The Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certification is the environmental gold standard in sustainable food production for coffee and cocoa. Smithsonian scientists developed the Bird Friendly certification for coffee in the late 1990s to conserve habitat and protect migratory songbirds. Bird Friendly habitat ensures a mix of foliage cover, tree height and biodiversity that creates quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. Learn about how to eat, drink and live Bird Friendly!

Melissa Mazurkewicz is the Bird Friendly program manager for Latin America, where she manages the coffee and cocoa producer, auditor and extension components of the Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly certified supply chains. She has made Panama her home after serving in the Peace Corps 10 years ago. Marzurkewicz has a B.A. in horticulture from Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in extension education from the University of Florida. Her love for native plants started during her internship at the Preserve in 2007.

All lectures will be held virtually using Zoom. They will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers for a short time. Zoom invitations will be sent out after this time to the email used to register for the event via education@bhwp.org.

Program Fee: $15 (Members, enter your code at checkout to receive your 20% discount.)

Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes at noon on the date of the program. This lecture is part of our Annual Winter Lecture Series. The series features presentations by regionally renowned experts who address a wide range of topics related to natural history, biodiversity, ecological gardening, native plants and native wildlife.

Nectar and pollen from our native meadow plants such as the aster family and goldenrods (Solidago spp.) fuel the lives of our native pollinators throughout autumn. Join one of our seasoned naturalists for a guided tour of our 6.4-acre meadow to learn about meadow ecology and plant-pollinator interactions. The naturalist leading this invigorating walk will meet participants at the James Moore Pavilion. For ages 10 and up.    

Rick Anderson has been a Preserve naturalist for over 13 years and has led guided meadow walks for the past 5 years. He’s a scout merit badge counselor for nature, forestry and environmental science. He and Paula Walter have volunteered together at local schools, teaching students about watersheds, water quality and ecosystems. Anderson hosted a public video recording on our meadows, showcasing the ecosystem of wet, moist and dry areas that each support different plant and animal communities.

Paula Walter is a property steward and naturalist for several Bucks County education organizations. She has worked to install, maintain and monitor both large scale and backyard meadows. Walter is an advocate for the importance of meadows in a healthy environment and finds the Preserve’s meadow ecosystem both fascinating and beautiful.

Date: Monday, May 13, 7:30 – 9 am
Registration Deadline: Sunday, May 10, 4 pm
Admission: $5 Preserve Admission Not Included

Join naturalists Pam Newitt and Sue Evenland for an informal walk and talk through the Preserve. We will cover the basics of bird watching and learn tricks to hone your skill at identification through field marks and birdsong. This program will help you prepare for the spring migration as returning birds make their way north from warmer wintering grounds. Bring binoculars if you have them, comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. This class is for ages 12 to adult.

Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers.

Sue Eveland is a long-time Preserve volunteer with a B.S. in Biology from Penn State University. She followed this with a career as a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry. Throughout her life, Eveland has been an avid birder and native plant enthusiast for many years and enjoys sharing her passion for both.

Families are invited to join naturalist Pam Newitt for a close look at these fascinating and complicated creatures of the night. We will learn about the different kinds of fireflies, how they communicate and ways to help their declining populations. After making a safe firefly catcher, we will head out to examine them more closely. All fireflies will be released unharmed. This class will be canceled in the case of rain. This class is for all ages.

Pam Newitt has a B.S. in wildlife conservation from the University of Maryland, has been a professional interpretive naturalist since 1989 and is a long-time active presence at the Preserve. She loves walking woodland trails, looking up for birds and down at wildflowers.

Fees: $12 per person ($9.60 with member discount)
Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes on June 27, 2024; to register after this date, please call our Visitor Center at 215.862.2924.

Program Fee: $15 (Members: Enter your code to receive your 20% discount)

Walks are weather-dependent; please dress for the weather.

Admission:
(LIMITED) $45 (members $36 with discount code)
***If you would like to stay for the falconry talk immediately following, admission for that experience is sold separately.***

Nectar and pollen from our native meadow plants such as the aster family and goldenrods (Solidago spp.) fuel the lives of our native pollinators throughout autumn. Join one of our seasoned naturalists for a guided tour of our 6.4-acre meadow to learn about meadow ecology and plant-pollinator interactions. The naturalist leading this invigorating walk will meet participants at the James Moore Pavilion. For ages 10 and up.    

Rick Anderson has been a Preserve naturalist for over 13 years and has led guided meadow walks for the past 5 years. He’s a scout merit badge counselor for nature, forestry and environmental science. He and Paula Walter have volunteered together at local schools, teaching students about watersheds, water quality and ecosystems. Anderson hosted a public video recording on our meadows, showcasing the ecosystem of wet, moist and dry areas that each support different plant and animal communities.

Paula Walter is a property steward and naturalist for several Bucks County education organizations. She has worked to install, maintain and monitor both large scale and backyard meadows. Walter is an advocate for the importance of meadows in a healthy environment and finds the Preserve’s meadow ecosystem both fascinating and beautiful. This is her third year for leading meadow walks with Rick Anderson.

Price: $8

Nectar and pollen from our native meadow plants such as the aster family and goldenrods (Solidago spp.) fuel the lives of our native pollinators throughout autumn. Join one of our seasoned naturalists for a guided tour of our 6.4-acre meadow to learn about meadow ecology and plant-pollinator interactions. The naturalist leading this invigorating walk will meet participants at the James Moore Pavilion. For ages 10 and up.    

Rick Anderson has been a Preserve naturalist for over 13 years and has led guided meadow walks for the past 5 years. He’s a scout merit badge counselor for nature, forestry and environmental science. He and Paula Walter have volunteered together at local schools, teaching students about watersheds, water quality and ecosystems. Anderson hosted a public video recording on our meadows, showcasing the ecosystem of wet, moist and dry areas that each support different plant and animal communities.

Paula Walter is a property steward and naturalist for several Bucks County education organizations. She has worked to install, maintain and monitor both large scale and backyard meadows. Walter is an advocate for the importance of meadows in a healthy environment and finds the Preserve’s meadow ecosystem both fascinating and beautiful. This is her third year for leading meadow walks with Rick Anderson.

Price: $8

Walking through the eastern forests, you may have noticed some striking characteristics of our American beech (Fagus grandifolia), including withered banded leaves. The presentation will provide an overview of the cause, a plant-parasitic nematode and the resulting beech leaf disease. It will cover current knowledge of dispersal mechanisms of the nematode causing the beech leaf disease. We will highlight plant-nematode interactions and outline the management strategies currently available for this disease.

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.