Super Bowl Sunday is almost here, and across America, people will soon be preparing their game day spaces: big screens, recliners, snacks, beverages. But what if you lived in 1927, before television and the NFL, before the idea of a “man cave,” where would you retreat to relax and reflect? For William “Willie” Mercer, that […]
Over two chilly November days, Croydon Woods Nature Preserve came alive with the energy of nearly 200 sixth graders from Ben Franklin Middle School. Students rotated through hands-on outdoor learning stations, observing and exploring the ecology of one of Pennsylvania’s last remaining Atlantic coastal plain forests. For Lauren Stevens, a 6th grade science teacher at […]
Retirees Vicky and John Garrison were looking for an organization where they could give back to their community while spending time outdoors. They found that opportunity in our “Fridays in the Forest” volunteer group. This dedicated team joins Heritage Conservancy staff once a week to work at our preserved properties, completing invasive species removal, trail […]
The American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is one of our largest and longest-lived trees in the eastern US, but the future of these grand trees is uncertain due to Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). In 2012, northeastern Ohioans noticed that the leaves of their American beech trees were becoming banded, crinkly, and wrinkled and dying, a sure […]
What might be on a Christmas list for our wildlife, if they could come together to generate one? “Wildlife” is a very broad term, so wishes would likely vary. Pine martens might jot down “more trees please” while meadowlarks would request “fewer forests, more grasslands.” Even with that variability, there are some goods that I […]
This summer and fall, Heritage Conservancy planted more than 2,000 native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers across our preserves, and it took an entire community to make it happen. From restoration work to all-hands-on-deck staff days to dedicated volunteers and corporate partners, the past few months have been a testament to what we can accomplish together. […]
Above: Scouts of Troop 71 construct boardwalk at Jackson Pond Preserve. Troop 71 of Doylestown was busy this past summer! The local Boy Scout troop took on two major projects to serve its community: a new boardwalk at Heritage Conservancy’s Jackson Pond Preserve, and an information kiosk at Russell-Mandel Preserve. In completing these, the troop […]
As we embark on the season of turkey consumption, it’s a fun time to highlight what it is that wild turkeys are out there eating this time of year. Spoiler alert: it isn’t stuffing, casseroles, or morsels of their brethren. Rather, a wild turkey feast involves the fruits and seeds that native plants cook up. […]
In September, Heritage Conservancy welcomed members, sponsors, and supporters to our Russell-Mandel Preserve for a Pollinator Picnic Garden Party. This special event was to celebrate the impact of our community’s generosity and offered a unique opportunity to experience, firsthand, the preservation, stewardship, and education efforts that define our mission. As a living example of the […]
When hiking, I usually don’t set out to find a cool spider, but when I stumble upon them, it sure is a treat! Arachnids are a vital component of our local ecosystems and some of them are pretty neat to look at, too. Here are five such species I’ve come across in Southeastern Pennsylvania. A […]