Chimney Swifts: A Species in Decline

A chimney swift darts over a pond in Prospect Park in NYC. Photo by Ryan Mandelbaum. Introduction The US Committee of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) published its State of the Birds 2022 report last fall. Among its key findings is a list of birds whose populations have fallen by half between 1970–2019, […]

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We’re Growing! Meet Heritage Conservancy’s new team of part-time Environmental Educators

Heritage Conservancy’s new part-time Environmental Educators. A key part of Heritage Conservancy’s mission is to connect our community to the natural world and foster respect for and understanding of the ecosystems that support us. To galvanize this effort, we have just hired 12 passionate and energetic new part-time Environmental Educators who bring a wide range […]

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Find These Three Mushrooms of Summer

We’ve reached the depths of summer, as evidenced by intense waves of heat and humidity. Solace from our powerful sun awaits beneath the shade of trees, and lucky for us, interesting organisms exist there too. Mushrooms occupy the forest floors throughout the year, but in late summer – and even more so in early fall […]

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The Mountain Laurel – PA’s State Flower

Mountain laurels (Kalmia latifolia) blooming on one of Heritage Conservancy’s properties. Mountain laurels are gorgeous shrubs that have been Pennsylvania’s state flower since 1933. It is one of the few evergreen shrubs that is native to Pennsylvania, however it is very widespread across the state. It is in the heath family living on drier, more […]

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BioBlitz Celebration Held at Croydon Woods Nature Preserve

We gathered together with community members, volunteers, local partners, and specialists to learn about Croydon Woods. We had a magnificent turnout at our BioBlitz Celebration on Friday, May 19th, as we gathered together to celebrate our BioBlitz survey – a private 24-hour scientific survey of plants and animals. The celebration served as a reminder of […]

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The Other Pollinators

A red milkweed beetle. Most of our pollinators get overlooked for one reason or another. Some are too tiny, simply living out of sight and out of mind, whereas others occur in plain sight but are overshadowed by larger and more charismatic species. Honeybees and monarch butterflies are the rockstars of the pollinator world. The […]

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Turtles on the Road: How to Help

Eastern Box Turtle found crossing a quiet back road. The months of May and June usually spring most of our wildlife into action. With cooler temperatures quickly fading, resources become plentiful, as do the critters that utilize them. Sunlight and warmth are among the resources that cold-blooded animals, such as turtles, rely on the most. […]

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Events

    1. The Legacy Breakfast

      May 9 @ 8:30 am - 10:00 am
    2. Business Partners Hike

      May 17 @ 8:30 am
    3. Spring Carnival: Take a Spin in Nature

      May 17 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
    4. Spring Mushroom Hike

      May 18 @ 10:00 am - 11:45 am
    5. Farm to Table

      June 15 @ 5:30 pm