Schiller Grounds Care Donates To Pennypack Trust Land Conservancy

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Schiller Grounds Care, manufacturer of BOB-CAT Mowers, Little Wonder and four other lawn and garden equipment brands, has announced a new partnership with the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust of Huntingdon Valley, PA. In addition to encouraging staff to volunteer at the Pennypack Trust, Southampton, PA-based Schiller will be donating equipment to help the Trust maintain its extensive grounds, starting with a BOB-CAT 52” AirFX™ mower.

As steward of 833 acres of Montgomery County’s (PA) second-largest privately owned natural area that is open to the public, the Pennypack Trust depends on the support of various benefactors. Schiller’s donation of the BOB-CAT AirFX mower will be used on a variety of landscapes, including as a finish mower on protected meadow trails, across campus landscapes where most volunteers meet, and areas where major events are held.

Chris Mendel, executive director at the Trust said, “Managing 800 acres of open space with just 10 employees is a highly mechanized operation. The ability to partner with a world-leader in landscape maintenance machinery is a tremendous opportunity to share information and learn from engineers and craftsmen of this caliber.”

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Chris Mendel (left) and the Pennypack Trust team with their new BOB-CAT 52” AirFX from Schiller Grounds Care

On the AirFX being the newest addition to his fleet Mendel says, “Our staff is saving hours of time every day due to the speed of the BOB-CAT. Not only is it faster and self-propelled, it is also extremely agile and able to work on steep slopes and through tight spaces. This is useful on trails and also in tree plantations where grass and weeds are not too thick or well established.”

Claude Corcos, vice president of sales and marketing at Schiller Grounds Care, remarked, “We are a strong believer in the work the Trust does and the benefit they provide our region. We want the Schiller team to enjoy and support that work. The mower donation was simply an attempt to underscore our belief”.

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The BOB-CAT in service creating pathways in one of Pennypack’s protected meadows

The Trust’s work also impacts the future of the grounds industry, as Mendel notes how young people are being motivated to work on environmental issues. They’ve learned that ecology is a science that demonstrates the simplicity and power of a healthy environment. The Trust, in partnership with Schiller is focused on building entry-level jobs for land stewards, researchers, and educators. An important part of that includes trying new techniques in sustainable land management. Using the BOB-CAT mower in a naturalized setting has the potential to reveal some interesting new approaches to grassland and forest maintenance.