South Mountain Partnership News
“Local museums and historical societies are emerging from the pandemic with a fresh approach to presenting the past to the public. … There are signs of recovery at the Appalachian Trail Museum at Pine Grove…
Have fun exploring the ways in which all things are connected. Learn about how humans can protect our environment by making wise energy choices.
$10/participant over the age of 3. Please click here to register.
Please note, this is not a drop-off event.
Recommended for ages 9-12 but all ages welcome!
The speaker for the evening will be Bonnie A. Shockey, president of Allison-Antrim Museum. She will present a PowerPoint program entitled “The UGRR and the Anderson Family of Antrim Township.”
Traditionally, the Mason-Dixon Line, lying just a mile and one quarter south of Greencastle, divided the Northern states from the Southern states and for thousands of enslaved people, the Mason-Dixon Line culturally bisected the United States into the land of freedom and the land of slavery. Almost 200 years have passed since families, some known and many still unknown, in this geographical region began harboring runaways. The Underground Railroad, with its high level of secrecy and danger, was an adz which silently chipped away at the institution of slavery one human being at a time.
Would you enjoy helping the Watershed Alliance of Adams County with our stream-monitoring program? If you think you’d enjoy being part of our stream-monitoring program, or if you just want to learn more about it, join us on Tuesday, April 25, from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Conservation District Conference Room on the first floor of the Ag Center. We’ll demonstrate the water-collection and -testing process and answer any questions you may have.
If you’d like to come to the meeting, please head over to our volunteer sign-up form. If you have questions before signing up, please email us!
This fun event features a variety of workshops, demonstrations, activities, exhibits, and entertainment throughout the day. Professional guest performers are always exciting, entertaining and fun!
Youth Fest is the best-kept FUN SECRET in Waynesboro! Free admission
The last in a series of monthly trail hikes on the last Sunday of the month, January through April 2023. Hike with us along a portion of the legendary Appalachian Trail! Led by an Institute naturalist, the hike will explore some of the wonders to be found in the woods and along the byways.
Meeting point for the hike provided on registration. Make sure to dress for the weather.
This event is FREE (donations accepted).
Enrollment is limited and pre-registration is required; register here. More info: info@NatureAndCultureInstitute.org.
Enjoy the thrill of the chase as you look for bargains or sell your own discards at this annual event coinciding with Earth Celebration Day & Festival of Art. Your throw-aways may be just what someone else is looking for. Make some extra cash for yourself, your family, or your organization. And The Institute makes money on the space rentals!
Shoppers attend and browse for free!
Table space is just a flat fee of $25—bring your own table.
See the Yard Sale flier and registration form here.
Event will take place outdoors in Pine Hill Recreation Area near Waynesboro, Pa. Please come prepared for an outdoor day. Rain location: Waynesboro Area Middle School.
Contact The Institute at (717) 762-0373 or info@natureandcultureinstitute.org
The Institute’s series of StoryWalk® Sunday adventures for kids continues…
The story posted on the StoryWalk® trail at Pine Hill Park changes monthly, and a special story event accompanies each one on the second Sunday of each month. The April walk was changed to the 16th as the second Sunday is Easter.
Kids will join a guided walk along the story trail as they read the book, then make a special craft project to take home.
Spring is the season for pollinators, and the featured storybook for April is “The Honeybee,” by Kirsten Hall, with vibrant illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault.
“Buzz from flower to flower with a sweet honeybee in this timely, clever, and breathtakingly gorgeous picture book from critically acclaimed author Kirsten Hall and award-winning illustrator Isabelle Arsenault. With zooming, vibrant verse and buzzy, beautiful illustrations, this celebration of the critically important honeybee is a honey-sweet treasure of a picture book.”
The event is FREE, but pre-registration is required by April 13.
Join The Institute for their first ever Sporting Clays Shoot Fundraiser at Orvis Hill Country Shooting Grounds, Fairfield, PA.
View the schedule and register
A joint program of The Institute and the Antietam Watershed Association
Presented by Brian Eyler, wildlife biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife & Heritage Service.
Black bears are a common resident in the mountains that surround the Cumberland Valley and Antietam Watershed. This once-rare species in the area is expanding its range due to successful conservation efforts.
During this program, you will learn about the biology and status of black bears in the mid-Atlantic region and how the Maryland Department of Natural Resources manages this charismatic species and the challenges they can present.
Admission is free.
Come to the “Meet and Greet” with Institute staff members at the 3 p.m. showing.
