One seed at a time, these volunteers are growing plants to increase the biodiversity both at Stoneleigh and yards, gardens, and patio planters across the region.

It’s Wednesday and a group of five volunteers gather in Stoneleigh’s greenhouse around a table piled high: bags of potting soil, plastic plant pots of varying sizes, trowels and tweezers, seedlings in tiny pots, and glassine bags filled with seeds of various kinds. The conversation is lively as they work methodically, transferring the seedlings from their starter pots to larger containers—a process known as “up-potting”—and placing seeds in grow trays filled with soil.

These are the Stoneleigh Potstickers, a humorous name they gave themselves as most of their work is to stick seeds or small plants in pots. When the plants get bigger, they stick them in larger pots, repeating this process until the plants are large enough to install outdoors or be sold at the annual Stoneleigh Native Plant Sale.
Though the work might sound tedious and monotonous, the Potstickers look forward to their Wednesday gatherings, which occur year-round.

“In the colder months, we spend time cleaning seeds,” explains Lin Hall, who proudly notes she was the original Potsticker. Stoneleigh’s Director, Ethan Kauffman, wild-collects seed from Natural Lands’ preserves and other places. The volunteers take apart the dried seed heads, separating the seeds from the chaff, sometimes using tweezers and magnifying lenses.
Like the other Potstickers, Lin fell in love with Stoneleigh after a visit some years ago. Her first volunteer role was as a Stoneleigh Ambassador, greeting guests when they arrive and helping orient them to the garden.

“I’m big on education,” Lin shared. “As an Ambassador, I get to talk to people about the importance of native plants. But what better way to experience the beauty and benefit of natives than to grow some in your own yard? So many of the plants we pot up and care for are sold at the Plant Sale, which brings me great joy. I have some physical limitations, but as a Potsticker I can still get my hands in the dirt.”

Fellow volunteer Martha Van Artsdalen agreed. A former writer and garden columnist, Martha loves that she can brush up on her Latin species names as she works. “We get to keep learning—from each other and the Stoneleigh staff. It’s such a positive experience.”

Martha particularly enjoys opening the brown paper lunch bags that Ethan uses to collect the wild-collected seed heads. “Cleaning the seeds is hard work but opening those bags with all those different species… it’s like Christmas morning!”

This tightknit group of volunteers used the old Stoneleigh greenhouse as their workspace for several years, which was cramped quarters. “You get to know each other well when you work in such a small space together,” Lin shared. “We have such camaraderie and regularly get together socially outside of our volunteer work.”

Built in 1935, Stoneleigh’s estate greenhouse was originally designed for vegetables and houseplants. Though this building served the garden well, Stoneleigh’s ongoing evolution as a public garden requires new infrastructure.

In late 2024, the old greenhouse was demolished to make way for a new one that will improve energy efficiency, increase production capacity, and host new programs.

The greenhouse is slated to be completed later this summer, and the Potstickers can’t wait to ramp up their work. Thanks in part to the Potstickers, the Plant Sale offerings have really grown over the years; in 2025, there were more than 280 different varieties for sale.

Said Lin, “Stoneleigh has given so much to me and others who visit. Volunteering is my way of giving back. These little seedlings are my babies. It’s rewarding to see them grow. As a Stoneleigh volunteer, I’ve grown, too.”

While this volunteer opportunity is at capacity, Stoneleigh welcomes new volunteers every Tuesday and Thursday, beginning at 8:30 AM. Garden tasks include weeding, mulching, planting, and other seasonal projects. No experience necessary. Visit natlands.org/gardenhelp to learn more and register.

Thanks for joining this volunteer event at Natural Lands Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary. Volunteering with us is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give time to a great cause, and connect with your peers and community.

Grab gloves and plan to learn, have fun, and get hands dirty caring for nature! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.

The health and safety of staff, volunteers, and visitors is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details below.

All participants must sign Natural Lands’ Volunteer Waiver, by completing the registration below. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

After taking off a couple months during summer camp, today we resumed our regular monthly volunteer days at Crow’s Nest. We cut multiflora rose, bittersweet, honeysuckle, shrub honeysuckle, and autumn olive in a hedgerow.

A delightful highlight of the event was when our neighbor’s goats came over to help out. They nibbled the thorny rose canes like they were candy. Help yourselves! There’s more where that came from.

It has been years since we had our own goats, Seamus and Duffy, who were part of our team for vegetation management, as well as ambassadors and pets. Special bonus, if you click the link about our goats, you’ll see one of the same people who is in the photo above, just 13 years earlier…

David Korbonits knows his way around a garden. He spent 28 years as a horticulturist at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, DE, before retiring in 2018. His area of specialty was Mt. Cuba’s meadow garden, teeming with native grasses and wildflowers.

