A 1,250-acre farm near Odessa owned by a former New Castle County Council member has been purchased by The Conservation Fund and donated to Delaware Wild Lands (DWL) for permanent protection and management.
The acquisition was made possible with a grant from Mt. Cuba Center and creates more than 10,000 acres of contiguous wildlife habitat.
“The Roberts Farm is a key linchpin for wildlife habitat and water quality protection in the upper part of the Delaware Bay because of its large size, important location and careful management,” said Blaine Phillips, senior vice president and Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for The Conservation Fund. “This property has been a priority for protection for over 20 years, and now thanks to the incredible support of Mt Cuba Center, we were able to preserve it forever. Our partnership with Mt. Cuba Center and Delaware Wild Lands brought together the key elements to make sure that the legacy of this family farm will live on.”
Known as the Taylors Bridge Roberts Farm, the site was one of the largest unprotected tracts remaining in the coastal zone, featuring freshwater tidal wetlands and remnants of forested coastal plain ponds. DWL will develop a long-term management plan for the property that will include farming, hunting, trapping, wildlife tours and bird walks. School and university groups will visit the property for research and educational opportunities.
“Looking to the future,” Hackett continued, “DWL will support traditional uses of the land that sustained the Roberts Family for generations: plowing agricultural fields and managing hunting and trapping leases. We will also schedule programs for the public to explore the diversity of habitat, natural splendor and iconic beauty of this property.” Owned by the Roberts family for the last 50 years, the property was managed as a working farm.
“Protection of these 1,250 acres and my family legacy is a remarkable accomplishment for my family and for the future of Delaware,” said former landowner Chris Roberts. “For decades, I’ve worked to improve and restore the diversity and quality of wildlife habitat on these lands. I planted dozens of cedar trees along Staves Landing Road that define and protect the interior of the property, refined management of key resources of the property including the 100-acre Big Pond Refuge and kept invasive species and phragmites at bay. I am pleased to know that this property will be forever protected and managed for these purposes.”
The public will be able to experience the Taylors Bridge Roberts Farm at an Open House event in Spring 2016.
