Workshops & Events
Ecology & Conservation
Moss Basics and Garden Survey
Get up close and personal with some of the preserve’s smallest plants. Moss experts and novices alike are asked to join us for a short introduction to our moss and fungi species followed by a barefoot survey of our garden! The work done at this event will help to create educational materials for the garden including a moss and fungi map of the space. This survey is recommended for ages 12 and up. This event will take place indoors for a brief presentation on moss and fungi identification and the rest will take place outside in our moss garden. Sunscreen is recommended. To reduce damage to the moss please be prepared to remove any footwear when walking on the garden. Also keep in mind that we will be spending time on our hands and knees to observe the mosses up close. The preserve will provide hand lenses and a moss identification guide. Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register after July 29, please call 215.862.2924 for availability and reservations. Fees: Members: FREE; Non-members: Free
Fungi Friday
Spend a morning at the Preserve learning about fungi and then join us for a walk to the moss garden to explore the various species we have right here in Pennsylvania. Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register after July 31, please call 215.862.2924 for availability and reservations. Fees: Members: FREE; Non-members: Free with admission
Weed Patrol
Join Grounds Manager Rick Fonda for a great way to learn and give back at the same time! Learn to identify native and non-native plants, the importance of biodiversity, and how to remove and dispose of invasive species properly. Your efforts will help to protect our native plant collections. Groups, individuals, and families are welcome. Dress for the weather and working in the woods. Gloves and tools will be supplied or bring your own. FREE for all! Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Volunteer Coordinator Regina Moriarty at 215.862.2924 ext. 110 or moriarty@bhwp.org.
Milkweeds & Monarchs
Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on leaves of milkweed, the only host plant for this iconic butterfly species. Without it, they cannot complete their life cycle. The good news is that planting milkweed is one of the easiest ways that each of us can make a difference for monarchs. Join Education Coordinator Kelly Joslin and learn about the monarch life cycle and their migration. You will also learn which plants to add to your yard to provide nectar for adults and serve as hosts for caterpillars.
Weed Patrol
Join Grounds Manager Rick Fonda for a great way to learn and give back at the same time! Learn to identify native and non-native plants, the importance of biodiversity, and how to remove and dispose of invasive species properly. Your efforts will help to protect our native plant collections. Groups, individuals, and families are welcome. Dress for the weather and working in the woods. Gloves and tools will be supplied or bring your own. FREE for all! Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Volunteer Coordinator Regina Moriarty at 215.862.2924 ext. 110 or moriarty@bhwp.org.
Growing Native Plants: Seed Collection with Jason Ksepka
Take advantage of the expertise of Preserve Curator Jason Ksepka and learn how to collect seed from the plants in your own backyard. This class will take you through the steps needed to successfully and responsibly collect native plant seeds. Timing of seed collection, as well as techniques and supplies suggested for seed storage and cleaning, will also be covered. Participants will take home a packet of native seeds.
Weed Patrol
Join Grounds Manager Rick Fonda for a great way to learn and give back at the same time! Learn to identify native and non-native plants, the importance of biodiversity, and how to remove and dispose of invasive species properly. Your efforts will help to protect our native plant collections. Groups, individuals, and families are welcome. Dress for the weather and working in the woods. Gloves and tools will be supplied or bring your own. FREE for all! Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Volunteer Coordinator Regina Moriarty at 215.862.2924 ext. 110 or moriarty@bhwp.org.
Birding Programs
Fall Morning Bird Walk
The Preserve's diverse variety of native plants offers migrating birds a smorgasbord of fruits and the insects they attract. Join us as we search the woods for warblers, thrushes, and other species and learn about the plants that help fuel their flight.
Fall Morning Bird Walk
The Preserve's diverse variety of native plants offers migrating birds a smorgasbord of fruits and the insects they attract. Join us as we search the woods for warblers, thrushes, and other species and learn about the plants that help fuel their flight.
Fall Morning Bird Walk
The Preserve's diverse variety of native plants offers migrating birds a smorgasbord of fruits and the insects they attract. Join us as we search the woods for warblers, thrushes, and other species and learn about the plants that help fuel their flight.
Fall Morning Bird Walk
The Preserve's diverse variety of native plants offers migrating birds a smorgasbord of fruits and the insects they attract. Join us as we search the woods for warblers, thrushes, and other species and learn about the plants that help fuel their flight.
Art, Health & Nature
Moss Garden Meditation
Take a break from the work week to spend some time at peace in nature. Either by yourself or using a guided meditation from the visitor’s center, relax, breathe, and listen as you walk barefoot on our plush moss carpet. Take a seat and stay a while! Online registration for this program closes two days prior to the event. If you wish to register after July 29, please call 215.862.2924 for availability and reservations. Fees: Members: FREE; Non-members: Free with Preserve admission
How to Fight Plants with Plants – Chemical-Free Methods for Removing Invasives Workshop with Nancy Lawson
You’ve decided to start a native plant garden for the good of the animals and the environment. Learn how to go native without the use of chemicals—and without overwhelming yourself—through innovative, humane and sustainable planting and cultivation strategies. Nancy Lawson is the author of The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife. A columnist for All Animals magazine, Lawson founded Humane Gardener, an outreach initiative dedicated to cultivating compassion for all creatures, great and small, through animal-friendly landscaping methods. After an early career in newspaper journalism, she led the creative teams behind the award-winning print and digital magazines of The Humane Society of the United States.
Meadowscaping 101 Workshop with Catherine Zimmerman
This workshop will cover meadow site preparation, design, planting and maintenance. It includes a tour of the Preserve’s meadow, as well as the opportunity to purchase plants to get started on your meadowscape!