Knowing Native Plants
07Oct
Knowing Native Plants: Trees of the Preserve with Ed Lignowski, Ph.D. (Oct. 7, 2023)
Learn about our native trees that dominate the landscape of forests, homes and municipalities. Former botany/plant physiology college professor Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., will discuss Pennsylvania’s forests, tree growth and development and how to identify the many native tree species of the Preserve. The biological and environmental changes occurring in autumn that provide brilliant seasonal tree colors will be explained. Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes 12 hours before the start of the class. If you need help with registration, please email education@bhwp.org. If you need assistance with your membership code, please contact development@bhwp.org. You will receive an email with a Zoom meeting invitation before the program begins and after registration closes. Registration Fees: In-Person: $30 Virtual: $25
04Nov
Knowing Native Plants: From Flowers to Seeds with Ed Lignowski, Ph.D. (Nov. 4, 2023)
How do angiosperms reproduce sexually? Former botany and plant physiology college professor Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., will discuss the life cycle of flowering plants, from pollination to fruit and seed dispersal. The general anatomy of flowers will be covered along with specific examples of native plants that illustrate the many interesting differences in floral structure and function occurring in nature. Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes 12 hours before the start of the class. If you need help with registration, please email education@bhwp.org. If you need assistance with your membership code, please contact development@bhwp.org. You will receive an email with a Zoom meeting invitation before the program begins and after registration closes. Registration Fees: In-Person: $30 Sold Out Virtual: $25
Thursday Night Nature
28Sep
Thursday Night Nature Autumn 2023 Discount Bundle
Back to School savings are coming to you for Thursday Night Nature! The full class bundle is available for an extra discounted price of $90, which equals two free lectures. The Preserve is proud to announce the continuation of Thursday Night Nature. In the same vein as our popular Winter Lecture Series, the Preserve will host a guest lecturer 7 pm - 8 pm every Thursday for eight weeks, beginning Sept. 28. Using Zoom Webinars these all-virtual lectures will feature an impressive list of experts from across the country. All programs will be recorded and shared for a short time with all registrants. If you can't join us LIVE, register and watch when you can during the allowed time. Online registration for this program bundle closes on Sept. 28 at 5:00 pm.
28Sep
Thursday Night Nature: Naughty by Nature: Courtship in the Animal Kingdom with Mike Weilbacher (September 28, 2023)
Birds do it, bees do it and sentimental fleas? Don’t even ask. In a fun yet science-filled, illustrated, PG-13 lecture, Mike Weilbacher presents the extraordinary life stories and adaptations of animals for sex and reproduction. From giraffes “necking” to male anglerfish hanging around literally forever, from gender-bending clownfish to overly endowed banana slugs, from honeybees to, of course, the infamous praying mantis, you’ll shake your head at the extraordinary antics of sex in the animal kingdom. Naturalist Mike Weilbacher is executive director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia’s Roxborough section. An award-winning environmental educator for 40 years, Weilbacher writes a weekly column for the Roxborough Review and is well known to public radio listeners as “Mike the All-Natural Science Guy” on the live children’s radio show “Kid’s Corner” on WXPN. Program Fee: $15 (Members, enter your code at checkout to receive your 20% discount.) All lectures will be held virtually using Zoom. They will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers for a short time.
05Oct
Thursday Night Nature: Restoring Ecological Function vs. Landscaping with Natives with Josh Bruce (October 5, 2023)
Learn the difference between these two approaches to incorporating native plants into the landscape, and how they perform over time. Learn about how the natural environment, and the selection of species, influence the long-term viability and ecological usefulness of native plantings. Josh is a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, and has spent years studying ecology and invasive management. He has worked with everything from Porceline Berry to Lantern Fly management in an effort to make way for healthier ecosystems. Josh has has a B.S. in Biology from Vassar College. He has a soft spot for riparian areas and streams, which is where you might find him collecting data (or trash) on his days off! Program Fee: $15 (Members, enter your code at checkout to receive your 20% discount.) All lectures will be held virtually using Zoom. They will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers for a short time.
Exploring Nature
05Nov
Masters of the Skies: A Brief Introduction to Falconry with Gregory Wojtera (Nov. 5, 2023)
This program will introduce participants to falconry, its history and its significance in the past and present. It will also touch on the biology and natural history of our native raptor species. Participants will be introduced to two of Pennsylvania’s native birds of prey—a red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)—as well as a Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), which is native to the Southwestern U.S. Additional time will be allotted for a Q&A session and a photo opportunity with the birds at the end of the program. Please note, this is a bring-your-own seat event, be it a blanket or a lawn chair. Please note that individual tickets are per person and that all children must be accompanied by an adult. French native Gregory Wojtera is a master falconer who has worked with almost 50 raptors in the past 12 years. He trains and flies hawks, falcons and owls for a variety of purposes, including hunting, falconry abatement (bird control) and education. In 2014, he created Masters of the Skies to educate the general public about birds of prey and falconry. Wojtera is licensed at the state and federal levels to conduct public falconry classes, and he has been working as a full-time falconer and educator since 2016.