Land Resources | Biotic Resources | Water Quantity/The Water Balance | Water Quality/Pollution |
County-wide Natural Systems | Emerging Issues
Land Resources
Geology, topography, soils, and erosion
Globally significant agricultural soils are being consumed by development and eroded by traditional farming practices.
The soils and topography of most of Chester County are generally ideal for agriculture. Good soil, abundant rainfall, and close proximity to major cities and seaports along the east coast make the County well suited for the business of agriculture over the long term. Much of western Chester County is underlain by the Piedmont soils of southeast Pennsylvania. These soils, which also cover much of York and Lancaster Counties, are regarded as globally significant, especially since they do not require major irrigation infrastructure. However, these soils and topographic conditions also make the County well-suited for development. As a result, these high quality soils are under an ongoing threat. Preservation of productive agricultural soils, and the sustainable local food source it provides, is both a local and national economic issue. Soils are a complex underground natural ecosystem, like above-ground forests and wetlands.
Soils require protection and management if these resources are to be sustained. Not all farmers have voluntarily installed Best Management Practices to control erosion and sedimentation.
Natural resources can be unintentionally degraded when resource protection regulations are not comprehensive.
Municipal ordinances typically identify which soil types will get the highest protection priority. Realistically, not all soils can be protected. For example, if farmland is protected, then forest soils might end up getting developed, and vice versa. These local choices can have regional impacts. Soil instability at headwater locations can impact flooding and water quality downstream. In Chester County, erosion can alter water quality in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. Degraded water quality in limestone areas such as the Great Valley can result in increased sinkholes and subsidence that alter the flow of streams.
Natural resources and unique habitats are being lost in Chester County, primarily through small and unintentional impacts.
With the rise in land prices in Chester County, developers are now building on lands containing resources that are sensitive to earth disturbance, including steep slopes, woodlands, and floodplains. As development encroaches upon these sensitive areas, there is a need for development design to protect these resources. There is a need to recognize the value of undisturbed native landscapes as more than just a location for scenic viewsheds.
Land Resources | Biotic Resources | Water Quantity/The Water Balance | Water Quality/Pollution |
County-wide Natural Systems | Emerging Issues
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