For 20 years, the Tregaron Conservancy has been hard at work restoring and enhancing the many paths, stairways, bridges, meadows and the Lily Pond, for everyone to enjoy all year long.
We have many exciting projects underway (click here to support our initiatives or contact us at info@tregaronconservancy.org to learn more):
- Designing and planting wild gardens and native trees, shrubs and perennials along our paths, inspired by Ellen Biddle Shipman’s nationally-landmarked designs.
- Planting and managing our large-scale native grass and wildflower meadows, designed by renowned native meadows designer Larry Weaner. This multi-year project has created an expansive new habitat for birds, butterflies and other pollinators, as well as a place of enjoyment and learning. Before 2017, this large swath of land was covered entirely in invasive species. We have succeeded in dramatically reducing the presence of invasives, thus scaling back our long-term maintenance needs. We continue to follow a strict mowing regimen and add new native grasses, sedges and wildflowers.
- Uncovering and restoring original stone bridges, walls, footpaths and stairways and re-establishing historic footpaths, with guidance from DC’s Historic Preservation Office. In 2019 alone, we uncovered the original cobblestone edges of Klingle Stream and started to recreate Shipman’s original, circa 1915 footpath around the lily pond. (Enjoy this brochure with information for kids about the pond!)
- Updating maps to reflect new paths and entrances, and creating new interpretive signs.
- Renewing the Klingle Stream Valley landscape from the Causeway bridge to the Klingle Stream headwall by removing invasives, restoring the stream bed, restoring stone bridges, and establishing new Shipman-inspired plantings. A key feature of Shipman’s work is flowering plants along waterways, and we have planted hundreds of daffodils along Klingle Stream and elsewhere for early spring color.
- Planting native canopy and understory trees, increasing biodiversity and adapting to the changing climate. We have already planted over 300 at Tregaron, many in partnership with Casey Trees.
- Caring for or removing trees that have been affected by alternating periods of heavy rain and drought in recent years.
- Improving our trails and addressing storm-water drainage challenges. More frequent and intense storms wreak havoc on our trails and slopes. We engaged a civil engineer to study our storm-water issues and are working hard to implement his recommendations to manage water flow, reduce erosion and improve our trails.
- Engaging in more sustainable stewardship and management of the landscape year-round, and in long-range preservation and sustainability planning, guided by our volunteer professional landscape designers and expert landscape preservationist Glenn Stach.
