Woodland News

Project: Villa Maria Property Acquisition

Client: Foundation for Sustainable Forests 
Location: Villa Maria, Pennsylvania

Property Size: 670 acres

Challenge: Accurately value a complex property to support an acquisition for conservation purposes and preserve a legacy of stewardship

Services: Timber Inventory and Real Estate Appraisal

The Property

When the first Sisters of the Humility of Mary arrived at Villa Maria in the summer of 1864, they weren't greeted by rolling pastures or manicured grounds.

Instead, they found dense forests, sprawling swamps, muddy trails, and a landscape dotted with rotting tree stumps. The land was wild, untamed, and far removed from the gardens and countryside they had left behind in France.

Yet over the next 160 years, they transformed Villa Maria into a thriving community rooted in faith, agriculture, and stewardship. The property became home to one of Pennsylvania's oldest organic farms, productive working forests, hiking trails, historic barns, a designated Audubon Sanctuary, and ecologically rich wetlands. What began as a wilderness became a landscape shaped by generations of careful stewardship. 

As the congregation grew older and fewer women entered religious life, a new challenge emerged: How could the Sisters ensure the landscape they had spent generations nurturing would continue to be protected long after they were gone? 

That question led them to the Foundation for Sustainable Forests, whose mission of conserving working forests and supporting sustainable land stewardship closely reflected the sisters' own values. Together, they began crafting a plan that would permanently protect the land while preserving the legacy of a working property. As Annie Maloney, Ph.D. and Executive Director of the Foundation shared, “They weren't trying to profit from the land. They simply wanted to see it conserved forever."

To help bring the vision to life, the Foundation partnered with FORECON to complete the timber inventory and real estate appraisal required for the acquisition.

“There were a lot of questions and clarifications with all the sub-divisions. The campus part was easy. Then there were questions about how to access plots if you couldn’t drive through certain parts of the property.”

- Annie Maloney, Ph.D., Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Forests

The Challenge: Protecting More Than Land

Although Villa Maria originally encompassed approximately 750 acres, the transaction was far from straightforward.

The landscape included:

• Productive timberland
• Former agricultural fields
• Ecologically significant wetlands, including a renowned swamp ecosystem
• An active senior living community
• Historic buildings
• A cemetery
• A solar facility
• Certified organic farmland

The project also involved Pennsylvania DCNR grant funding, which required a highly detailed appraisal process, independent appraisal review, and documentation meeting strict state standards.

To prepare the property for conservation, several parcels first had to be subdivided so the sisters could retain their retirement community while transferring the surrounding working lands into permanent conservation.

Because the property's timber represented a significant portion of its value, both the land and the forest had to be evaluated as a single, integrated landscape rather than separate assets. This is when the Foundation turned to FORECON. As Annie Maloney Ph.D. and Executive Director of the Foundation explained, “FORECON is our go-to when the land has this level of complexity. We knew the timber had value, and we needed an appraisal that could accurately represent both the real estate and the forest resource."

The Solution: Combining Forestry and Valuation Expertise

FORECON completed both the timber inventory and the real estate appraisal, allowing the project team to develop a single, well-supported valuation of the property.

A Comprehensive Timber Inventory

For the timber inventory, FORECON established an extensive sampling grid across the property, collecting hundreds of inventory plots. At each location, foresters measured merchantable trees by species, diameter, height, and quality to estimate total timber volume.

This information became the foundation for accurately determining the forest's contribution to the overall property value.

Appraising a Working Forest

FORECON combined detailed timber inventory data with recognized appraisal methodologies and current regional market information to develop a defensible valuation that reflected both the standing timber and the underlying real estate.

Throughout the process, FORECON also worked closely with the Foundation to address evolving questions related to parcel boundaries, access, subdivision changes, and the state's rigorous appraisal review process.

The result was an appraisal capable of meeting grant requirements while accurately representing the property's full conservation value.

“FORECON is our go-to when the land has this level of complexity. We knew the timber had value, and we needed an appraisal that could accurately represent both the real estate and the forest resource." 

- Annie Maloney, Ph.D., Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Forests

Building Trust Along the Way

For this project, technical expertise alone wasn't enough. The project represented years of conversations between the sisters and the Foundation before any documents were signed. That same level of trust had to extend to FORECON.

An appraisal is more than a number; it's an independent, unbiased estimate that helps buyers, sellers, funders, and conservation organizations move forward with confidence.

As parcel configurations changed and grant reviewers requested clarifications, the team remained engaged. They explained methodologies, answered questions, and helped every stakeholder understand how the property's value was determined.

The Result: Preserving a Legacy for Future Generations

The Villa Maria project positions one of northwestern Pennsylvania's most unique landscapes for permanent conservation.

Once finalized, approximately 670 acres of working forests and natural areas will be protected while allowing:

• Sustainable forest management
• Public hiking and non-motorized recreation
• Hunting opportunities
• Continued wildlife habitat conservation
• Protection of ecologically important wetlands
• Preservation of the sisters' long-standing stewardship legacy

For the Foundation for Sustainable Forests, the acquisition represents another step toward building resilient working forests that continue supporting local communities and healthy ecosystems.

For the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, it fulfills a vision that began decades earlier to preserve land and ensure that stewardship would continue well into the future.

More than 160 years after the Sisters first arrived at Villa Maria, their vision for the land continues. Through thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to stewardship, the forests, wetlands, and working lands will remain a place where both people and nature can thrive for generations to come.

Project Highlights

• 670 acres permanently positioned for conservation
• Comprehensive timber inventory supporting property valuation
• Real estate and timber appraisal completed under rigorous PA DCNR standards
• Multiple parcel subdivisions coordinated within the valuation process
• Long-term protection of working forests, wetlands, and public recreation opportunities

Want to learn more about how FORECON can help you manage your land for both legacy and value? Visit our forest management services and strategy services for detailed information. You can also contact us anytime or call us directly at (716) 664-5602.