In the summer of 2015, pitch pines in Nottingham County Park and nearby sites started showing signs of stress. The crowns of the trees had started yellowing. Later, pea-sized globs of white resin were noticed on the bark of a few trees. At the time the Southern Pine Bark beetle was not yet considered a threat. They had been known to affect a damaged tree from time to time, but had never mounted a large infestation in Pennsylvania. By the fall of 2017 nearly every single pitch pine in the area was dead or dying. The infestation stretched from nearby state forest lands in the south to privately held tracts to the north.

Pollinators play a crucial role in every ecosystem and ensure the reproduction of many flowering plants. In recent years, scientists have observed a worldwide decline in pollinators, including native bee species—most notably in honeybees—and some butterfly and moth species. It is believed that the decline has been caused principally by habitat loss and more intensive use of pesticides on crops. In order to thrive, it is important that pollinators find nectar from plants available to them throughout the growing season.

North America’s largest rodent, the beaver (Castor canadensis), is supremely well adapted to life in and around fresh water. In December 2018, Conservancy staff discovered a new beaver dam and lodge at Waterloo Mills Preserve that had re-routed a stream and inundated the Preserve’s wet meadows. While some of the adverse impacts included the destruction of healthy trees, there have also been some surprising benefits as a result of the Preserve's newest inhabitants.