Erdenheim Farm Preserved

450-acre Farm Saved in Landmark Conservation Agreement

PHILADELPHIA, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Officials from Natural Lands Trust and
the Whitemarsh Foundation have announced that the multi-year effort to
preserve Erdenheim Farm, the 450-acre estate of the late Fitz Eugene Dixon,
Jr. located in Whitemarsh and Springfield Townships, Montgomery County, was
completed today. The project, described as one of the most significant
conservation transactions in the region's history, is the result of a
collaboration between the Dixon family and Estate, Mr. and Mrs. Peter
McCausland, the Whitemarsh Foundation and Natural Lands Trust, as well as
state and local government agencies and many private citizens and
organizations.

Erdenheim Farm is the centerpiece of 2000 acres of nearly contiguous open
space in the Wissahickon Valley between Fairmount Park in Philadelphia and
Fort Washington State Park in Whitemarsh. The property, which has been in
continuous agricultural use since the days of William Penn, was owned by the
Dixon and Widener families after it was acquired by George Widener Jr., in
1912.

Under the plan, 426 acres will be preserved ensuring that the sweeping vistas
remain intact. The Whitemarsh Foundation will own 189 acres and Natural Lands
Trust, a regional non-profit conservation organization, will purchase
conservation easements on 234 acres that will be owned by private individuals.
Easements are legally-binding agreements that limit future development and
protect natural and scenic resources.

"Erdenheim Farm will remain open, forever," said Molly Morrison, President of
Natural Lands Trust. She praised the broad partnership that came together to
preserve Erdenheim Farm. "The community, with leadership from Hugh Moulton of
the Whitemarsh Foundation, Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, and the
Colonial School District, has worked for the better part of a decade to ensure
that this vital local and regional asset will remain intact," Morrison
continued. "Now, with help from Montgomery County, the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and a remarkable personal commitment from the McCauslands, the
community's foresight and persistence have paid off."

"This community has been working to preserve this property since 2001," noted
Hugh G. Moulton, President of the Whitemarsh Foundation and a long-time
advocate for conservation. "It is one of the most important landscapes left
in the region and it is thrilling to see our efforts coming to fruition. We
are very grateful to everyone involved, including Natural Lands Trust, whose
participation and considerable expertise was essential, and to the McCauslands
who ultimately brought us to the finish line."

The Whitemarsh Foundation, which has already purchased a 98-acre portion of
the farm commonly known as the "Angus Tract," will buy an additional 91 acres
referred to as the "Sheep Tract" bordered by Stenton Avenue, Flourtown Road, a
local quarry and land owned by KYW. The remainder of the property will be
privately owned.

Peter and Bonnie McCausland will purchase 243 acres of the farm including the
former Dixon home and plan to continue agricultural activities. All but 23
acres surrounding the home will be protected by conservation easements
assuring that the vast majority of the land remains as open space in
perpetuity. A member of the Dixon family will retain ownership of
approximately 14 acres of what is locally known as the "Equestrian Tract"
located on the northeastern side of Stenton Avenue. This portion will also be
protected by conservation easements.

Peter McCausland said, "Erdenheim Farm has been in continuous use as a farm
since the founding of the Commonwealth and my family is pleased to be part of
the effort to keep Erdenheim Farm operating largely as it has been over the
years."

Michael DiBerardinis, Commissioner of Fairmount Park and of Parks and
Recreation for the City of Philadelphia, and former secretary of the PA
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, called preservation of
Erdenheim Farm one of the most important conservation success stories in the
region's history. "We have a long-standing commitment to saving open spaces in
this area, going back to Fairmount Park and William Penn's vision of a 'greene
country towne'," DiBerardinis noted. "Saving Erdenheim Farm is a major
milestone. It is one of those places that connect us to our heritage. Losing
it - and the link it provides between the City and the suburbs - would have
been unthinkable."

The conservation agreement enables the Montgomery County Green Ribbon Trail to
be completed between Fort Washington State Park and the Morris Arboretum. The
trail continues south to Fairmount Park, creating a vital connection between
Philadelphia and the northern suburbs. Additional trails will be established
around the perimeter of much of the farm affording connections to planned
Township trails. The agreement also provides for an environmental education
center for the Colonial School District and a 2-3 acre Township dog park in
the western corner of the tract adjacent to Flourtown road.

Funding for the Whitemarsh Foundation's purchase of the Angus Tract and a
portion of the Sheep Tract is being provided by Whitemarsh Township,
Montgomery County, the Colonial School District, the Pennsylvania Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, and private sources.

Peter McCausland and his wife Bonnie are long time area residents as well as
active civic leaders. Natural Lands Trust (NLT) is a leading regional
conservation organization, owning and managing over 20,000 acres of nature
preserves in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. NLT also holds
easements on an additional 18,000 acres. The Whitemarsh Foundation is a tax
exempt public charity formed in 2001. The Foundation's purpose is the
preservation and ongoing stewardship of Erdenheim Farm.

SOURCE Natural Lands Trust

Oliver Bass of Natural Lands Trust, +1-610-353-5587, ext. 244, or Kim Sheppard
of Whitemarsh Foundation, +1-610-331-0991