Trails Day Volunteer Event: June 1, 2013 9:30am - 1pm
Volunteers are needed to weed invasive plants, pick up litter, and maintain trails. Email kristen@saddlerswoods.org or call 856 869 7372 to register by May 22nd. Limit 100.

Spring Children's Program: Tracking Nature: What's That Smell?
This is a program about discovering evidence in wildlife. The class time will be dedicated to learning about tracks, scat, nests, claw marks, and other signs of wildlife. As part of the class, all age groups will go on a hike throughout Saddler's Woods. On the hike children will identify evidence of wildlife and track animals. Two adults will be present at all times.

Fireflies class (19 - 23 months) will be held on Saturday June 8th from 9 - 9:45am.

Grasshoppers class (24 - 36 months) will be held on Saturday June 8th from 10:15am - 11am.

Chipmunks class (3 - 5 years) will be held on Friday June 7th from 4:30 - 6pm.

Forest Explorers class (6 - 9 years) will be held on Friday June 14th from 4 - 6pm.

Jr. Rangers class (10 - 13 years old) will be held on Friday June 21st from 4 - 6pm.

Class Limits - 6 Fireflies, 6 Grasshoppers, 7 Chipmunks, 8 Forest Explorers, and 8 Jr. Rangers.

Note: Location - Saddler's Woods, 250 MacArthur Blvd. Haddon Township, NJ 08108

Cost: $15 for non- members, $10 for members. Registration in advance with payment required. Please click here to download the registration form. Registration and membership fees can be submitted online ( go to the donate page), please mail a signed hard copy of the registration and release form as well. Thank you!

For more information contact kristen@saddlerswoods.org or call 856 869 7372.

Open House Days at the Environmental & Historical Center: Every third Sunday 1 - 5pm
SWCA continues to expand displays and exhibits at the new Haddon Township Environmental and Historical Center located at 143 E. Ormond Ave. Haddon Township, NJ 08107. The open house days will feature a variety of enviornmental and historical programs. You can also drop off your Terracycle items and find out the many ways you can participate in the environmental and historical issues in your community!

For more information contact kristen@saddlerswoods.org or call 856 869 7372.

About Saddler's Woods
Saddler's Woods is a 25 acre urban forest located in Haddon Township, New Jersey. Saddler's Woods surrounds the headwater spring of the main branch of the Newton Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River in Camden County, and is unique for its combined features of an old growth forest, young woodlands, a meadow, and wetlands all located within five miles of Philadelphia, PA. Every year, thousands of visitors enjoy Saddler's Woods for passive recreation and nature interpretation.

The old growth portion is a time-capsule, showing visitors the type of forest that once existed when the Arowmen and Erinwonek tribes of the Leni Lenape nation lived here. In the early 1600s, European settlers began to arrive and the forests were cleared for farms, timber, and fuel. In the 1800s, Joshua Saddler escaped a Maryland plantation to seek refuge among the large Quaker abolitionist population. Joshua Saddler found work with a local Quaker farmer, Cy Evans, and gained his freedom. He purchased a small farm and raised his family next to the woods. In 1868 Joshua Saddler wrote into his will that none of his heirs "shall cut the timber thereon". For this preservation ethic, the woods, were officially named in his honor in January 2004. Previously, the woods had never had any official name or designation.

Saddler's Woods Conservation Association
Saddler's Woods Conservation Association, SWCA, is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to education, restoration, and research of Saddler's Woods. Through programs, tours, hands on restoration, and field studies, we strive to promote the natural and cultural resources unique to this 25 acre urban forest.

Saddler's Woods Welcome Area 250 MacArthur Boulevard, Haddon Township, NJ 08108

The organization was formed by Haddon Township residents who were active in the movement to save the woods from an athletic fields development plan. But saving the woods was just the beginning. Unfortunately, Saddler's Woods had suffered decades of fragmentation and neglect. Since its preservation, SWCA volunteers have worked vigorously, logging hundreds of hours towards restoration and education. For its efforts, SWCA was honored by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, ANJEC, with an Environmental Achievement Award.

SWCA achieves its goals by partnering with community groups and area schools and by utilizing grant funds for restoration, education, and research. To date, SWCA has received grants from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc., the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Camden County's Open Space Clean Communities program, Conservation Resources Inc., REI, Marlton, the William G. Rohrer Charitable Foundation, Subaru of America Inc., Haddon Township Clean Communities program, and The Darden Corporation.

SWCA, is managed by a volunteer board directors; three Advisory Directors, a Director of Communications,a Director of Education and Community Outreach, a Director of Forest Management, a Director of Finance and an Executive Director.

John Nystedt, Advisory Director
John applies his industry experience in an advisory capacity to the managing directors of SWCA. John is a Restoration Specialist for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, is a N.J. Certified Landscape Architect, and has 25 years of experience in landscape architecture and ecological planning.

Maggi Downham, Advisory Director
Maggi worked for many years to preserve Saddler's Woods, and was honored by the Delaware Riverkeeper organization and the Audubon Wildlife Society for her activism and stewardship. She holds a Master of Arts Degree from Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey. Maggi serves on many local boards such as the environmental commission, municipal alliance,and the planning and zoning board and offers her experience in civic relations to the managing directors of SWCA.

Jesse Buerk, Advisory Director
Jesse holds a Master's degree in environmental studies from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and a Bachelor's degree in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He is currently employed with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. As former Director of Communications, Jesse continues to assist with SWCA's publicity and communications.

Robyn Jeney, Director of Forest Management
Robyn has worked for the New Jersey Pinelands Commission since graduating from Penn State University in 2004. She earned a Masters degree in environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania in December of 2008. Robyn is responsible for the active management of Saddler's Woods to restore and protect native habitat.

Joshua Hitchner, Director of Communications
Josh’s fascination with the environment started at a very young age and he has been captivated ever since. Josh served as one of SWCA’s first interns in 2011 earning college credits for his work. Josh is responsible for media relations, community outreach, educational literature, and the quarterly newsletter. He is currently attending Rowan University for environmental studies. Upon graduation he plans to attend graduate school for environmental science or natural resource management.

David Jacobs, Director of Finance
In addition to assisting with activities in the woods, David maintains the financial records for the association. David received his B.S. degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of New Jersey. He is a Senior Manager in Internal Audit at Vanguard.

Kristen Kwasek, Director of Education and Community Outreach
Kristen received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in biology from Montclair State University. While in graduate school she was a graduate assistant at the New Jersey School of Conservation where she taught various age groups about the environment. With her passion for ecology, conservation, and teaching she is working to expand the education department and programs for SWCA.

Janet Goehner-Jacobs, Executive Director
Janet has over 15 years of management experience. Janet was active in the movement to save Saddler's Woods from development and worked to found an organization dedicated to Saddler's Woods when preserved. Janet pursues grants, executes restoration projects, oversees daily operations, and ensures that SWCA succeeds in its core initiatives of restoration, education and research.

Support our mission. Become a member!

Contact Us

About this site