Carol Aichele and Terence Farrell, Republican candidates for county commisioner, today proposed county funding for the acquisition of the Shryock property in Upper Uwchlan Township.

"Saving the Shyrock property is a top priority land preservation initiative," said Farrell. "Carol and I are fully committed to protecting this land and providing access to the Struble Trail that is situated on the property," he added.

Aichle, now county commissioners' chairwoman, said she will make an initial county commitment of $500,000, matching a $500,000 state commitment obtained by state Rep. Curt Schroder from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The combined $1 million will provide the critical first step in funding the potential acquisition of the 45-acre Shryock property.

"The county has been working extremely hard on this important land preservation issue," Aichele said. "While this is a challenging and complex issue, I believe the combined county and state funds will greatly advance ongoing discussions about acquiring the property for public use. I will work with my commissioner colleagues to include this vital investment in open space preservation in the new county spending plan," she added.

Aichele and Farrell also noted that their proposal to increase land preservation funding to $80 million over the next four years will provide additional funds for the Shryock property. "I firmly believe that as we move ahead with negotiations, our plan to fund open space preservation over the next four years will allow us to invest even more resources in the Shryock property," Farrell said.

Schroder said the commitment was welcome news. "I commend Carol Aichele and Terence Farrell for recognizing the importance of preserving the Shryock property. I look forward to partnering with them to reach a successful outcome that extends the trail and preserves this vital greenway," he said.

Chester County is recognized as a national leader in land preservation. More than 100,000 acres of land in the county has been preserved.

Earlier this year, the county received the prestigious Pennsylvania Land Conservation Leadership Award from the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association. Current commissioners Don Mancini and Aichle committed $64 million to land preservation funding over the last four years, more than any other four-year period in the county's history. If elected in November, Aichele and Farrell will again provide a record-breaking investment in land preservation over the next four years with their $80 million land preservation pledge.