Workshops & Events
Ecology & Conservation
28Sep
The Fungus Among Us: What Fungi Are And Why They Are Important with Gary Emberger, Ph.D.
What do puffballs, dead man’s fingers, fairy rings, soft drinks, destroying angels, powdery mildews, ringworm, corn smut, Beano, stink horns, morels, truffles, dandruff, beer, shiitakes, chestnut trees, bread, stone-washed jeans and Roquefort cheese all have in common? They all involve a fungus! Fungi are everywhere and affect us every day. We enjoy eating some. Others will kill us. Some fungi cause diseases. Some cure diseases. Many plants cannot live without fungi. Some plants cannot live because of them. Fungi have been recognized since antiquity, yet to most people are little understood and somewhat mysterious. Neither plants nor animals, fungi are considered to be a separate kingdom of organisms. This presentation will explain what fungi are, survey their diversity, discuss their importance in ecosystems and review how they impact our lives. Gary Emberger, Ph.D. taught mycology, plant taxonomy, medicinal botany and other biology courses at Messiah University from 1981 to 2018. He completed a B.S. in biology at Pennsylvania State University and earned a M.S. and a Ph.D. in plant pathology at Pennsylvania State University and North Carolina State University, respectively. Students enjoyed mycology because the field trips, lab work and lectures opened their eyes to a vast kingdom of organisms that were mostly unfamiliar to them. Emberger maintains an active interest in the diversity of fungi that utilize wood as a substrate, and he is the author of the online identification guide to “Fungi Growing on Wood.”
Art, Health & Nature
18Sep
“Wild” Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature (Sept. 18, 2024)
This program has a tiered pricing system that allows you to pay what you wish. Join Priscilla Hayes, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve volunteer naturalist and certified yoga teacher, for gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems. On your mat each week, you will notice the small—or not so small—changes in yourself: the community of your body, mind and spirit. Each session will include breath exercises, yoga poses, and gentle self-care exercises/meditations. Create an intimate awareness of your body and self surrounded by the mosses and plants as they provide you lovely fresh air and peace. Safe social distancing will be practiced throughout each session, and participants are asked to bring their own mats, a blanket, and any other props (a block and a strap are recommended). Priscilla Hayes was inspired to become a yoga teacher after she experienced the benefits of yoga firsthand, in both healing and developing flexibility after a knee replacement. Wanting to pass those same benefits on to others, she completed teacher training at Honor Yoga in 2018 and did her first year and a half of teaching there, as well as completing additional training in various yoga specialties. She left to pursue her passions of yoga in nature and of inspiring others to engage in a daily home practice. She has been teaching in the moss garden at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve since late spring 2020 (with a winter break). Since August 2020, she has been posting approximately half-hour sequences combining yoga with other self-care practices at Home Practice Breaks, https://www.facebook.com/homepracticebreaks, which can be accessed at any time for free. Safe social distancing will be practiced throughout each session, and participants are asked to bring their own mats, a blanket, and any other props.
21Sep
Nature Therapy Walk: A Shinrin-yoku Experience with Sharon Lohse (September 21, 2024)
“The forest is the therapist. The guide opens the doors.” – M. Amos Clifford Led by Sharon Lohse, nature therapy walks are a unique, immersive, slow-paced experience with proven health benefits. Inspired by the Japanese practice of forest bathing and led by a certified nature and forest therapy guide, you will explore the land of the Preserve and awaken your senses to its sounds, beings, textures and beauty. This experience is different than a hike or naturalist walk. You will be invited to move slowly, wander, pause, observe and reflect. The emphasis is on unplugging, calming the mind and engaging with the natural world. Many studies have shown that this type of experience in nature reduces stress, lowers cortisol levels and blood pressure, increases energy, enhances sleep, increases natural killer disease-fighting cells and provides an overall sense of well-being. Sharon Lohse is a psychiatric nurse with certificates in horticultural therapy, mindfulness and forest therapy. Her love of plants, trees, flowers and people is the root of her business, Mindful in Nature. She has been a certified guide since January 2019 and very much enjoys bringing people and plants together. She has transformed her yard into a horticultural masterpiece, winning the Garden of Distinction Award in the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s annual garden contest. In the process, she discovered how happy people felt after walking her garden trail, which led Lohse to Delaware Valley University. Patty Kleiner is a certified forest therapy guide and a Preserve naturalist. She has had a lifelong affinity for the outdoors and enjoys sharing the healing power of nature with others. An avid photographer of the natural world, her work has been selected for inclusion in the Phillips Mill photography exhibition. Pre-registration for this program is required by Wednesday, September 12, 2023. Admission: $35 ($28 with member discount)
25Sep
“Wild” Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature (Sept. 25, 2024)
This program has a tiered pricing system that allows you to pay what you wish. Join Priscilla Hayes, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve volunteer naturalist and certified yoga teacher, for gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems. On your mat each week, you will notice the small—or not so small—changes in yourself: the community of your body, mind and spirit. Each session will include breath exercises, yoga poses, and gentle self-care exercises/meditations. Create an intimate awareness of your body and self surrounded by the mosses and plants as they provide you lovely fresh air and peace. Safe social distancing will be practiced throughout each session, and participants are asked to bring their own mats, a blanket, and any other props (a block and a strap are recommended). Priscilla Hayes was inspired to become a yoga teacher after she experienced the benefits of yoga firsthand, in both healing and developing flexibility after a knee replacement. Wanting to pass those same benefits on to others, she completed teacher training at Honor Yoga in 2018 and did her first year and a half of teaching there, as well as completing additional training in various yoga specialties. She left to pursue her passions of yoga in nature and of inspiring others to engage in a daily home practice. She has been teaching in the moss garden at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve since late spring 2020 (with a winter break). Since August 2020, she has been posting approximately half-hour sequences combining yoga with other self-care practices at Home Practice Breaks, https://www.facebook.com/homepracticebreaks, which can be accessed at any time for free. Safe social distancing will be practiced throughout each session, and participants are asked to bring their own mats, a blanket, and any other props.
19Oct
Nature Therapy Walk: A Shinrin-yoku Experience with Sharon Lohse (October 19, 2024)
“The forest is the therapist. The guide opens the doors.” – M. Amos Clifford Led by Sharon Lohse, nature therapy walks are a unique, immersive, slow-paced experience with proven health benefits. Inspired by the Japanese practice of forest bathing and led by a certified nature and forest therapy guide, you will explore the land of the Preserve and awaken your senses to its sounds, beings, textures and beauty. This experience is different than a hike or naturalist walk. You will be invited to move slowly, wander, pause, observe and reflect. The emphasis is on unplugging, calming the mind and engaging with the natural world. Many studies have shown that this type of experience in nature reduces stress, lowers cortisol levels and blood pressure, increases energy, enhances sleep, increases natural killer disease-fighting cells and provides an overall sense of well-being. Sharon Lohse is a psychiatric nurse with certificates in horticultural therapy, mindfulness and forest therapy. Her love of plants, trees, flowers and people is the root of her business, Mindful in Nature. She has been a certified guide since January 2019 and very much enjoys bringing people and plants together. She has transformed her yard into a horticultural masterpiece, winning the Garden of Distinction Award in the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s annual garden contest. In the process, she discovered how happy people felt after walking her garden trail, which led Lohse to Delaware Valley University. Patty Kleiner is a certified forest therapy guide and a Preserve naturalist. She has had a lifelong affinity for the outdoors and enjoys sharing the healing power of nature with others. An avid photographer of the natural world, her work has been selected for inclusion in the Phillips Mill photography exhibition. Pre-registration for this program is required by Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Admission: $35 ($28 with member discount)