In a hundred years, a thousand maybe, new generations in Tinicum Township will share the beauty today’s landowners have preserved for them.
Founded in 1992, the largely volunteer Tinicum Conservancy, has just preserved its 5,000th acre of open space.
That milestone comes about with the donation of a conservation easement granted by Dr. Richard Balukas, with the support of his partner Lary Brandt, for a handsome parcel in Tinicum just under 25 acres.
The parcel is part of Balukas’s 40-acre Twin Meadows estate, which offers a truly gorgeous landscape including a view of the Delaware River and New Jersey.
Balukas, a retired Abington School District educator and a trustee of Bucks County Community College, who has lived at the property for about 30 years said, “I know every tree. I love every tree. I want to keep it this beautiful and free of construction.”
That is no idle boast. He has put his money where his mouth is by treating 120 ash trees, an expensive proposition. He is proud he has lost only one of those trees to the dreaded emerald ash borer.
He points to a line of natural hemlock trees that overlooks Smithtown Creek and Smithtown Road, both of which run through his property. As steep slopes descend toward the river, the fields are bordered and laced with tall evergreens.
Balukas shares the sentiments of the Lenni Lenape who once probably walked his property. “No person ever truly owns this land, but rather we are the blessed custodians who have the important responsibility of protecting its beauty,” he said.
The easement protects the Balukas property’s natural open space, forested steep slopes, Smithtown’s Creek water and habitat resources, drainage to the Lower Delaware River and the scenic viewshed along both Smithtown and River roads.
The easement limits residential construction to one 2-acre building envelope surrounding most of the existing primary structures, according to the easement document.
The process of preparing the grant of the conservation easement was a tremendous effort shared by many, Balukas said. He said the fact that his partner is a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway in Doylestown was a great help.
Working with Balukas and Brandt to complete the grant were Jim Engel, executive director of the Tinicum Conservancy, which is based in Upper Black Eddy. Engel pointed out conservation easements are a great benefit to the community. The conservancy has worked with landowners not just in Tinicum but also in Bridgeton, Durham and Nockamixon townships.
Also joining hands to complete the process were Mary Pucci, Tinicum Township’s land preservation chairman, and volunteer Norman McArthur. Pucci said McArthur worked very hard on the project and cited “the common purpose of everyone working together for its benefits for the residents.”
The township is co-holder of the grant with the conservancy.
The conservancy is an accredited land trust, a distinction first awarded in 2009 by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance.
Landowners in the northern townships of Bucks County who are interested in preserving their land may obtain information by contacting jengel@tinicumconservancy.org.
kathrynfclark@verizon.net
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