Families in attendance will receive a free tree seedling from Bartlett Tree Experts (while supplies last).
WALL-E—short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class—is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time.
But during 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he’s more than a little lonely. Then he spots EVE, sent back to Earth on a scanning mission. Smitten with EVE, WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.
This family film contains some powerfully educational messages about commercialism and the consequences that global waste can have on our planet.
There is also a 7 p.m. showing.
Tickets cost $6 for adults and $5 for kids age 12 and under.
Get tickets at Eventbrite.com or at the door, while supplies last.
Free kite flying (all ages) with expert flying help from our Kite Masters—brothers Sam and George Adams—in the fields adjacent to Hooverville Elementary School in Waynesboro, Pa.
Bring your own kite. Build a Kite workshop is ongoing, all welcome; $1 materials donation for the workshop.
The first 10 families get a free copy of the book, “I Wonder Why the Wind Blows.”
Everyone gets a free raffle chance to win a cool fox kite!
When one species goes extinct, it causes a ripple effect that can change an entire ecosystem. Join us as we explore our forest and discover the hidden history of extirpated and extinct Pennsylvania animals.
$10/participant over the age of 3. Please click here to register.
Please note, this is not a drop-off event.
Recommended for ages 9-12 but all ages welcome!
Solar energy is growing in Pennsylvania and local municipalities need to be ready for this new land use. Join us to learn more about solar in South-Central Pennsylvania and how land use ordinances can be most effective.
A panel moderated by Dr. Claire Jantz, and featuring Katie Hess (South Mountain Partnership), Steven Hoffman (Cumberland County Planning Department), and Samuel Wiser, Jr. (Salzman Hughes)
Wednesday April 12 @ 12:00 in Grove Forum or on Zoom (ID: 957 2853 5426)
FREE and open to the public. For more information email CLUS@ship.edu
Have fun exploring the ways in which all things are connected. Learn about how humans can protect our environment by making wise energy choices.
$10/participant over the age of 3. Please click here to register.
Please note, this is not a drop-off event.
Recommended for ages 9-12 but all ages welcome!
Join us as we explore Strawberry Hill’s campus in search of animals! Discover what animal tracks can tell us about the creatures who made them.
$10/participant over the age of 3. Please click here to register.
Please note, this is not a drop-off event.
Recommended for ages 5-10 but all ages welcome!
Join us as we explore Strawberry Hill’s campus in search of animals! Discover what animal tracks can tell us about the creatures who made them.
$10/participant over the age of 3. Please click here to register.
Please note, this is not a drop-off event.
Recommended for ages 5-10 but all ages welcome!
Earn Scout badges as you discover the wonderous secrets of a mid-summer forest! Learn about insects, flowers, & the trees they call home while you hike!
This program meets the requirements for the following badges: Brownie Bugs, Cadette Trees, and Junior Flowers. Each Scout will receive a certificate from Strawberry Hill.
$10 per Scout Click here to register.
Join us in the Nature Classroom at Strawberry Hill as we discuss our fifth book, An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, by Ed Yong
Free & open to the public Please email Anne here to register
Tonight’s book: An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, by Ed Yong
Earn Scout badges as you explore art in nature! Learn about natural pigments, drawing & shading, and creating art with the most unexpected finds.
This program meets the requirements for the following badges: Cadette Outdoor Art, Junior Outdoor Art, Junior Trees, and Senior Outdoor Art. Each Scout will receive a certificate from Strawberry Hill.
$10 per Scout Click here to register.
Earn Scout badges as you explore the outdoors! Join us as we explore Eco Advocates’ roles & what we can do to protect our natural world.
This program meets the requirements for the following badges: Daisy Eco Learner, Brownie Eco Learner, Cadette Eco Trekker, and Ambassador Eco Advocate. Each Scout will receive a certificate from Strawberry Hill.
$10 per Scout Click here to register.
Earn Scout badges as you explore the outdoors at Strawberry Hill’s Adventure Day. Join us as we go on a nature hike with a Naturalist, play nature-themed games, and discover how to stay safe while out hiking!
This program meets the requirements for the following badges: Daisy Trail Adventure and Brownie Outdoor Adventure. Each Scout will receive a certificate from Strawberry Hill.
$10 per Scout Click here to register.
In the Nature Classroom at Strawberry Hill, enjoy Nature Book Club as we discuss our fourth book, Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them
Free & open to the public Please email Anne here to register
Tonight’s book: Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them, by Dan Saladino
Enjoy a free nighttime nature hike under the Full Pink Moon!
