Knowing Native Plants
05Feb
Knowing Native Plants: Plant ID (Feb. 5, 2022)
Have you ever wondered how botanists classify plants? What characteristics make up the commonality of each group? This program will introduce you to the basics of identifying conifers and flowering plants using dichotomous keys. Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., former botany/plant physiology college professor, will teach you the vegetative and reproductive morphological features and terminology needed to use a typical plant identification key. 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
26Feb
Knowing Native Plants: Trees in Winter (Feb. 26, 2022)
Although this time of year the trees are dormant, they exhibit many interesting botanical features. Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., will explain how to identify native deciduous trees and shrubs using buds, twigs, fruit, bark and shape as your only clues. Discover what these trees are doing to prepare for spring and how flowing sap is used to make maple syrup. 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
26Mar
Knowing Native Plants: Signs of Spring (Mar. 26, 2022)
One of the most exciting sights to behold is your first flower of the spring season. Meet the early flowering plants—including snow trillium (Trillium nivale), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) and hepatica (Hepatica spp.)—and learn how they have adapted to this potentially harsh time of year. We will attempt to identify spring-blooming species from shoots just beginning to poke through the soil. 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
16Apr
Knowing Native Plants: Spring Ephemerals (Apr. 16, 2022)
Spring wildflowers such as Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) and several species of trillium (Trillium spp.) color the forest floor for a fleeting moment this time of year. Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn why these wildflowers are called spring ephemerals, their life cycles and the animals that disperse their seeds and help with pollination. You'll also learn about companion plants blooming at this same time of year. 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
07May
Knowing Native Plants: Late Spring Lovelies (May 7, 2022)
A lot happens at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve between the burst of spring ephemerals and the peak of flowering shrubs. Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn about the wildlife and landscape value of the later-blooming spring wildflowers, including woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), eastern columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum), shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia), wood geranium (Geranium maculatum) and the beautiful yellow lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) orchid. 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
21May
Knowing Native Plants: Flowering Shrubs (May 21, 2022)
The Mid-Atlantic region has a stunning display of spring flowering native shrubs that fill the Preserve and surrounding natural areas with color and fragrance every year. Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn about our native shrubs, their wildlife value and landscape beauty. 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
04Jun
Knowing Native Plants: Focus on Ferns (Jun. 4, 2022)
There are some native plants, such as ferns, that don’t flower at all. In this popular program, Ed Lignowski, Ph.D., will teach you to identify many native ferns. He will highlight their evolutionary history and unusual reproductive habits, as well as their natural habitats and usefulness in native plant gardens. 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
18Jun
Invasive Species ID and Management (June 18, 2022)
What is an invasive plant? What problems do invasive plants cause? Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to learn the answers to these questions, as well as how to identify the most common and troublesome invasive plant species in the Delaware Valley region. You'll also learn about several alternatives for control of these exotic intruders, many without the use of chemicals. 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
30Jul
Knowing Native Plants: Meadow Magic (July 30, 2022)
Join Naturalist Mary Anne Borge and discover, virtually, the Preserve’s 4-acre meadow. This program will introduce you to native plants that thrive in a meadow habitat, including wildflowers, grasses, sedges and rushes. Learn what defines a meadow, the benefits it provides, meadow successional stages, the actions necessary to maintain a meadow and the animals that depend on this type of ecosystem. Find out why it is important to plant native species and avoid non-native ornamentals that may escape from cultivation. Whether you are looking for ideas for your own meadow or want help identifying plants in the meadows where you hike, this program is for you. 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
27Aug
Knowing Native Plants: Amazing Aster Family, the Confusing Yellow Composites (Aug 27, 2022)
Join Preserve Naturalist Mary Anne Borge as we focus on the confusing late summer and fall-blooming yellow composites, including goldenrods (Solidago spp.), sunflowers, coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) and beggar-ticks (Bidens spp.). She will cover the features that make aster family members unique, as well as the relationships these plants have with the insects, birds and other animals that depend on them. Find out which of these species might be good candidates for your own garden. 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
24Sep
Knowing Native Plants: The Amazing Aster Family: Classic Asters and Their Colorful Companions (Sept. 24, 2022)
Join Preserve Naturalist Mary Anne Borge to find out what makes aster family members different from all other plants and their importance to both wildlife and people. You’ll learn about classic asters such as New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) and many other species found in different habitats; some that bloom into November; as well as bonesets (Eupatorium perfoliatum), white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) and mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). Learn which of these species might be good candidates for your own garden. 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
08Oct
Knowing Native Plants: Trees of the Preserve (Oct. 8, 2022)
Learn about many of our native tree species in the glory of their fall color with former botany/plant physiology college instructor Ed Lignowski, Ph.D. Do you know which native tree was originally used to flavor root beer? Or why leaves change color? This class will cover these topics and more, as well as provide tips on how to identify the trees of the Preserve, both deciduous and evergreen. 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
05Nov
Knowing Native Plants: From Flowers to Seeds (Nov. 5, 2022)
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
Exploring Nature
23Jan
WLS 2022: Recognizing, Understanding, and Protecting Old-growth Forests (Jan. 23)
An old-growth forest is one that has formed naturally over a long period of time with little or no disturbance from humankind. They are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood. This evocative and accessible program defines old-growth and provides a brief history of forests. It offers a rare view into how the lifeforms in an ancient, undisturbed forest—including not only its majestic trees but also its insects, plant life, fungi and mammals—differ from the lifeforms in a forest manipulated by humans. What emerges is a portrait of a beautiful, intricate and fragile ecosystem that now exists only in scattered fragments. In this program, Joan Maloof, Ph.D., director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, makes a heartfelt and passionate case for the importance of these ecosystems. Joan Maloof is a writer, ecologist and conservationist with a unique voice. She is a professor emeritus at Salisbury University, where she taught biological sciences and environmental studies. Maloof has published numerous research articles in publications such as Ecology, American Journal of Botany and the International Journal of Environmental Studies. Maloof’s books include Teaching the Trees (2005), Among the Ancients (2011), Nature’s Temples: the Complex World of Old-Growth Forests (2016), The Living Forest: A Visual Journey into the Heart of the Woods (2017) and Treepedia: A Brief Compendium of Arboreal Lore (2021). Maloof is the founder and executive director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, an organization dedicated to creating a network of at least one protected forest in every U.S. county where trees grow. With nearly 4,500 supporters, the network now includes 147 preserved forests in 28 different states—including Bucks County’s Hart’s Woods, which is jointly protected by Doylestown Township and the Heritage Conservancy.
