Potter's Corner Educational Natural Area

Vision for an Educational Natural Area Achieved; with help from Local Eagle Scouts

News Release

by Cary Bohl

Nov. 8, 2005

In 2001, Bill Potter sold, at a bargain sale price, just over 3 acres of land to the Westmoreland Conservancy. This parcel was particularly desirable to the Conservancy because of its location; contiguous with the Conservancy's King Nature Reserve and to undeveloped school property, and adjacent to Crowfoot Rod and Gun Property. If this land remained in its natural state, there would be over 225 acres of unfragmented open space, a rarity today in the suburbs, and of great value to wildlife and local ecosystems.

When the Conservancy first learned of the land, it saw great educational potential for the property. Adjacent to an elementary school, the land could lead the children into an outdoor classroom filled with a variety of plants, abundance of birds, and examples of various ecosystems including wetlands and a stream. So the Conservancy looked to the Dept of Conservation of Natural Resources for funds to help in its purchase. The DCNR also recognized the value of preserving this parcel; awarded the Conservancy a grant, and the land became Potter's Corner.

Three young men from area Boy Scout troops completed their Eagle Scout projects within Potter's Corner. With the recent completion of the final project, Potter's Corner is now the educational classroom that the Conservancy had envisioned for the land. Each of the Eagle Scout projects is of excellent quality. Scott Ackman, of Troop 206, built a pedestrian bridge over Pearson Creek (named for a talented fifth grade science teacher at Sloan School, Tom Pearson). Tim Forrester, of Troop 208 constructed a deer exclosure so that the effects of deer browsing could be observed and monitored. Benjy Lombard, of Troop 206, designed and blazed a walking trail from Sloan School, through Potter's Corner, to the King Nature Reserve. The trail has a mailbox near the bridge that holds papers that describe the reserve and identify trees along the trail.

As is true of all Westmoreland Conservancy nature reserves, the public is welcome. Potter's Corner is accessible from the King Nature Reserve parking area, which is located on Crowfoot Road in Murrysville.

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Photos taken along Potter's Trail: