Knowing Native Plants
02Nov
Knowing Native Plants: From Flowers to Seeds with Ed Lignowski, Ph.D. (Nov. 2, 2024)
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 Virtual: $25
Thursday Night Nature
10Oct
Thursday Night Nature: Lenape Past, Present and Plantways: Traditional Ecological Knowledge from the Lenapehoking with Adam DePaul (October 10, 2024)
Chief Adam Waterbear, tribal storykeeper and director of education for the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, will discuss the past and present of the Lenape peoples, including pre-colonial life, relationships with William Penn, the era of Penn's Sons and the Walking Purchase, the Lenape diaspora and the homeland Lenape and what the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania is doing today to revitalize Lenape culture and continue their role as caretakers of their homelands. Chief Adam will then offer Lenape stories and cultural wisdom that promotes a harmonious relationship with the environment. Discussion and questions from the audience will be welcome and encouraged. Adam Waterbear DePaul is a council member for the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, where his roles include storykeeper, academic liaison and coordinator of the Rising Nation River Journey. He is an instructor and Ph.D. candidate in cultural and mythological studies at Temple University, where he co-curated Everyday Artistry, Enduring Presence in 2019. 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.
17Oct
Thursday Night Nature: Wildflower Farm, Dance for LIFE* (Love, Inspiration, Faith and Empowerment) and Gardening for LIFE* with Tomia MacQueen (October 17, 2024)
Wildflower Farm hosts educational workshops on self (and community) sustainability for adults and children. The farm sustainably produces organically and ethically raised, pastured, truly free-range and soy-free poultry, grass-fed lamb and culturally relevant vegetables and seeds with a unique focus on humane animal husbandry policies and conservation practices. Join us to learn more about these techniques and how you can incorporate them into your garden. Tomia MacQueen is an educator of 20+ years, farmer and master gardener specializing in edible gardens. She is the owner of Wildflower Farm and the founder of Dance for LIFE (Love, Inspiration, Faith and Empowerment) and Gardening for LIFE. She is the founder of the Healing Waters Project which provides land access and training to new and beginning farmers at Wildflower Farm. Tomia partners with local organizations and schools as a featured farmer/mentor within youth and young adult programs such as the Outdoor Equity Alliance Agrihood Program and the Princeton University Seed Farm and others. She also served as the pilot coordinator for the Food Systems Literacy program at Princeton Public Schools laying the transformative framework for the Food Systems Curriculum. 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.
24Oct
Thursday Night Nature: Thar She Glows! Biofluorescence with Holden Cooper (October 24, 2024)
Thar She Glows aims to shed light on the novel study of biofluorescence, focusing on taxa in terrestrial systems. Holden Cooper will discuss the current research in these systems while highlighting research in biofluorescence. We will then discuss the ecological significance of the trait and how it is determined. Holden Cooper has been interested in reptiles and amphibians as far back as he can remember. While completing his bachelor's degree at Penn State Behrend, he conducted multiple research projects documenting biofluorescence in snakes and salamanders of Western Pennsylvania. Cooper has conducted a variety of research on reptiles and amphibians, including population surveys of spotted salamanders, documenting the occurrence of leucism in a dusky salamander and biofluorescence in gray treefrogs. 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
13Oct
Fall Foliage Tour with Jim Bray (October 13, 2024)
Established in 1944, Penn’s Woods is a nine-acre arboretum within the Preserve that showcases a collection of mature trees native to Pennsylvania. Join one of our seasoned naturalists and explore the history and diversity of Pennsylvania’s trees. We’ll learn why native trees work best in the landscape and the integral role they play in our environment. The naturalist leading this invigorating walk will meet participants at the Visitor Center. For ages 12 and up. Jim Bray, a NY native with a long-term passion for gardening and conservation, has lived in Bucks County, PA, for most of his adult life. He is a Preserve interpretive naturalist, a master gardener and is the past chairman of the Lower Makefield Township Environmental Council. During his time as chair of LMT, they received several national and state awards, among them the Environmental Achievement Award from the U.S. EPA—the only community so honored in the whole Mid-Atlantic region—as well as the PA Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. Bray is an avid outdoors enthusiast and biker, and if you walk the canal, you will run into him sooner or later. Fee: Members: $5; Non-members: $15 (includes Preserve admission) Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register on or after online registration closes, space availability and reservations.
