May 08, 2016
The Philadelphia-area is brimming with public parks and other green spaces that provide a year-round setting for both recreational pursuits and the admiration of nature. In about 18 months, visitors from across the Delaware Valley and beyond will be invited, free of charge, to take in the surroundings of Villanova's Stoneleigh Estate, a 42-acre plot recently donated by the heirs of the philanthropic Haas family.
The estate, once owned by Otto and Phoebe Haas, was acquired in late April by Media-based Natural Lands Trust, a conservation organization that owns and operates 43 nature preserves across eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
The Haas family rose to prominence on the strength of global chemical company Rohm & Haas Corp and has spent subsequent decades donating to charitable causes throughout the Philadelphia region, including the William Penn Foundation, the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Wyncote Foundation.
The Stoneleigh Estate, situated around a Tudor Revival mansion, had served as home to heirs John and Chara Haas since 1964 and was preserved by their children, including David Haas, after his father's death in 2011.
“Our parents took great joy in caring for their lovely gardens and natural areas,” David Haas told the Natural Lands Trust. “It was their wish that the property’s overall beauty, native habitats, and historic gardens be preserved. We believe that Natural Lands Trust shares our family’s vision and will work to honor the legacy of our parents by making the property a unique natural resource for the community and region.”
The late John and Chara Haas.
“Stoneleigh is unique among our preserves in so many ways,” said Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands Trust. “We envision a place where the public will be able to enjoy the quiet and beauty of the Stoneleigh grounds and be motivated to learn about the joys and benefits of gardens that emphasize the use of native plants. We are deeply honored to be entrusted to carry on the Haas family’s legacy of stewardship for this magical place, and excited beyond measure to add Stoneleigh as a unique, shining star in our constellation of preserves."
The Haas family's Tudor Revival mansion.
Stoneleigh will remain under a conservation easement with Lower Merion Conservancy, keeping it in private ownership and protecting it from future development in perpetuity.
“The preservation and development of the gardens, grounds, and house have been an ongoing project of love for us," John and Chara Haas wrote in 2002. "We feel privileged to have been entrusted with the conservation of this historic and beautiful property. As its stewards, we have made its safekeeping one of our priorities.”
