Lancaster Conservancy

Join us for the second in a series of hikes focused on the scientific observational method of phenology.Phenology is the study of changes in the natural environment through the seasons and years. Today phenology is a valuable scientific observational method that helps us manage our natural landscapes, but the practice has been around for hundreds of years! Anyone who loves to spend time observing nature over the seasons can help contribute important information to this new community science project by visiting a local trail regularly and making observations of specific plants, insects, and animals we encounter through the year. Welsh

Come explore the restored meadows at Kellys Run Nature Preserve which support multiple species of beautiful butterflies.The end of summer is peak butterfly season! This hike will explore butterfly identification and ecology as well as the importance of restoring native habitats on our properties to support these important species. We will take an easy relatively flat one-mile hike through established meadow fragments and newly restored meadows and then tour the newly established demonstration garden to see examples of native plant species that can be planted to provide butterfly habitat.Where to Meet: We will meet at the main parking area at

Join other curious conservation peers for this introduction to native habitats!Join other curious conservation peers for this introduction to designing, building, and stewarding native habitats! This is the introductory class for the series and is required for a majority of the other classes as well as for those wishing to complete a Habitat Advocate Certification. Gain baseline awareness of why conservation landscaping is a multifaceted approach in solving our water, climate, and habitat crises. The scope of the Lancaster Conservancy Habitat Advocate Certificate program will also be shared.Students will receive a binder of compiled native habitat resources ($30 value).The Lancaster

Uncover powerhouse native plants worthy of wildlife’s 5-star review!Whether they're sustaining a bird’s stamina for winter migration, providing ample nectar for hungry bees and butterflies, or serving as a host plant for hundreds of juicy caterpillars to fuel the ecosystem food web, these native plants pack a punch in their ecological services.Collaborate with habitat advocate peers on how to put the compiled field research trials into compassionate action, right in your backyard!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are also

Observing and recording your backyard biodiversity findings is both an art and a science. Learn some tools for both!Explore the basics of nature journaling with local extraordinaire Carol Welsh, and bolster your skills in navigating scientific apps like iNaturalist and BirdNet to record your wildlife findings.Watercolor paper and paints provided, although you are welcome to bring your favorite supplies for nature journaling in the field. Participants are responsible for providing their own sturdy shoes, sun/tick protection, and refillable water bottle. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the class!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres

Learn to identify lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) and the plants that host them!If you build it, they will come! Once your home-grown habitat is in the ground and thriving, the lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) will come to dine on your biodiversity buffet. Students in this course will learn the key attributes of several species of lepidoptera in this ecoregion and the host plants they need to complete their life cycles.The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are also essential to

Learn how to transform your stormwater chaos into a creative conservation landscaping project!With increasing storm intensity, are you discovering more water on your property than you can manage? In this course, you’ll learn how to calculate the rain runoff volume of impervious surfaces (roof, driveway, etc.) and how to transform your stormwater chaos into a creative conservation landscaping project.The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are also essential to creating corridors of habitat – food and refuge – for wildlife.

Practice how to observe and record the baseline aspects of a landscape before diving into designing a habitat garden.Building observation skills is essential in building biodiversity in our landscapes. In this class, we will learn about the 5 E’s of Ecological Gardening and will conduct a site analysis. Expand your reach by applying these newly acquired observation skills of hydrology, sun/shade analysis, circulation, and more in your home landscape or in community project space!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes

Learn how to observe nature through the lens of a habitat steward, and learn how to ID invasive species.What native species are supporting wildlife, and which introduced plant species require human action to restore the land for optimal ecological function? What methods does a habitat steward use to remove introduced plants? Students will receive the latest edition Invasive Plants of the Mid-Atlantic Field Guide.All stewarding tools provided. Participants are responsible to provide their own sturdy shoes, attire for mildly strenuous outdoor work, sun/bug protection, and refillable water bottle. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the