20Oct
A Walking Preserve History Tour with Bill Gaboda and Mary Nogami (October 20, 2024)
The land that makes up Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve has seen dramatic changes through the years. Beginning with the unrelenting geologic and hydrologic events that carved the landscape into an ideal sanctuary for PA's native plant species, the efforts of countless folks continued the transformation—those who planted and constructed some of the most iconic landmarks in Bucks County. Join interpretive naturalists Bill Gaboda and Mary Nogami as they take a walking trip through time in honor of our 90th anniversary! We will explore the Preserve's historic landmarks like the Pidcock Creek, the American Chestnut Log Cabin, the Stone Arch Bridge and Penn's Woods. Discover the cultural history they hold! Mary Nogami discovered her love of native plants from listening to a Doug Tallemy podcast and finding Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve in 2006. Both she and her husband Eric became interpretive naturalists in 2009, and they have loved introducing their four children to the Preserve over the years. In 2017, Nogami created a historical tour and has been sharing her love of the area's history along with her favorite plants during guided walks. She is also part of the Preserve’s development committee. Bill Gaboda grew up in Central NJ when it was still mostly fields, farms and forests. He recalls wandering freely for hours, wondering about all the life around him. When he joined the Boy Scouts, he was shown how deep and quiet the woods could be. A career as an analytical chemist showed Gaboda how fragile and easily damaged the environment could be, and after he retired, he was delighted to sign up for the Preserve's naturalist training to deepen his knowledge and love for the natural world. Fee: Members: $5; Non-members: $15 (includes Preserve admission) Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register on or after online registration closes, space availability and reservations.
26Oct
Masters of the Skies: A Brief Introduction to Falconry with Gregory Wojtera (Oct. 26, 2024)
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 barn owl (Tyto alba)—as well as a Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), which is native to the Southwestern U.S. Please note, this is a bring-your-own seat event, be it a blanket or a lawn chair. All attendees must be ticket holders, including children, and 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. Admission: $10 (members $8 with discount code)
27Oct
A Walking Preserve History Tour with Bill Gaboda and Mary Nogami (October 27, 2024)
The land that makes up Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve has seen dramatic changes through the years. Beginning with the unrelenting geologic and hydrologic events that carved the landscape into an ideal sanctuary for PA's native plant species, the efforts of countless folks continued the transformation—those who planted and constructed some of the most iconic landmarks in Bucks County. Join interpretive naturalists Bill Gaboda and Mary Nogami as they take a walking trip through time in honor of our 90th anniversary! We will explore the Preserve's historic landmarks like the Pidcock Creek, the American Chestnut Log Cabin, the Stone Arch Bridge and Penn's Woods. Discover the cultural history they hold! Mary Nogami discovered her love of native plants from listening to a Doug Tallemy podcast and finding Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve in 2006. Both she and her husband Eric became interpretive naturalists in 2009, and they have loved introducing their four children to the Preserve over the years. In 2017, Nogami created a historical tour and has been sharing her love of the area's history along with her favorite plants during guided walks. She is also part of the Preserve’s development committee. Bill Gaboda grew up in Central NJ when it was still mostly fields, farms and forests. He recalls wandering freely for hours, wondering about all the life around him. When he joined the Boy Scouts, he was shown how deep and quiet the woods could be. A career as an analytical chemist showed Gaboda how fragile and easily damaged the environment could be, and after he retired, he was delighted to sign up for the Preserve's naturalist training to deepen his knowledge and love for the natural world. Fee: Members: $5; Non-members: $15 (includes Preserve admission) Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register on or after online registration closes, space availability and reservations.