May 28, 2023
Provided Image/County of Chester
A new five-acre native wildflower and warm season grass meadow has been planted at Hibernia County Park in Coatesville. Above, Chester County Parks and Trails Manager Owen Prusack explores one of the county's other meadows.
A sprawling suburban park has been enhanced with colorful blossoms that will bloom throughout much of the spring, summer and fall.
Chester County Department of Parks and Preservation has planted a new five-acre native wildflower and warm season grass meadow at Hibernia County Park in Coatesville.
The new meadow will not only bolster the natural beauty of the park, it also will add to its sustainable ecosystem. Wildflower meadows provide food and cover for a variety of species of wildlife, reduce stormwater runoff and attract pollinators.
“Our goals in creating these native wildflower meadows are to add diverse habitat for wildlife value and showcase nature’s beauty, with a primary intention to attract pollinators such as honeybees," Owen Prusack, Chester County Parks and Trails Manager, said in a release.
"Plus, establishing meadows where there previously was grass or hay reduces the County’s carbon footprint, because we only have to mow once a year at most to help re-set and re-seed the meadow for the coming year.”
Chester County Parks and Trails Manager Owen Prusack seeds one of the areas that will become a native wildflower and warm season grass meadow at Hibernia County Park.
The 12 native species of grasses, forbs and wildflowers that have been planted will bloom throughout the growing season from April through October.
With the newly added five acres at Hibernia, the total warm season grass and wildflower meadow acreage in Chester County parks — which also include Nottingham County Park, Springton Manor Farm Park and Warwick County Park — has reached 155 acres.
Visitors can check out the new wildflower meadow at the entrance to Hibernia, off Cedar Knoll Road in Coatesville. The meadow joins Hibernia Park's 900 acres of trails, woodlands, historic sites, open fields, play areas, pavilions, camping and picnic areas.
Hibernia Park, located at 1 Park Road in Coatesville, is open daily from 8 a.m. through sunset.
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