(August 2007, #011)

For Immediate Release

CHADDS FORD, PA — In 1967, the cost of a first-class stamp was five cents; a gallon of gasoline was 33 cents; the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; and the first Super Bowl was played. Also that year, the Brandywine Conservancy was formed to save two properties in the village of Chadds Ford from industrial development.

"We started the Conservancy for reasons of beauty, and how beautifully that worked," said George A. "Frolic" Weymouth, co-founder of the Conservancy and Chairman of its Board of Trustees.

Forty years later, the Brandywine Conservancy has accomplished many things for many people. The Conservancy's Environmental Management Center has permanently protected more than 40,000 acres, and its Brandywine River Museum has thousands of works of art in its permanent collection.

On October 6, 2007, the Conservancy will mark its Ruby Anniversary with a masked ball. Wilmington Trust is the presenting sponsor of the event, which is hosted by the Conservancy's Trustees and Young Friends of the Brandywine Conservancy. Other corporate sponsors include The Buccini/Pollin Group, Carl Doubét Jewelers, Wawa, and P.W. Design, LLC. Tickets are available online at www.brandywineconservancy.org or by calling 610-388-8341.

For the celebration, the Brandywine River Museum's tented courtyard will feature a ruby theme. "We have a fabulous evening planned," remarked Weymouth. "It will be an affair to remember with masked mystery, dancing...and a few surprises. We're going to paint the town red."

"Each and every one of us is richer for the Conservancy's significant achievements in art and environmental preservation," said Ted T. Cecala, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wilmington Trust. "The Conservancy is one of the Brandywine Valley's treasures, and we are proud to be a part of this anniversary celebration."

What began as a volunteer effort in 1967 by several local residents has grown into a staff of 115 and an annual budget of more than $9 million. The Conservancy's Environmental Management Center is now organized into two distinct programs: Land Stewardship and Municipal Assistance.

The Land Stewardship Program works with individual landowners to permanently protect their properties. The conservation easement is the primary tool of this effort. The restrictive easement is designed to preserve a property's most sensitive natural, agricultural, scenic and historic resources. Landowners voluntarily place easements on their properties and grant the Conservancy the legal right to enforce the restrictions. To date, the Conservancy has secured more than 400 easements.

The Conservancy has long recognized that constructive involvement with public sector leaders is essential to complement land stewardship efforts. As a result, the Municipal Assistance Program has developed strategic programs for municipalities, counties, and state and federal agencies. These programs often encompass more than one municipality, watershed or ecosystem to create and strengthen policies and regulations that support conservation.

When the Brandywine River Museum opened in 1971, it was dedicated to something that no other institution was committed to then: the preservation and display of art from the Brandywine region. The Wyeths were an initial and obvious part of the museum's dedication, just as they are a vital part of the unfolding history of American art. The museum's first exhibition - highlighting the works of Howard Pyle, his students, N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth - was a tremendous success, attracting more than 190,000 visitors.

Since 1971, the museum has presented nearly 200 exhibitions, many on single artists, and published more than 80 scholarly exhibition catalogues, the work of the museum's curators adding to knowledge of American art history. "Our understanding is still unfolding as our research continues," said James H. Duff, Director of the Brandywine River Museum and Executive Director of the Brandywine Conservancy. "People from throughout the country look to our programs for preservation, pleasure and education."

In conjunction with the Anniversary Celebration, the museum will present a special installation in the third floor lobby that highlights achievements in the Conservancy's history.

Wilmington Trust Corporation (NYSE: WL) is a financial services holding company that provides Regional Banking services throughout the Delaware Valley region, Wealth Advisory Services for high-net-worth clients in 36 countries, and Corporate Client Services for institutional clients in 86 countries. Its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Wilmington Trust Company, which was founded in 1903, is one of the largest personal trust providers in the United States and the leading retail and commercial bank in Delaware. Wilmington Trust Corporation and its affiliates have offices in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, the Cayman Islands, the Channel Islands, London, Dublin, Frankfurt, and Luxembourg. For more information, visit www.wilmingtontrust.com.

For more information about the Brandywine Conservancy or to purchase tickets to the 40th Anniversary Celebration on October 6, please visit a www.brandywineconservancy.org or call 610-388-2700.