2025 Open Space Summit: A Deep Dive into How Open Space Happens in Chester County
November 2025
Chester County is one of the most rapidly growing counties in the state, so it is likely that some reading this may be new residents to the county who moved here at least in part because of the county's vast network of open lands, pristine streams, unfragmented forests, and pastoral views. Indeed, Chester County has over 150,000 acres of open space preserved forever: that's more than the land area of the cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown combined! The open space that we all value and enjoy was not accomplished by accident or luck: rather, it was, and continues to be, the result of strong partnerships between land trusts and the county, conservation-minded landowners, support from the Commonwealth, and continuous funding for open space preservation by the county for over three decades.
About 40% of Chester County is developed, 32% is preserved, and the remaining 28% of undeveloped land is "up for grabs" — the future of this remaining land will be impacted by proactive planning, conservation partnerships, and informed residents.
To support residents' knowledge of how the county's network of open space came to be, and how preservation efforts can be continued in the future, the Chester County Planning Commission and Parks + Preservation department are hosting an Open Space Summit on November 13 that will provide a deep dive into how open space happens in Chester County. The program will provide a primer to open space preservation, the tools available, and will highlight case studies that illustrate the partnerships involved in a successful preservation project.
This program is geared toward anyone who appreciates Chester County's open space and would like a better understanding of how it came to be to effectively support future open space efforts in their communities. Learn more and register.