The forest is stretching and yawning awake. Join us as we explore the trails and enjoy the early nights of a springtime forest.
Guided hike will start at 8:00pm and last about 60 minutes. Flashlights will be provided. Mud is likely so please plan and dress accordingly.
Email Anne at education@strawberryhill.org to register. Space is limited to 15 participants.
Due to the nature of a nighttime hike, this activity is recommended for older children who are comfortable walking in the woods at night.
The Appalachian Trail Museum is excited to host Mills Kelly of The Green Tunnel podcast for TWO programs in May! Mills will speak at Bosler Memorial Library on Saturday, May 6th at 3pm and on Sunday, May 7th at noon at the AT Museum. The program at the AT Museum will be held outside on the museum lawn, so please bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on!
For more than two decades, hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia walked through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Then, in 1952, the Appalachian Trail Conference moved 300 miles of the trail more than 50 miles to the west. This change was the single largest re-routing of the AT in the trail’s long history. Lost in that move were opportunities for hikers to scramble over the Pinnacles of Dan, to sit on Fisher’s Peak and gaze out over the North Carolina Piedmont, or to cross the New River on a flat-bottomed boat called Redbud for a nickel.
In his latest book, historian and lifelong AT section hiker Mills Kelly tells the story of a part of the history of the Appalachian Trail that is all but forgotten by hikers, but not by the residents of the southwestern Virginia counties that the trail used to cross. Virginia’s Lost Appalachian Trail is thus a history of the AT and a story of the power of memory in rural communities traversed by the trail.
Every organization needs to have social media incorporated in its communications, but how can we maximize efficiency and output? Very few organizations can spare exorbitant amounts of time for social media, so how do we make the most of the time we’ve got? In this short online workshop, participants will explore: how to select and curate the right platforms and audience for their organization; how to hone in on the strongest and most efficient messaging and content creation strategies; how to effectively manage time with social media; and how to take advantage of free online options that make social media communications easier to manage. Near the end of the workshop, time will be set aside to pragmatically and quickly create a useful piece of content for an upcoming event, as well as Q&A/discussion so the group has a chance to address authentic and relevant inquiries.
Please join fundraiser and community development professional Noah J. Roufos-Abbey for a one-hour interactive workshop and informational session. Noah welcomes the opportunity to share best practices and industry insights that can help build strategies and structures that advance conservation work and resource procurement.
Specific topical areas to be addressed will include:
‘How Landscape Conservation Partnerships Are Working to Address Climate Change’ is a working paper created by The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, in partnership with the Network for Landscape Conservation (NLC) and the University of Montana that explores the role of large landscape conservation in providing nature-based climate solutions. It presents effective practices and recommendations that can accelerate and broaden the benefits of landscape conservation and restoration in meeting climate goals.
In this webinar, the first in a four-part series, several of the architects of the paper will discuss how the research was conducted and analyzed, their motivation for embarking on this journey, and their hopes for what impact the report will have for the environment.
For nearly a century, the Appalachian Trail has existed as a backbone of conservation in the eastern United States. The footpath traverses a natural network of connected mountains, forests, rivers, and streams that is critical to adapting to a changing climate. Large-landscape scale conservation has come into focus as the future of the Appalachian Landscape to connect and protect this ecological corridor beyond the footpath of the Appalachian Trail.
This webinar will provide three perspectives on scaling up conservation around trails that can provide for unique opportunities and challenges for protected corridors, ecological systems, biodiversity, and human connection to nature.
Featuring award-winning Pennsylvania author & illustrator, Lindsay Barrett George, with her book, In the Garden: Who’s Been Here? on the StoryWalk® trail.
Institute-led walks on the story trail are at 1:00, 1:15, 3:00 & 3:15—Lindsay Barrett George will lead the 3 p.m. walk. Space is limited—register in advance for any guided StoryWalk® using the form at the bottom of this page.
Antietam Dairy ice cream truck will be selling scoops during the event.
Learn more and view the event schedule
The Institute presents a 2-part Nature Photography Workshop that includes a classroom session on Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. at Church of the Apostles in Waynesboro, and an outdoor field trip to an area park on Saturday, June 3 from 7 to 10:30 or 11 a.m., weather permitting. Attendance at both sessions is required. Field trip location is to be announced.
Open to those age 15 and up.
Geared toward beginner to intermediate photographers, the workshop is led by Institute faculty member and accomplished nature photographer, Dave Graff. The focus is on nature photography, concentrating on scenics, macro-photography (close-ups of plants, insects, etc.), and telephoto photography of birds.
