Appreciating the Familiar In the spring of 2019, I studied abroad in Madagascar, an island where people live with some of the world’s most unique species. One of those incredible animals is the Panther Chameleon. This chameleon is endemic to northern/northeastern Madagascar and they absolutely thrive there. Seeing one of these large reptiles in the […]
Right now, if you look out the nearest window, I bet you can see a lawn. Or at the very least, you can walk a short distance to find one. As of 2005, NASA Earth Observatory estimated that the US has about 31.6 million acres of lawn across the country’s vastly different climate and soil […]
As spring fades into summer, many of us are busy in our gardens. While you are tending yours, why not consider using native plants? Most are resilient and easy to care for, and they are uniquely qualified to support local wildlife and host pollinators while adding beauty to your landscape. Here is a list of […]
Every spring, a miniature forest blooms on the forest floor in the window of warmth and sunlight before the woody giants put out their leaves. These are the spring ephemerals. Here one season and gone the next, you don’t want to miss them. Their life’s strategy? Soak up all the light energy they need for […]
The environmental challenges that we face across the globe are daunting and overwhelming for us as adults to navigate, I can only imagine how helpless kids may feel about some of it, so giving them tools and strategies on how to help in their little, but impactful ways can be so empowering! I’ve personally used […]
Pennsylvania is home to an amazing array of bird diversity. As of 2024, over 430 species of birds have been reported from the Keystone state – a fair portion of which are consistently encountered. Of those species, there are a handful who elicit a great deal of appreciation from outdoor enthusiasts. Some, like the Long-eared […]
They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the next best time is today. There are many good reasons to plant a tree. At Heritage Conservancy, we are primarily concerned with forest regeneration along streams, hard and soft mast production for wildlife, and trees and shrubs that support the […]
4.6 billion years is a long story to tell within a human lifetime, let alone a single article, yet here I am trying to sum up PA’s place – southeastern PA in particular – in Earth’s history in roughly 2,000 words. Why? Because I’ve found that understanding our place in the world of rocks builds […]
Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift or school break activity that benefits wildlife? Consider making some holiday-themed bird suet. It is an easy, cheap, and fun way to attract birds to your yard this winter. Birds frequent feeders throughout the year, but visit them more during the winter months when other food resources are scarce. […]
Snow isn’t a welcome sight for many. It can obstruct travel plans, often requires shoveling, and creates giant, seemingly everlasting snow mountains that we have to circumvent in parking lots. Yet the services that snow provides, particularly to plants, wildlife, and the people who appreciate them, make all of those gripes seem a bit superficial. […]
