Help us #SaveRockHillFarm and protect critical habitat from development destruction.
Did you know that one freshwater mussel can filter up to 15 gallons of water a day! * We need your help protecting these benevolent bivalves by lending a foot (our muscular mollusks only have one😊) to stomp out unwanted development at Rock Hill Farm in Willistown Township, PA.
Plans have been submitted by a developer to build over 35 homes on 246 acres of virgin Chester County soils located 2320 South Valley Rd, Berwyn, PA. With climate change already having a significant impact on the local community creating flooding issues in Crum Creek, dense development in this area will only compound these problems and threaten critical habitat for freshwater mussels known to inhabit these waters.
Crum Creek is designated by the Department of Environmental Protection as a Special Protection stream. The highest quality of water is found at the headwaters of the creek, which runs directly through Rock Hill Farm. These high-quality waters are protected to restrict pollution and support diverse aquatic life, including freshwater mussels.
While there are roughly 300 species of freshwater mussels in North America, more than a dozen species have been found in the Delaware River Watershed. They have been integral in the watershed and for communities for centuries, including the indigenous communities of the land, the Lenape people of Delaware. Unfortunately, freshwater mussels are facing a population decline due to pollution, loss of habitat, and loss of suitable fish to act as hosts and incubators.*
The high-density development proposed at Rock Hill Farm could lead to further erosion, landslides, flooding, and habitat destruction for our freshwater mussels, and have a devastating impact on water quality for the headwaters of Crum Creek, the largest drinking water source for Delaware County residents.
So, Let’s Show Our Community Muss(c)le!
How you can help:
Contact us at Save Rock Hill Farm at info@saverockhillfarm.org so we can better understand how we can support your cause by protecting these critical watersheds.
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Go to our website to learn more at saverockhillfarm.org
*Bria Wimbley, Audubon Mid Atlantic, article dated August 26, 2021 “The “Mussel” Behind the Delaware River Watershed’s Clean Water”. https://pa.audubon.org/news/%E2%80%9Cmussel%E2%80%9D-behind-delaware-river-watershed%E2%80%99s-clean-water