Forum promotes new exhibit at county historical society

WEST CHESTER — A new exhibit at the Chester County Historical Society titled "What is Open Space?" provides a fascinating look at county land-use patterns from the days of Penn's Woods through the present.

As a promotion for the exhibit, the Chester County Historical Society is hosting a forum Saturday on the subject of future opportunities and challenges for open space in Chester County.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature a keynote address by Michael DiBerardinis, secretary of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Following the speech, there will be a panel discussion on the future of open space in Chester County, followed by a question-and-answer period.

Panelists include Molly Morrison, president and CEO of Natural Lands Trust; William Gladden, director of Chester County Open Space Preservation; W. Joseph Duckworth, president of Arcadia Land Co.; Robert Lonsdorf, senior planner of Brandywine Conservancy; and Pam Brown of the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust. The moderator for the panel discussion will be Anne Pickering, a reporter for the Daily Local News.

It's been 20 years since voters first approved an open-space program and authorized the county commissioners to borrow $50 million over four years to finance it.

Now the question is asked, what lies ahead for open-space preservation in the next 20 years?

What are the challenges for preserving more open space and what has been learned from the first 20 years of land preservation efforts?

The forum is an opportunity for community members and leaders to explore these ideas as the county looks to the future.

The program is from 1 to 4 p.m., with DiBerardinis giving his address at 2 p.m.

There will be an opportunity from 1 to 2 p.m. to view the exhibit. The program and exhibit is at the Chester County Historical Society at 225 N. High St., West Chester.

Beth Twiss Houting, director of education at the Chester County Historical Society, said those interested should call 610-692-4800 to reserve a space. For more information, log onto www.chestercohistorical.org.

The forum has received support from the Daily Local News and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The program is being planned through a collaboration of the historical society, Natural Lands Trust, The Children's Country Week Association and West Chester University.

To contact staff writer Anne Pickering, send an e-mail to apickering@dailylocal.com.