$25 for Institute members; $30 for non-members. Registration required.
The Institute presents a 2-part Nature Photography Workshop that includes a classroom session on Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. at Church of the Apostles in Waynesboro, and an outdoor field trip to an area park on Saturday, June 3 from 7 to 10:30 or 11 a.m., weather permitting. Attendance at both sessions is required. Field trip location is to be announced.
Open to those age 15 and up.
Geared toward beginner to intermediate photographers, the workshop is led by Institute faculty member and accomplished nature photographer, Dave Graff. The focus is on nature photography, concentrating on scenics, macro-photography (close-ups of plants, insects, etc.), and telephoto photography of birds.
$25 for Institute members; $30 for non-members. Registration required.
Franklin County Visitors Bureau celebrates Bird Day on Thursday, May 4, with the Conococheague Audubon Society during a noontime Lunch & Learn at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. Birds contribute in so many ways. They help maintain insect balance, spread seeds, scavenge, and even pollinate. They are amazing and as a species have been on Earth for 150 million years. Some scientists consider birds as the closest descendent of dinosaurs. The Bird Day Lunch & Learn begins at noon and is offered at no charge.
Twice annually (Spring and Winter), the Partnership holds a Partnership-wide meeting for all partners and any interested individuals or organizations to come together and build relationships and collaborations around the promotion and preservation of our region’s landscape resources. This event includes breakfast snacks and coffee and will occur outside under a pavilion.
These meetings are a chance to:
– Connect or reconnect with the Partnership, learning more about initiatives and on-going projects
– Build and strengthen our network of people and organizations working throughout the region
– Spark conversation and collaboration across political and sectorial boundaries
– Engage 50+ partners in on-going work throughout the region
– Involve partners in defining the direction of the Partnership
We hope you will join us! Registration is limited, reserve your ticket today!
About the Event
This Spring our meeting is being hosted by our partners in Franklin County and will feature a spotlight on some of the great work happening across the county and special focus on the State Parks and Forests within our region. Park Manager Earl Hockenberry will provide an initial welcome to Caledonia State Park. The South Mountain Partnership will share an interactive update on our State of the Region Planning Project, as well as organizational updates. Don’t forget to bring your organizational news for our closing round-robin!
All are welcome to join us for an approximately 2.0 mile (with options for shorter sections) interpretive hike nearby on the Midland Trail and Thaddeus Stevens Historical Trail with invited guests from the Lincoln Highway Heritage Area and our DCNR Environmental Educators. All are welcome on the hike, but please only partake in the lunch if you are pre-registered.
The Appalachian Trail Museum is excited to host Mills Kelly of The Green Tunnel podcast for TWO programs in May! Mills will speak at Bosler Memorial Library on Saturday, May 6th at 3pm and on Sunday, May 7th at noon at the AT Museum. The program at the AT Museum will be held outside on the museum lawn, so please bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on!
For more than two decades, hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia walked through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Then, in 1952, the Appalachian Trail Conference moved 300 miles of the trail more than 50 miles to the west. This change was the single largest re-routing of the AT in the trail’s long history. Lost in that move were opportunities for hikers to scramble over the Pinnacles of Dan, to sit on Fisher’s Peak and gaze out over the North Carolina Piedmont, or to cross the New River on a flat-bottomed boat called Redbud for a nickel.
In his latest book, historian and lifelong AT section hiker Mills Kelly tells the story of a part of the history of the Appalachian Trail that is all but forgotten by hikers, but not by the residents of the southwestern Virginia counties that the trail used to cross. Virginia’s Lost Appalachian Trail is thus a history of the AT and a story of the power of memory in rural communities traversed by the trail.
Join fellow nature lovers for a relaxed evening of amazing food, seasonal drinks, and an incredible list of items up for auction, including art, handcrafted, locally made goods, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
All proceeds benefit environmental education at Strawberry Hill.
$60 ticket | $500 reserved table for 10
Created in partnership with the Friends of the Battle of Monterey Pass, the garden was based on extensive research and was planted by The Institute’s garden director and volunteers. It will be an educational tool for area school children and for visitors to Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum.
Join the Institute for a Garden Talk Series, including:
Garden Talk #1: May 2: Planting and Herbal Container Garden
Garden Talk #2: May 9: How to Design and Install Raised Beds in Your Backyard
Garden Talk #4: May 23: How to Create Natural Dyes from Herbs & Plants
Annual geology bus trip with our ever-popular geologist, Jeri Jones of Jones Geological Services of Spring Grove, Pa.
