Volunteers at a Wizard Ranch work day. Photo: Greg Smolin
As we wrap up September as PA Trails Month and head into fall, we are gearing up to celebrate Healthy Lands Week! Starting with National Public Lands Day on September 24 and ending with a Walk in Penn’s Woods on October 2, Healthy Lands Week is an opportunity to celebrate and help steward the beautiful natural lands that are open for all members of our community to explore and enjoy.
Steward!
Join us as we give back to nature at our Wizard Ranch Volunteer Day on Sunday, September 25! The restoration plans outlined for Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve in the Hellam Hills Conservation Area Master Plan are expansive and extensive, and we’re very excited to have them underway! Come be a part of this momentous effort as we work to begin to restore forest and grassland habitat by removing invasive shrubs alike multiflora rose and bush honeysuckle.
Learn!
Photo: Michelle Johnsen A hiker enjoys Ferncliff Nature Preserve in the fall.
Learn more about the history of Pennsylvania’s woods at our first Nature Hour of the season on Wednesday, September 28 – The Trees Remember: A Historical Trilogy, as author Joyce Kieffer regales us with the story behind her historical trilogy.
Join volunteer and expert birdwatcher Sarah Gotwols at Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve on Saturday, October 1 for Birdwatching 101, where we will cover everything from equipment and guides to spotting and identification!
Hike!
Come celebrate the end of PA Healthy Lands Week on Sunday, October 2 with a Walk in Penn’s Woods exploring autumn at Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve! Enjoy a few miles of Welsh Mountain trail while exploring the history and ecology of the autumn woods. Learn to identify tree species by leaf pattern, bark texture, and fall color. Examine the complex forest community from fungal partners to mighty oaks and learn how you can be a good steward of our valued public lands!
