Wawa Preserve

Wawa Preserve The 98-acre Wawa Preserve was once used to graze cattle for the Wawa Dairy. Today, it is preserved forever. Learn more at www.natlands.org.

See our website for more information including our history, a trail map, and hours of operation. Wawa Preserve is owned by Natural Lands and operated in partnership with Middletown Township. Parts of the property were once used to graze cattle for the Wawa Dairy. Visitors can enjoy trails that traverse a variety of habitats, including dense woodlands along Rocky Run Creek and sunny meadows filled

with milkweed, goldenrod, and little bluestem. Wawa Preserve is owned by non-profit conservation organization Natural Lands.

Enjoy the last few days of August!📸: Mae Axelrod
08/26/2026

Enjoy the last few days of August!

📸: Mae Axelrod

Hello, frog!📸: Mae Axelrod
08/19/2026

Hello, frog!

📸: Mae Axelrod

In 1890, George Wood established a 1,000-acre farm at what is now Wawa Preserve. The fertile land was ideal grazing for ...
08/12/2026

In 1890, George Wood established a 1,000-acre farm at what is now Wawa Preserve. The fertile land was ideal grazing for Wood’s herd of Guernsey cows. The location allowed for delivery of fresh, raw milk to homes throughout the Philadelphia region. Thus, Wawa Dairy was founded.

The land became Wawa Preserve in 1973 when George Wood’s youngest daughter gifted a portion of the family’s “Home Farm” to Natural Lands.

The word “wawa” is an Ojibwe word meaning “wild goose” that was given to this area not by Native peoples but by a European settler who lived nearby.

📸: Mae Axelrod

Berkeley's polypore is a parasitic fungus that causes butt rot in oaks and other hardwood trees. Should we intervene? No...
08/05/2026

Berkeley's polypore is a parasitic fungus that causes butt rot in oaks and other hardwood trees. Should we intervene? Nope... removing the fruiting body we can see won't stop the rate of mycelium growth within the tree.

📸: Kate Rash, Taproot Photography

"Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom."~ Ralph Waldo Emerson📸: Brooke Szmodis
07/29/2026

"Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

📸: Brooke Szmodis

There is a myth that bumblebees "shouldn't be able to fly." The misconception arose in the 1930s when an aerodynamicist ...
07/24/2026

There is a myth that bumblebees "shouldn't be able to fly." The misconception arose in the 1930s when an aerodynamicist mistakenly applied fixed-wing airplane equations to the insects, failing to account for their rapid, twisting wing movements. Instead of simply flapping up and down, bumblebees beat their wings in a fast, figure-eight motion. This rapid movement (up to 240 times per second) creates tiny, low-pressure air vortexes (miniature hurricanes) above their wings that act as a suction, generating enough lift to keep their heavy bodies airborne.

📸: Preston Wilson

Tree roots or dinosaur feet? 😎📸: Mae Axelrod
07/22/2026

Tree roots or dinosaur feet? 😎

📸: Mae Axelrod

Can you tell the difference between a Viceroy (left) and a Monarch (right) butterfly? Viceroy butterflies have a distinc...
07/17/2026

Can you tell the difference between a Viceroy (left) and a Monarch (right) butterfly? Viceroy butterflies have a distinct black line running horizontally across the lower hind wings, while Monarchs do not. Monarchs are generally larger, with a wingspan of about 3.5 to 4 inches, whereas Viceroys are smaller, typically 2.6 to 3 inches. Monarchs have thicker black veins on their wing patterns.

📸: Bill Moses

Blue Dashers play a key role in freshwater ecosystems as both predators and prey. They help control insect populations, ...
07/15/2026

Blue Dashers play a key role in freshwater ecosystems as both predators and prey. They help control insect populations, including mosquitoes, and serve as food for birds and other wildlife. they are ecological indicators; their presence indicates healthy aquatic habitats, although they face threats from habitat loss, pollution, and wetland destruction. Thank goodness Natural Lands' nature preserves offer them preserved habitat that will never be destroyed.

📸: David Korbonits

Monarch caterpillars can travel surprisingly far from their host plant when ready to pupate. This is to avoid any predat...
07/08/2026

Monarch caterpillars can travel surprisingly far from their host plant when ready to pupate. This is to avoid any predators the ever-popular milkweed may attract, but it's also for the sake of structural integrity, as milkweed can be prone to flopping under the stress of rain or wind. So the cat packs it up and seeks more secure shelter...in this case, apparently, the side of a rock!

📸: Brooke Szmodis

Address

127 Valley Road
Media, PA
19063

Telephone

+16103535587

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wawa Preserve posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share