Whose woods are these?

To the Editor,

Although we were in full support of Swarthmore College’s decision to close its campus to visitors, my husband and I were also saddened, especially since a piece of the Crum Woods lies just behind our home. It has been a source of serenity — accentuated by the pileated woodpecker breakfasting just outside our window; discovery — spotting a huge jack-in-the-pulpit poking its head out of a tangle of fallen leaves; and exercise — spending countless hours protecting such native plants from invasives like garlic mustard, English ivy, and Japanese knotweed. And in the winter, OPK (other people’s kids) got their exercise sledding down the hill to the creek bed below.

Imagine my surprise to learn recently that this beloved patch of earth is no longer a part of the Crum Woods! A check of the Delaware County website shows that the property was sold by the college in March of this year. We were out of state at the time, but as far as we know, none of our neighbors were notified that the property was on the market. Interestingly, the recorded sale price was a small fraction (less than a sixth) of its assessed value, and much less than what we would have ponied up to protect it.

What is the process for divestment of ecologically sensitive landholdings by nonprofits? And what is the college’s process? Hopefully, the transfer was made with explicit assurances for continued ecological stewardship. 

Florence Ann Roberts
Swarthmore

Florence Ann Roberts, who describes herself as an inveterate environmentalist, is recently retired from Swarthmore College.