Join the Lancaster Conservancy at LUCA as we raise money during the ExtraGive to save our local woods and water!Stop by LUCA any time from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. on November 22 to dine, drink, and donate to save nature as we celebrate the ExtraGive! Enjoy LUCA's award-winning food and a fantastic drink on us while DJ Image spins tunes. We'll also have a giving room set up to help you make your ExtraGive donations. Together, we can protect the beautiful woods and water that make our community such a wonderful place to live and explore! This event is free

Learn how to create a native garden with visual interest and benefits for wildlife!Our home gardens are often designed for the warm growing season, overlooking the potential of a stunning winter garden with snow-capped seed heads and hints of green.Students will learn 20 native plants that are showstoppers in a winter home garden and tips on supporting overwintering wild bees, butterflies/moths, and songbirds.Bring a jar/vase to build a take-home native plant winter bouquet!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are

Join us for a virtual presentation celebrating collaborative efforts underway to bring our streams back to health!About the PresentationAt its core, the delisting strategy is a microcosm of the Lancaster Clean Water Partners vision – collaboration in action for clean water. Partners come together to share information about needs and plans and to drive action with the common goal of cleaning up a particular section of stream. This requires trust and a high degree of collaboration. Success requires a diverse set of partners to conduct outreach, design projects, provide funding, plant trees, and build conservation practices. Today we'll share how

Join us for a virtual presentation on the connection between land conservation and the preservation of Native histories.About the PresentationThe Conservancy preserves forests and natural lands along the Susquehanna River. In this presentation we will learn about the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape and how preserving land within this landscape for ecological reasons also preserves Native histories.Secretary of Interior Qualified Archaeologist and Senior Vice President of Land Protection and General Counsel for the Conservancy, Kate Gonick, will provide insight into precolonial archaeology, its challenges, methods, and findings in the context of preservation of forests and natural lands within the Susquehanna Riverlands.The

Join us for this hopeful virtual presentation on creating health for nature and humans!About the PresentationHow do we reignite the positive synergy between nature and humanity in a world where we so often hear how human action is having an irrevocable impact on the planet? This presentation will discuss how biodiversity continues to sustain our planet and all who inhabit it, from the farthest reaches of wilderness to our own backyards in the built urban environment. By understanding and acting as better stewards of our relationships with species, we can and will build a better planet that supports both humans

Join us for this virtual presentation exploring the history of Lancaster Conservancy preserves associated with the Underground Railroad.About the PresentationLancaster Conservancy is committed to conserving landscapes that protect natural beauty and ecologically diverse communities. Many of our nature preserves protect cultural and heritage landscapes as well, including routes and sites associated with the Underground Railroad. These stories may be hidden in the land, streams and rivers, and old roads that many of our trails follow, and they need a keen eye and environmental history sleuthing to reveal. In this Nature Hour presentation, we'll explore the topographies of the Underground Railroad

Join us for this virtual presentation to learn all about these natural beauties that light up our woods in the springtime!About the PresentationSpring ephemeral wildflowers bloom in early spring before the forest canopy leafs out as part of their strategy to capitalize on sunlight availability. They do all of their growing and reproduction during the time when sunlight reaches the forest floor, which is an ingenious survival and reproduction strategy. In the process, they create beautiful landscapes of color that we get to enjoy! This presentation will explore the magical world of spring ephemeral wildflowers, examine their survival and reproductive

Join us as we survey Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve!Phenology is the science of seasonal change in nature, using observations collected over time to see how these changes affect flora and fauna. In partnership with the USGS Phenology Network and Nature’s Notebook, the data we collect is not only useful to us, but to hundreds of phenology projects around the region and nation!Learn more about this community science project at https://www.lancasterconservancy.org/engaging-our-community/phenology/.Join the Lancaster Conservancy phenology project team as we explore the universal access trail at Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve for signs of seasonal changes as nature takes its turn toward summer.

