Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve is a 134 acre (0.54227924 km²) protected area
for flora, fauna, and wildlife
in Fox Chapel
, Pennsylvania
, a Pittsburgh suburb. The site has served as the headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
(ASWP) since 1977.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
owns the land on which Beechwood Farms is located, and leases the site to the Audubon Society of Western PA. The nature reserve comprises woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. It also features more than 5 miles (8 km) of walking trails—open from dawn to dusk every day year-round, some of which are accessible for individuals with special needs
.
The history of Audubon at Beechwood began when Rachel Mellon Walton
, along with her daughter, Farley Walton Whetzel, acquired the former Flinn estate. In the 1970s the two women donated the land to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, which selected the Audubon Society to be the stewards of the reserve.
The Flinn estate dates back to 1903. After his retirement from politics, William Flinn
(1851–1924), a prominent Pittburgh businessman and politician, bought the property, which then occupied more than 350 acres (1.4 km²) on both sides of Dorseyville Road. He established himself there as a gentleman farmer and called it "Beechwood Farms". It was best known for its herd of registered Guernsey cattle
, which provided dairy products to the local area.
Today, Beechwood Farms is located in the suburb of Fox Chapel, north of Pittsburgh. It is own of two nature reserves operated by the ASWP; the other is Todd Nature Reserve
, located twenty-two miles from Beechwood Farms in Sarver
.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
for flora, fauna, and wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
in Fox Chapel
Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Fox Chapel is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, and is a suburb of Pittsburgh located northeast of downtown.The population was 5,388 as of the 2010 census.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, a Pittsburgh suburb. The site has served as the headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania incorporated in 1942, with a history dating back to 1916, is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve...
(ASWP) since 1977.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy , headquartered in Pittsburgh, has been around for more than 75 years and exists to protect the water, land and life of western Pennsylvania. Half of all the land that has been protected by land trusts in Pennsylvania has been conserved by the Western...
owns the land on which Beechwood Farms is located, and leases the site to the Audubon Society of Western PA. The nature reserve comprises woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. It also features more than 5 miles (8 km) of walking trails—open from dawn to dusk every day year-round, some of which are accessible for individuals with special needs
Special needs
In the USA, special needs is a term used in clinical diagnostic and functional development to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. For instance, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International...
.
Audubon Society at Beechwood
Audubon facilities at Beechwood Farms now include classrooms, a teacher resource center, a natural history library, the Audubon Nature Store, and the Evans Nature Center auditorium. When built in the 1980s, the education building made use of green building techniques, including natural light and heat conserving mechanisms, and composting toilets.The history of Audubon at Beechwood began when Rachel Mellon Walton
Rachel Mellon Walton
Rachel Mellon Walton was an American philanthropist.-Life:Walton was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania the daughter of William Larimer Mellon , of the banking family, and himself a founder of Gulf Oil. Her mother was Mary "May" Taylor Mellon. Walton was educated at the Dobbs Ferry School in Dobbs...
, along with her daughter, Farley Walton Whetzel, acquired the former Flinn estate. In the 1970s the two women donated the land to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, which selected the Audubon Society to be the stewards of the reserve.
The Flinn estate dates back to 1903. After his retirement from politics, William Flinn
William Flinn
William Flinn was a powerful political boss and construction magnate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Along with Christopher Magee , his political partner, the two ran the Republican Party machine that controlled the city for the final twenty years of the 19th century.-Early life:He...
(1851–1924), a prominent Pittburgh businessman and politician, bought the property, which then occupied more than 350 acres (1.4 km²) on both sides of Dorseyville Road. He established himself there as a gentleman farmer and called it "Beechwood Farms". It was best known for its herd of registered Guernsey cattle
Guernsey cattle
The Guernsey is a breed of cattle used in dairy farming. It is fawn and white in colour, and is particularly renowned for the rich flavour of its milk, as well as its hardiness and docile disposition.-Milk:...
, which provided dairy products to the local area.
Today, Beechwood Farms is located in the suburb of Fox Chapel, north of Pittsburgh. It is own of two nature reserves operated by the ASWP; the other is Todd Nature Reserve
Todd Nature Reserve
Todd Nature Reserve is a nature reserve owned and operated by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. It is located in Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania; approximately thirty miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and five miles north of Freeport. The original portion of the reserve...
, located twenty-two miles from Beechwood Farms in Sarver
Sarver, Pennsylvania
Sarver is an unincorporated community in Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located in the south-eastern part of the county. Sarver is generally known as the area south-west of State Route 356 in the township. Sarver used to only be a few grocery stores, gas...
.