Hosted by The Institute, the trip is open to those age 12 and up.
Departing from Red Run Park in Waynesboro, participants will travel to York County, Pa. The trip includes nine stops throughout central and northern York County, where participants will learn how the Earth’s crust in this region was made and how it changed over millions of years.
Presented in partnership with the Franklin Co. Rock & Mineral Club. Geologist Jeri Jones Jeri Jones of Jones Geological Services in Spring Grove, Pa. returns to present another fun, fascinating look into our shared geological history.
Admission is free and all are welcome.
This is an in-person event, but a Zoom option is also available. Contact us for the Zoom meeting link: info@natureandcultureinstitute.org.
The New Science of Butterflies is the second of this year’s Garden Talk Series.
Come join Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County throughout the spring and summer to learn about a variety of topics related to backyard gardening. These programs are free and all are invited- no gardening experience is required!
Charm City Junction returns for a second time after getting raves for 2021’s performance. (The 2022 concert was rained our and tickets for it are being honored.) The group weaves together a tapestry of tones spawned in the rolling hills of Ireland through the hollers of Appalachia. They play with an intensity and sensitivity only close friends can have. Since forming in the winter of 2014, the band has rocketed to national prominence through their engaging live performances and innovative approach.
Donation $25. Tickets available at Whistlestop Bookshop in Carlisle, Village Artisans Gallery in Boiling Springs, and from tracy@dickinson.edu.
Carpool if possible. On-site parking is limited and no on-street parking is available.
Bring lawn chairs and umbrellas to this rain or shine event. Food will be available on-site.
The first of this year’s Garden Talk Series is about soils and compost.
Come join Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County throughout the spring and summer to learn about a variety of topics related to backyard gardening. Prepare to get down and dirty in the loam at Craighead House. These programs are free and all are invited- no gardening experience is required!
Craighead House hosts its popular perennial plant exchange on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Participants bring up to five plants to exchange for the same number of other plants to take home. The annual event is free and open to the public.
The plant exchange starts at 9:30 a.m. when visitors can bring their plants and view those contributed by others. Participants receive a ticket for each plant they bring, and can exchange their tickets for plants during the random drawing that begins at 10:00 a.m. Please bring plants potted in a container or bag.
Penn State master gardeners will be on hand to answer any plant or garden questions and give tours of our award-winning pollinator garden. Visitors can also learn about the Craighead family of naturalists, their work, and their home.
The goal of this event is to come together as a community to make Harrisburg a cleaner and safer place to live, work, and play.
We believe effective and sustainable change starts and ends with the involvement of the entire community which is why we need your help.
Join Pine Grove Furnace in tidying up the park with a volunteer clean-up day!
There will be a variety of projects suitable for all age groups, so bring out the entire family! Please bring work gloves if possible and appropriate footwear.
After a morning of volunteering, participants are invited to a grilled lunch courtesy of the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace. Volunteers staying for lunch are welcome to bring a covered dish to share.
Registration is required by April 17
Solar electricity generation capacity in the US has expanded rapidly over the last 15 years, with current capacity 285 times greater than it was in 2008. In many parts of the world, including Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region, agricultural land is highly attractive to solar developers because land prices are relatively low and it offers large, contiguous tracts that are moderately sloped and clear of forest. Unfortunately, we know very little of how these conversions impact local ecosystems or what they will mean for the future of agricultural land use and livelihoods after solar leases expire. We present findings here from the first year of a two-year project examining the impacts of solar conversion on soil health at three former agricultural sites in Franklin County, PA that were recently converted to utility scale solar facilities. In addition to the data, we will also consider what novel possibilities solar development and the potential to co-locate agriculture with solar might offer for a sustainable future in Pennsylvania.
Presented by Dr. Russ Hedberg and graduate student Sarah Thompson
Wednesday April 26 @ 12:00 in Grove Forum or on Zoom (ID: 959 2970 1594)
FREE and open to the public. For more information email CLUS@ship.edu
In this program series, families with young children can engage in nature exploration through stories, outdoor activities, and crafts. You may register for just one session, or all. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Pre-registration is required, sign up online.
Utility-scale solar power is gaining steam, and with that comes issues regarding where to locate large solar developments. During Working Through Utility Scale Solar Siting with the DCNR and PDA, participants will hear from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture about their solar siting guides and how they recommend handling siting.
| Who is this for? | Forester Land Managers Zoning Managers Farmers Landowners Municipality Staff Electrical Engineers |
| What will you learn? | How to choose the best site for utility-scale solar How to use best management guides for utility-scale from the DCNR and PDA Things to consider when planning a large solar project |
| Available Credits | 1.5 Society of American Foresters (SAF) Credits |
Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar. Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording.
