultz Forest Management and Consulting LLC to develop a Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP). The plan divided the woodlands into different units, each requiring is own unique management strategy and was approved by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Forestry, giving Berks Nature the green light to implement its recommendations (once funding could be secured). Another bite taken, another step forward.

One of the streams that flows through the Dent-Gundry property, located within the Sacony Creek watershed.

In addition to the existing woodlands, Berks Nature planted new trees along the banks of the property’s stream. The Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve is located within the Sacony Creek watershed, a watershed once poisoned by the Sally Ann Furnace’s iron operations that now boasts the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s highest, Exceptional Value designation. Such an achievement is a testament to the healing powers of mother nature and became an obvious priority in Berks Nature’s management of the property.

As these streamside trees grow, they will filter stormwater runoff and minimize erosion, protecting the precious headwaters of the Sacony Creek. Berks Nature Ambassadors, a crew of trained volunteers, will monitor these waters as well, to ensure the water leaving our property is as clean and healthy as possible.

The Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve has active farmland too, fields that have been long tended by a local family. Berks Nature embraced these farmers as stewardship partners, on the condition that they transition into an organic farming operation.

While years of conventional chemical treatments had harmed the soil’s microbial community, depleting its fertility, organic practices like planting cover crops, allowing organic matter to decompose naturally, and phasing out chemical applications will revive the soil. It is a shift, and a recovery, that won’t happen overnight, but every step forward moves us toward healthier, more resilient soil.

There were three other fallow fields scattered across the property, which instead presented an opportunity for habitat enhancement. When Berks Nature inherited the land, the fields were mowed each July, to avoid disrupting nesting grassland birds; a good management practice, but considering the surplus of non-native, cool-season grasses thriving in these fields, we knew we could do better.

Enter the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Over two years, they worked with Berks Nature to develop a plan through NRCS’ Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The plan called for converting portions of these fields into pollinator habitats, complemented by brush piles and bird boxes to support local wildlife.

The Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve is home to a few threatened and rare species, who have particularly delicate habitat requirements. However, these same areas were overrun with invasive plant species. The challenge: how do you remove invasive plants from a highly sensitive ecosystem without causing harm?

The answer came in an unexpected form: goats.

The goats of Heritage Hooves Homestead will eat invasive plants during safe seasons when there is no risk of disrupting those species of concern, all within the confines of a carefully managed electric fence system. The goats get a meal, and the sensitive species get their habitat back, all without applying chemicals! It’s a win-win for conservation.

Every piece of the Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve now has a habitat-specific plan in place, one that supports biodiversity, water quality, and climate resiliency. Now, Berks Nature is finalizing a comprehensive management plan outlining both annual tasks and long-term goals for the property.

Goats from the Heritage Hooves Homestead’s flock will be used to manage invasive plant species at the Dent-Gundry Wildlife Preserve.

Unlike many modern endeavors, conservation is not about instant gratification; it requires patience. The trees we plant today may take decades to mature. The soil we restore will take years to regain its vitality. The habitats we protect will outlive us. And that is exactly the point.

Creating a lasting impact takes time. So we take the next step, then the next, knowing that each move forward brings us closer to a healthier, more resilient landscape.

Thanks to the vision of Connie Dent and Anne Gundry, and the commitment of Berks Nature, this land will thrive, not just today, but for generations to come. After all, even the biggest challenges, like restoring the land, are tackled the same way you eat an elephant: one bite at a time.

Written by: Jeremy Haymaker, Trails and Preserves Specialist