March 21, 2013
The Conservation Fund is extremely grateful to President Obama for his commitment to use the Antiquities Act to establish the First State National Monument in Delaware. We are honored to have played an instrumental role in the protection of key historic lands, including the 1,100-acre Woodlawn property in the Brandywine River Valley, as part of this upcoming designation. Prior to the Presidential proclamation that is scheduled for Monday, March 25, The Conservation Fund owned the Woodlawn property, which it donated to the National Park Service thanks to an extraordinary donation from Mt. Cuba Center to make this designation possible.
Although Delaware’s state slogan is “the first state,” it has been the last state in the country with neither a national monument nor national park. President Obama’s executive designation will honor the Woodlawn property along with the Old Sheriff’s House, the Old New Castle Courthouse, the New Castle Green and the Dover Green as a National Park Service unit, equivalent to such icons as the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty.
Originally acquired by William Penn from the Duke of York in 1682, the 1,100-acre Woodlawn property lies on the banks of the Brandywine River, primarily in Delaware and extending north into Pennsylvania. Nearby, in 1777, General George Washington’s troops defended against British forces in the largest battle of the American Revolution. Since then, the Brandywine Valley’s natural beauty has inspired generations of artists, including acclaimed painter Andrew Wyeth. Today, however, rapid development is squeezing the pristine open spaces that remain.
Thanks to an unprecedented private contribution in excess of $20 million by Mt. Cuba Center, The Conservation Fund was able to preserve the Woodlawn property and champion its inclusion in the National Park System as a national monument or park. For more than a century, the land has been managed as a wildlife preserve and open space for public recreation. With Mt. Cuba’s foresight and commitment of resources, the Fund was able to donate the property to the National Park Service, making its designation as a national monument possible.
“History will be made in the place where it all began,” said Blaine Phillips senior vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional director for The Conservation Fund. “President Obama’s designation of the Woodlawn property as part of the First State National Monument will be a celebration of Delaware’s rich contributions to American history and its inherent natural beauty. It’s only fitting that here in our nation’s first state, the National Park system will be made whole, representing every state in the country. The Conservation Fund is privileged to facilitate the protection of the Woodlawn property for the National Park Service and extremely grateful to Mt. Cuba Center for making it all possible.”
In addition to President Obama, the national monument designation draws upon the support of many public officials, who have joined to recognize the Woodlawn property’s importance to the nation. They include Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis; U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Bob Casey (D-PA); U.S. Representatives John Carney, Jr. (D-DE-1) and Patrick Meehan (R-PA-7); and Delaware Governor Jack Markell.
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states to protect more than 7.5 million acres of land since 1985.
Although Delaware’s state slogan is “the first state,” it has been the last state in the country with neither a national monument nor national park. President Obama’s executive designation will honor the Woodlawn property along with the Old Sheriff’s House, the Old New Castle Courthouse, the New Castle Green and the Dover Green as a National Park Service unit, equivalent to such icons as the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty.
Originally acquired by William Penn from the Duke of York in 1682, the 1,100-acre Woodlawn property lies on the banks of the Brandywine River, primarily in Delaware and extending north into Pennsylvania. Nearby, in 1777, General George Washington’s troops defended against British forces in the largest battle of the American Revolution. Since then, the Brandywine Valley’s natural beauty has inspired generations of artists, including acclaimed painter Andrew Wyeth. Today, however, rapid development is squeezing the pristine open spaces that remain.
Thanks to an unprecedented private contribution in excess of $20 million by Mt. Cuba Center, The Conservation Fund was able to preserve the Woodlawn property and champion its inclusion in the National Park System as a national monument or park. For more than a century, the land has been managed as a wildlife preserve and open space for public recreation. With Mt. Cuba’s foresight and commitment of resources, the Fund was able to donate the property to the National Park Service, making its designation as a national monument possible.
“History will be made in the place where it all began,” said Blaine Phillips senior vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional director for The Conservation Fund. “President Obama’s designation of the Woodlawn property as part of the First State National Monument will be a celebration of Delaware’s rich contributions to American history and its inherent natural beauty. It’s only fitting that here in our nation’s first state, the National Park system will be made whole, representing every state in the country. The Conservation Fund is privileged to facilitate the protection of the Woodlawn property for the National Park Service and extremely grateful to Mt. Cuba Center for making it all possible.”
In addition to President Obama, the national monument designation draws upon the support of many public officials, who have joined to recognize the Woodlawn property’s importance to the nation. They include Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis; U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Bob Casey (D-PA); U.S. Representatives John Carney, Jr. (D-DE-1) and Patrick Meehan (R-PA-7); and Delaware Governor Jack Markell.
About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states to protect more than 7.5 million acres of land since 1985.
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