Watershed Alliance to host talk on Culp Run restoration.
The Watershed Alliance of Adams County will host a public talk on the recent restoration of Culp Run in the Gettysburg National Military Park beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Adams County Agricultural and Natural Resources Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Rd., Gettysburg.
Anyone interested in learning more about the stream-restoration project and its many benefits is welcome to attend. A representative from Lititz-based environmental-design firm LandStudies, Inc., which designed and implemented the restoration project, will be on hand to discuss the many facets of the work, which was completed last fall. The Gettysburg Borough Storm Water Authority (GBSWA) launched the Culp Run restoration in response to federal stormwater-management mandates aimed at curbing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Gettysburg engineering firm C.S. Davidson & Son helped define the cleanup project, which required close coordination with the Gettysburg National Military Park. Culp Run is a small stream that begins in the Borough of Gettysburg and flows for less than a mile through the military park before emptying in Rock Creek. The stream’s main restoration zone is visible along East Confederate Avenue in the military park. In brief, the restoration project consisted of removing sediments from the stream, restoring the stream’s bends and curves, grading the stream banks to minimize erosion, and stabilizing the stream banks with temporary matting while permanent riparian plantings take root. As the Borough of Gettysburg and surrounding areas of Adams County have become increasingly developed, more impervious surfaces—like roofs and paved streets and alleys—have been built, preventing rainwater from soaking into the ground. Today, when it rains in Gettysburg, most of the rainwater runs off into storm sewers rather than soaking into the ground. Most of the stormwater runoff from the east side of Gettysburg flows into Culp Run. During large rain events, this runoff significantly increases the small stream’s flow, causing the sediment along the banks to erode into the stream, which then flows into Rock Creek and eventually, the Chesapeake Bay. Sediment like this is one of the major polluters of the Bay. To combat this water pollution on the local level, the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ambitious multi-state initiative to clean up the Chesapeake Bay includes pollution-reduction standards for local municipalities. The GBSWA was established to address the EPA’s pollution-reduction goals locally, and the Culp Run restoration project was initiated to meet these goals. Its completion has enabled the GBSWA to exceed the EPA’s sediment-reduction goals for the Gettysburg Borough.
The Watershed Alliance of Adams County, which will host the Culp Run restoration talk, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing and protecting the water resources of Adams County. For more information about the Watershed Alliance, visit AdamsWatersheds.org.
Join the Land Conservancy of Adams County for their 27th Annual Meeting. Enjoy dinner at the Gettysburg Hotel.
Please call the office at 717-334-2828 to RSVP and select your meal option no later than Tuesday, February 21.
Astronomer Dr. Larry Marschall will present “Astronomy’s Greatest Eye on the Sky—The James Webb Space Telescope” on Thursday, February 16 at 7 p.m.
Presented by The Institute online via Zoom, the program is free. Those who register will receive a link to the Zoom meeting via email.
A quarter of a century in the making, the James Webb Space Telescope is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope as a premiere instrument for astronomical research.
“Launched in December 2021, the James Webb Telescope not only affords us a view of the universe that is almost three times sharper and 10 times deeper than ever before, but it is an engineering marvel,” Marschall said.
Marschall will discuss the telescope’s remarkable design and dramatic deployment, and comment on the significance of some of the remarkable images it has returned in its first months of operation.
Marschall has a degree in engineering physics from Cornell University and a Ph.D in astronomy and astrophysics from University of Chicago. Professor of physics, emeritus, at Gettysburg College, Marschall was a visiting research scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and at Yale University Observatory. He wrote The Supernova Story, published by Princeton University Press.
To register, email The Institute at info@NatureAndCultureInstitute.org, or call 717-762-0373.
This program was arranged in cooperation with the Tri-State Astronomers. It is underwritten in part by Marge Kiersz, Lucinda D. Potter, CPA, and SEK CPAs & Advisors, with additional support from The Institute’s Today’s Horizon Fund contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation; Marge Kiersz; and the Carolyn Terry Eddy Family: Carolyn, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin.
The Land Conservancy of Adams County’s annual Art Auction is back! This year, they will kick things off with a wine-and-cheese First Friday Artists’ Reception at the Adams County Arts Council (125 S. Washington St., Gettysburg) from 5 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7. This is your chance to get a look at the art up for bid and to meet many of this year’s generous donor-artists.
