Throughout the Laurels Preserve and the surrounding King Ranch lands is the famous Cheshire Hunt Country. Thousands of acres of permanently protected land in this area have allowed Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds—a recognized hunt with the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America—space to continue the tradition of foxhunting in perpetuity. Their efforts toward conserving their hunt country, the lands they cherish, have been extremely important to the Conservancy and our mission through the years. 

The history of conservation is replete with partnerships that have yielded multiple wins, and the long history of collaboration between the equestrian community and the Brandywine Conservancy is no exception. For more than 50 years, the shared love of preserved land has guided the partnership between the Conservancy and the Hunt in keeping the landscape as beautiful and protected as it is today. The Hunt’s generous support, along with many others, also enabled the recent critical expansion of the Laurels Preserve. This project was a perfect example of how this community of nature lovers and equestrians—with a mutual appreciation for open space—epitomize conservation through cooperation. 
 
Today, the Conservancy and the Hunt continue to reach out to individual landowners in the greater King Ranch area. These venues create relationships and a greater understanding of the benefits of preservation and the concurrent need for good perpetual land and water stewardship.