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 […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Durham Bat Mine
Project: Once upon a time, this mine had the largest colony of bats in eastern Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, white-nose syndrome has decimated the population to a tiny fraction of what it once was. However, the bats will return! Populations in other parts of the world, struck down by white-nose, are starting to rebound – albeit slowly. […]
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 […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Quakertown Swamp Preserve
Project: Invasive species threaten our native plants by crowding them out and outcompeting them for resources. They also have the added benefit of being unencumbered by diseases, parasites, and herbivores. Join us as we work to remove them from around our native plants to give them the space they need to thrive. Make sure you […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Jackson Pond Preserve
Project: Invasive species threaten our native plants by crowding them out and outcompeting them for resources. They also have the added benefit of being unencumbered by diseases, parasites, and herbivores. Join us as we work to remove them from around our native plants to give them the space they need to thrive. Work level: Easy […]
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 […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Pursell Preserve
Project: Invasive species threaten our native plants by crowding them out and outcompeting them for resources. They also have the added benefit of being unencumbered by disease, parasites, or herbivores. Join us as we work to remove them from around our native plants to give them the space they need to thrive. Work level: Easy […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Durham Bat Mine
Project: Garlic mustard was first found in Long Island, NY, in 1868, and was brought here from Europe as a food and medicinal source. The roots from this plant secrete chemicals that inhibit the growth of soil fungi, which are essential for connecting seedlings to the forest network of roots from older trees. Additionally, garlic […]
Hart’s Woods Preserve Workday
Project: Join us as we plant native trees and shrubs in the area we’ve been working on all winter and spring. A healthy riparian buffer stabilizes eroding streambanks, absorbs excess water runoff, fertilizers and pesticides, filters sediment, and cools the water making it more hospitable to a diversity of organisms. Work level: Moderate Tools: We […]
Fridays in the Forest Workday: Quakertown Swamp Preserve
Project: Garlic mustard was first found in Long Island, NY, in 1868, and was brought here from Europe as a food and medicinal source. The roots from this plant secrete chemicals that inhibit the growth of soil fungi, which are essential for connecting seedlings to the forest network of roots from older trees. Additionally, garlic […]