The auction will be virtual via BiddingOwl.com. The auction will go live following the First Friday Artists’ Reception and bidding will close on Wednesday, April 19.
The artworks up for bid will remain on exhibition at the Arts Council through the end of the auction.
Features six historic barns in Gettysburg/Adams County area. Proceeds benefit the HGAC Barn Preservation Project and Grant Program. The Tour starts at the Historic Round Barn at 298 Cashtown Road, Biglerville, PA 17307. Check-In to start the Tour is from 10 a.m. until Noon at the Round Barn
Price is $35 per adult in advance
Kids under 18 are FREE!
$40 per adult on day of event
(Children and youth must be accompanied by an adult)
Learn how to monitor bird boxes! During this hands-on training, learn about cavity nesting birds, how to identify nests and eggs, how to respectfully monitor, and more. Upon completion, you will be eligible to become a volunteer Bird Box Monitor at Kings Gap EEC. For more info or to sign up, contact Kim Schubert at kischubert@pa.gov or 717-486-3799.
Celebrate spring with this free 1-2 mile hike. Bring water, dress for the weather, and have appropriate footwear. While the pace will be easy, the terrain includes some steep incline.
Even in winter, there is much to explore and learn. Join us as a family to uncover the mysteries during winter, with science experiments and outdoor exploration. Free. Recommended for ages 8+
Even in winter, there is much to explore and learn. Join us as a family to uncover the mysteries during winter, with science experiments and outdoor exploration. Free. Recommended for ages 8+
The Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference is Pennsylvania’s premier networking, training, and inspirational event for staff and volunteers of conservation groups.
In this program series, families with young children can engage in nature exploration through stories, outdoor activities, and crafts. You may register for just one session, or all. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Pre-registration is required, sign up online.
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Enjoy tea, cocoa, or coffee while watching our birdfeeders as part of this community science project. Project FeederWatch collects data on birds visiting feeders in winter. No registration required for this free program. Experienced birders and beginners welcome!
Join Friends of Pine Grove for a two-day family-oriented festival with live music, craft and food vendors, hayrides, visits by Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl, pumpkin carving, historical demonstrations, and on Saturday evening a pumpkin parade followed by the “Legend of the Hairy Hand.”
The Institute invites area families on a free, guided winter hike along the Appalachian Trail on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. as part of their Naturalist Discovery Series of programs.
Led by an Institute naturalist, hikers will explore some of the wonders to be found in the woods and along the byways.
“The Appalachian Trail is legendary,” said Pam Rowland, Institute education director and program organizer. “We are fortunate to live in an area that the Trail crosses through in several nearby locations.”
The hike is the first in a series of four Appalachian Trail hikes planned for the last Sunday of each month through April, as part of The Institute’s Naturalist Discovery Series.
The activity is geared for families with children age 10 and older. Later hikes will welcome younger kids.
The event is free but pre-registration is required. Register online at The Institute’s website: www.natureandcultureinstitute.org. The meeting place for the hike will be sent after registration.
For more information, email to: info@natureandcultureinstitute.org.
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
JUNE LOCATION: Gettysburg National Battlefield (meet at Virginia monument)
We will discuss transportation around the county, and we are inviting a variety of folks to act as panelists to talk about how transportation, housing, and economic development are linked and where there might be gaps in service. We are inviting our coalition members to this event and have someone from rabbittransit, Commuter Services of PA, the Adams County Planning Office, and others participating.
After our panelists share their knowledge, we will break out into groups to identify gaps in service and ways to fill them.
This event is free, and there will be light snacks available.
Pennsylvania’s outdoor workforce, numbering more than 152,000 strong, powers the $14 billion outdoor industry in the Commonwealth. Employment and business ownership in this sector is as varied as Pennsylvania’s outdoor experiences and as important to our economy as every industry.
Please join Pennsylvania’s Director of Outdoor Recreation and a large, diverse representation of Pennsylvania’s outdoor workforce for a webinar to learn about the contributions they make to Pennsylvania’s economy, how their work connects and benefits communities, and what they need to succeed in the coming decade.
Join Move Past Plastic for a dinner and book talk/signing with Rachel Carson, author of “In the Footsteps of Rachel Carson: Harnessing Earth’s Healing Power” on March 24 at the Unitarian Church in Harrisburg. The book signing will follow dinner at Gilligans Bar and Grille. Patricia DeMarco, Ph.D., will be the guest speaker.