30Jan
WLS 2022: Being a Good Bluebird Box Landlord (Jan. 30)
Join us as we look at the ways that you can help Eastern bluebirds and other native cavity nesters remain numerous in our communities. This program explores proper nest box construction and placement for Eastern bluebirds. We will also discuss nest box predators, other birds that will use your boxes, how to care for the boxes and nesting behavior and timetables. Diane Allison is a member of the North American Bluebird Society’s speaker’s bureau and has built over 2,000 bluebird boxes with school children and scouts. She has been the nestbox monitor for Giving Pond State Park, a part of Delaware Canal State Park, for nearly 15 years. A Tinicum Township resident for 40 years, she has served on the boards of Bucks County Audubon, the Tinicum Conservancy and the Palisades School District. A graduate of Delaware Valley University, she recently retired from a career in microbiological quality assurance for Johnson & Johnson. Her interest in birds has taken her to all 50 states, Europe, Central America, South America, the Galapagos Islands and the Caribbean. Locally, she has been the compiler for the Central Bucks Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the compiler for all of Bucks County for the Pennsylvania Migration Count for over 20 years.
06Feb
WLS 2022: Creating a Pollinator Paradise with Native Perennials (Feb. 6)
Looking forward to welcoming the migratory birds and butterflies that will be returning to Pennsylvania in early spring? Join Heather Andrews, The Thoughtful Gardener, as she shares practical tips guided by the latest scientific research to help you create a pollinator paradise in your own backyard. Heather Andrews is an author, photographer, traveler and speaker who works with homeowners and businesses to create sustainable native pollinator habitats. She grew up as one of 12 grandchildren in North Carolina, and often took walks in her Granddaddy Andrews’ garden, where she learned about pollinators and increasing yield. During the growing season, you will find her in her monarch waystation, Cat-a-pillar Haven, video blogging on her new YouTube Channel, Garden Thoughtfully. She routinely creates actionable video content to enable gardeners to create a pollinator paradise in their own backyards. Andrews is a two-time recipient of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s “Garden of Distinction” Award by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for her monarch waystation and for a pollinator garden she designed for the historic Craighead House in conjunction with the Master Gardeners of Central PA. Her award-winning photographs and articles have been featured in magazines and on the online publishing platform Medium.com. Her proposal “The resurgence of pollinator hedgerows—using science to create a pollinator oasis in your own backyard,” was accepted at the 2021 International Master Gardeners Conference.
13Feb
WLS 2022: Container Gardening with Native Plants: Observations from a Rooftop In Brooklyn (Feb. 13)
Learn how to grow happy, healthy native plants in clay pots, wooden boxes or even plastic bags. From planning and potting to maintenance and overwintering, you'll be ready for a successful adventure in native plant container gardening. Noah Ratzan is an amateur gardener based in Brooklyn, NY. He has spent the last two years cultivating his Brooklyn rooftop native plant garden, which now is home to over 50 native plant species. Noah's favorite thing about his small garden is the life it brings and the many pollinators and insects that now and then call the place home.
20Feb
WLS 2022: Growing Your Own Bird Feeder Using Native Plants (Feb. 20)
If you want to attract birds to your garden, you can put up bird feeders—or you can use native plants to provide food that will attract and feed birds year-round. While recent reports of bird feeders potentially spreading illness to the birds that patronize them are not always firmly rooted in factual data, there is a lot to be said about welcoming birds to our yards with a banquet of food that can be safely and naturally provided by native plants and trees. This talk is an introduction to what food various species of birds are seeking when they come to your garden at different times of the year, and how to satisfy that need for nourishment naturally—with a few tips on how to supplement that food supply using feeders. Juanita Hummel is a retired research scientist who has been an avid birder for more than 40 years. She is currently the board president of the Washington Crossing Audubon Society in NJ, is a Pennsylvania master naturalist and a volunteer naturalist at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. When not removing invasive plants and replanting natives in her Sourland Mountain yard, she enjoys leading bird and nature walks for conservation organizations, participating in citizen science research projects and ecotraveling to observe birds and plants in their native habitats around the world.
27Feb
WLS 2022: Native Plants that Shaped Our History (Feb. 27)
Plants as a group are generally overlooked by our society. With the exception of food, garden beauty or possibly building material, many don’t realize the deep connection we have with plants each and every day. In this program, we will examine the rich history of some of our native species and explore how each has shaped the world. Santino Lauricella has served as the education coordinator for Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve since 2019. He is responsible for the Preserve's educational programming, which helps visitors to be inspired by our natural world. Originally from central New York, he received his B.S. in wildlife management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. An avid lover of the outdoors since his childhood spent just outside the Adirondack Park, he relishes all opportunities to share his passion for nature and science with others.