But, years before his career in horticulture, David’s happy place was behind his camera. He studied professional photography in college and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in the same field, all with the goal of one day teaching others. The recession that greeted him upon graduation meant jobs were scarce, so David moved back to his hometown of West Chester, PA, to look for work wherever he could find it.

“The house I grew up in was in the middle of the woods,” he recalls. “My playground was the outdoors.”

So, perhaps it was only natural that David began to develop an interest in horticulture. When he retired from Mt. Cuba Center, he knew he wanted to keep promoting native plants. When he heard that Stoneleigh: a natural garden was looking for volunteer ambassadors, he found the perfect fit.

In addition to greeting guests at the Welcome Kiosk and leading tours through the garden, David has spent the last five years photographing Stoneleigh’s plants, animals, insects, and unique garden design. The thousands of photos help document the plant collection, as well as changes in the garden over time. Quite often, too, he is in the right place at the right time to get magical shots of pollinating bees, courting songbirds, and hovering hawks.

“It’s hard to quantify the impact of David’s volunteering at Stoneleigh,” said Director Ethan Kauffman. “Beyond the help he provides documenting the plants and creatures at the garden, through posting his photos on social media, we reach thousands of people who may never have the chance to visit us.”

David is thrilled to have found this bridge between his two passions: horticulture and photography. He’s also discovered how much fun it is to serve as a Stoneleigh Ambassador. “I love meeting people who are curious about Stoneleigh and watch them leave with a smile having learned something new about the place and about native plants.”

Perhaps David’s dream of becoming a teacher has come true after all.

Colleen Cranney says she’s spent so many years as an educator that her teacher skills kick in whenever she’s volunteering at Natural Lands. “At workdays, I like to lead by example so new volunteers feel comfortable and know exactly what they should be doing. But the teacher in me is counting heads, checking that they’re staying hydrated, and making sure they feel welcome and happy.”

Colleen is a Force of Nature® Peer Leader, trained to guide fellow volunteers in land stewardship activities. With so many new visitors flocking to the preserves since March 2020 in search of safe, outdoor recreation, the properties have experienced a lot of wear and tear. There has been a great need for help, but not enough staff hours on weekends—when most volunteers are able to engage—to lead workdays.

Colleen first got to know Natural Lands by hiking at Binky Lee and Bryn Coed Preserves near her home in northern Chester County. As a part-time, seasonal environmental educator with Paradise Farm Camps, on which Natural Lands holds a conservation easement, she realized she had some extra time on her hands. The preserves had given her so much joy, and she wanted to give back.

“I have learned so much since I began volunteering,” Colleen shares. “I am so impressed with the organization. I’ve met great people—both staff and volunteers—and it’s uplifting to watch a group of people come together and accomplish something.”

Particularly during the pandemic, Colleen’s role as a volunteer Peer Leader has helped her to feel connected with others. “It’s a time when many people feel cut off and isolated. But I’ve never come home from a workday feeling anything other than happy and reenergized.”

The pilot program was so successful that the role expanded to 20 trained Peer Leaders in 2021, including Colleen who leads at Binky Lee and Bryn Coed Preserves. Working closely with preserve managers, they organize everything from tree plantings to trail clean ups to seed scattering events. They welcome volunteers as they arrive, give them background on Natural Lands, and explain the task at hand. During the event, they supervise activities to ensure a safe, positive experience for all involved. And they make sure to offer thanks on behalf of the organization. “Everyone should leave feeling really good about what they’ve done and given to Natural Lands,” says Colleen.

“I’m deeply grateful for the enthusiastic dedication of Colleen and all our wonderful Peer Leaders,” says Debbie Beer, director of volunteer engagement. “Thanks to their leadership, Natural Lands engaged a record number of volunteers last year who served more than 11,400 hours. There is a volunteer service opportunity scheduled just about every weekend at one or more preserves, almost all year round.”

Colleen’s words of advice for someone thinking about volunteering with Natural Lands? “Just give it a try. No matter what your skill level, as long as you want to help and love nature, we can use you.” And she’ll make sure you stay hydrated and happy while you’re helping out.

To meet Colleen or other dedicated Peer Leaders, and get hands dirty giving back, register for a volunteer event on our website, www.natlands.org/events.

Marlene Campbell had never heard of Natural Lands, but she certainly knew about Stoneleigh, the former home of John and Chara Haas in Villanova. In May, 2018, when she learned the Lower Merion School Board planned to seize the estate that the Haas family had gifted to Natural Lands, she felt she had to do something.