REGISTRATION for the book talk and signing is requested but not required. Patty wants to get an idea of how many books to bring.
REGISTRATION for Dinner at Gilligans Bar & Grill 987 Eisenhower Blvd, Harrisburg, PA 17111, at 5:30 p.m.
and/or offer or accept a Carpool to Gilligan’s Bar & Grill 987 Eisenhower Blvd, Harrisburg, PA 17111, at 5:30 p.m. and/or toUU Church on 1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg, PA 17113, at 6:45 pm. (Note we can pick up along the route.
Shippensburg University will join hundreds of colleges, universities, schools, and faith organizations around the world in expanding the conversations about climate solutions and climate justice. Our panel discussions will offer interdisciplinary perspectives and cultivate actionable solutions.
Shippensburg University will join hundreds of colleges, universities, schools, and faith organizations around the world in expanding the conversations about climate solutions and climate justice. Our panel discussions will offer interdisciplinary perspectives and cultivate actionable solutions.
Do you own 30 acres or more of forestland in Adams County? Learn how to manage your forests AND profit off them! Come learn about forest management and carbon markets.
Join Mount Tabor Preservation project on a history walking tour to see the latest construction updates and much more.
Looking to build safer streets, better bike lanes, and walkable routes that connect people to where they need and want to go? New federal funding is available for your community to layer on top of existing state and local sources! The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides billions of dollars for investments in active transportation infrastructure that promotes regular physical activity, keeps families safer, and connects people to the places they live, work, learn, and play.
Join the partners of the Intersections Initiative (America Walks, the League of American Bicyclists, and Safe Routes Partnership) to learn about new federal programs for walking and biking infrastructure, the upcoming opportunities you need to know about, and the initial steps you can take to prepare your community to apply for funding.
This is a WEBINAR. Please register for webinar access.
Join York Downtown Inc. virtually on March 15, 2023 from 8:30-9:30 am for the BLOOM Business Series Webinar: Being a Trail-Friendly Business.
Learn about ways your business can capitalize on high-volume trail use by being more welcoming and accommodating to trail users. Panelists include Jessica Brubaker, Keystone Kidspace; Ned Duke, Jr., Freedom Fitness and Training; and Amanda Poulin, Jackson House Bed & Breakfast.
Part of a series of monthly trail hikes on the last Sunday of the month, January through April 2023. Hike with us along a portion of the legendary Appalachian Trail! Led by an Institute naturalist, the hike will explore some of the wonders to be found in the woods and along the byways.
Meeting point for the hike provided on registration. Make sure to dress warmly for the weather.
FREE – Registration is required
Get the latest updates from the South Mountain Partnership.
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
MAY LOCATION: Conococheague Institute (meet at visitor center)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
JUNE LOCATION: Gettysburg National Battlefield (meet at Virginia monument)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
MAY LOCATION: Conococheague Institute (meet at visitor center)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
APRIL LOCATION: Pine Hill Recreation Area (meet in parking lot)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
APRIL LOCATION: Pine Hill Recreation Area (meet in parking lot)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
MARCH LOCATION: Caledonia State Park (meet at park office)
SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) Bird Walks are held the first and third Saturdays of the month. Birding enthusiasts Sharon and Larry Williams of Waynesboro lead walk along hiking trails at various locations throughout the area. Locations typically change each month.
MARCH LOCATION: Caledonia State Park (meet at park office)
Furry, Scaly, Slimy! Everyone with a backyard gets critter visitors in one form or another. Some can be a nuisance and others a pleasure. During this program, you will learn to identify some of the common mammalian, reptilian, and amphibian backyard visitors and their telltale signs, how to handle those unwanted visitors, and ways to safely attract more wildlife for viewing.
Informative and entertaining, this program documents birds within and around historic Gettysburg National Military Park.
A member of South Mountain Audubon Society, Portzline wrote a monthly column, Bird’s-Eye View, for the Gettysburg Times for five years, and is now writing a book on the subject.
Featuring her own photography, her slideshow program highlights some of the 175+ species spotted in the Gettysburg area…and explores how these can relate to your own backyard.
Portzline encourages birding as an activity that is good for nature as well as for the mind, body, and spirit.
Learn how to establish a pollinator-friendly garden or backyard. The presentation will introduce the pollinators found in our area, and why they are considered heroes. Collins will review why they need our help, and what individuals can do to support them, right in their own backyard. All experience levels can make a difference in how they maintain their yard. Collins explains that there are pollinator support methods for everyone. Her own photographs will illustrate the talk.