Marlene had spent most of her career—26 years—working in the finance department of Rohm and Haas, the chemical company founded by John Haas’ father in 1907. “I’d often see Mr. Haas walking down Market Street to catch the train home to Stoneleigh,” Marlene recalled. “It was a wonderful place to work… the company really cared about its employees. There’s a big group of loyal former staff out there. We call ourselves the ‘Haas-beens’.”

News of Natural Lands’ effort to save Stoneleigh “went viral” among the Haas-beens, and Marlene immediately became a member of Natural Lands. She signed the petition in support of Stoneleigh remaining a public garden, she wrote emails to the district superintendent, and she squeezed into the packed School Board meetings to show her support.

The more Marlene learned about Natural Lands, the more she wanted to get involved. “I was a Nature Conservancy donor, but I like that Natural Lands is doing work in my back yard.” She wanted to volunteer, but the Force of Nature® program didn’t feel like the right fit. “I’m not a gardener,” she confessed. “My idea of gardening is buying a hanging basket, hanging it on a hook, and trying to remember to water it. But then I saw the Stoneleigh Ambassador program and I thought, ‘I can do that!’”

After attending the five training classes, Marlene graduated from the Stoneleigh Ambassador program in 2019 and immediately began volunteering as a garden greeter. She likes to engage with people, saying hello to “the regulars” and sharing what she loves about Stoneleigh to first-time guests.

“Marlene is so willing to learn,” said Samantha Nestory, horticulturist and volunteer coordinator at Stoneleigh. “She has helped us with events, has co-led private tours of the property, and even came out for a seed cleaning day. She’s one of our most dedicated volunteers.”

In the winter of 2019, Marlene pitched in to make garlands, wreaths, and other natural decorations for Stoneleigh’s holiday open house. “I was kind of surprised but I found there was a tiny bit of creativity in me that has been buried under the financial acumen,” she joked.

She especially loves learning about and passing on the history of the property with garden visitors. After all, she has been connected to the Haas family long before Stoneleigh was gifted to Natural Lands. These days, Marlene’s sense of pride in being part of Rohm and Haas is coupled with admiration for Natural Lands and its work.

“I’ve made friends here. I’m learning all the time. And I think Mr. Haas would be pleased with what Stoneleigh has become,” Marlene shared. “I intend to stay the course with Natural Lands.”

Calling all future volunteers…
register for Stoneleigh Ambassador training now!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GreenWeaver Landscapes Donates Time to Natural Lands During COVID-19

MEDIA, Pa., February 16, 2020 – Last month, GreenWeaver Landscapes sent a team of professionals to Natural Lands’ headquarters, Hildacy Preserve in Media. Over three days, the crew removed invasive plants and cleaned up the extensive gardens around the headquarters building. GreenWeaver donated these valuable services thanks to receiving a Paycheck Protection Program Loan from the federal Small Business Administration.

“We were fortunate to receive the Paycheck Protection Program Loan so that we could keep all of our valued workers employed during the pandemic,” said Jennifer Nichols, who owns GreenWeaver Landscapes with her husband, Greg. “So, we had the money to pay our staff but wanted to keep them busy as well, and our workload had dried up considerably when COVID-19 hit. That’s when we thought of donating time to Natural Lands. It was a win-win.”

GreenWeaver professionals tackled a number of projects during the three days of work at Hildacy Preserve. They weeded and mulched the garden beds around the buildings and removed invasive plant species in the natural areas of the preserve. They targeted problem species in the meadow, including mugwort and thistle, which can choke out native species like milkweed and other beneficial pollinator plants. The team also cut back invasive shrubs like burning bush and barberry in Hildacy’s woodlands.

Hildacy Preserve is a 55-acre property located along the banks of Crum Creek in Delaware County. Donated to Natural Lands in 1980, the nature preserve serves as the headquarters for the nonprofit conservation organization. Hildacy is one of 44 properties that Natural Lands owns and cares for; this network or nature preserves and a public garden totals 23,000 acres of protected open space stretching from the Pocono Mountains to the Delaware Bayshore.

“I can’t thank GreenWeaver Landscapes enough for their generosity and skilled work,” said Oliver Bass, president of Natural Lands. “The Coronavirus health crisis has impacted us all… small businesses and non-profits alike. What a wonderful positive outcome this was in such a difficult time. We’re honored GreenWeaver chose to make such a creative and beneficial gift of their time.”

Natural Lands is dedicated to preserving and nurturing nature’s wonders while creating opportunities for joy and discovery in the outdoors for everyone. As the Greater Philadelphia region’s oldest and largest land conservation organization, Natural Lands—which is member supported—has preserved more than 125,000 acres, including 43 nature preserves and one public garden totaling more than 23,000 acres. Nearly five million people live within five miles of land under the organization’s protection. Land for life, nature for all. natlands.org.

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