Learn how to transform your stormwater chaos into a creative conservation landscaping project!With increasing storm intensity, are you discovering more water on your property than you can manage? In this course, you’ll learn how to calculate the rain runoff volume of impervious surfaces (roof, driveway, etc.) and how to transform your stormwater chaos into a creative conservation landscaping project.The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are also essential to creating corridors of habitat – food and refuge – for wildlife.

Learn more about how Safe Harbor turns water into clean renewable energy!Harnessing the power of water to produce clean renewable energy is just part of what you will learn about on your tour of the Safe Harbor Dam during Lancaster Water Week! Join Brookfield Renewable to learn about the dam's history, grounds management, river access, fish lifts, and more.Recommended for ages 8 and up.Three tours will be offered starting at 9am, 10am, and 11am. You will be prompted to select a timeslot at checkout. Space is limited so please only register for one tour.All participants will be required to prior

Join us as we kick off Water Week 2025!Join us in Penn Square in downtown Lancaster to celebrate the kick off of Water Week 2025! We will be on hand to share information about how you can take action for cleaner streams and rivers. And did we mention we'll be giving away free native trees and shrubs thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership?Photo: Michelle JohnsenWhat is Lancaster Water Week?Now in its 9th year, Lancaster Water Week is an annual celebration of the 1,400 miles of waterways in Lancaster County, PA. Join us for over

Join the City of Lancaster and the Lancaster Conservancy as we explore the Sunnyside Peninsula and floodplain!Join the City of Lancaster and Lancaster Conservancy as we explore this urban gem! As we hike around the peninsula, we'll explore plants, trees, and wildlife, discuss the historical uses of the area as well as future plans to protect and enhance the site. Bring a water bottle and hiking shoes and get ready to explore the largest natural area in the city that you've never seen!Note: These trails are not open to the public.What to Expect: This hike will be approximately 2 miles

Come explore the story of the pawpaw!Growing from late September to early October, pawpaw fruits have a brief life - so brief they don’t last long enough to make it to grocery store shelves. Thomas Jefferson was so enamored with the pawpaw that he’s said to have sent pawpaw seeds abroad to foreign dignitaries.Note: This is not a foraging event, and we will not be picking pawpaws. We do not encourage foraging on Conservancy preserves.What to Expect: This will be a 3-mile moderate hike with some elevation changes and a stream crossing with a strong likelihood of getting wet. This

Learn how to observe nature through the lens of a habitat steward, and learn how to ID invasive species.What native species are supporting wildlife, and which introduced plant species require human action to restore the land for optimal ecological function? What methods does a habitat steward use to remove introduced plants? Students will receive the latest edition Invasive Plants of the Mid-Atlantic Field Guide.All stewarding tools provided. Participants are responsible to provide their own sturdy shoes, attire for mildly strenuous outdoor work, sun/bug protection, and refillable water bottle. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the

Join other curious conservation peers for this introduction to native habitats!Join other curious conservation peers for this introduction to designing, building, and stewarding native habitats! This is the introductory class for the series and is required for a majority of the other classes as well as for those wishing to complete a Habitat Advocate Certification. Gain baseline awareness of why conservation landscaping is a multifaceted approach in solving our water, climate, and habitat crises. The scope of the Lancaster Conservancy Habitat Advocate Certificate program will also be shared.Students will receive a binder of compiled native habitat resources ($30 value).The Lancaster

Explore nature through the lens of an ecological designer!For habitat advocates, nature is our inspiration. Before we design native gardens in our home landscapes, we first must observe the natural spaces that inspire us to action. Nature knows best!In this class we will learn how to mimic the natural growing patterns of native Carex (sedges) and other native species.Leave fueled to build back biodiversity in your home landscape, inspired by the native plants that we met on our gentle hiking adventure.The cost of the Habitat Advocate classes covers instructor fees. If the cost of this class is prohibitive, please reach

Practice how to observe and record the baseline aspects of a landscape before diving into designing a habitat garden.Building observation skills is essential in building biodiversity in our landscapes. In this class, we will learn about the 5 E’s of Ecological Gardening and will conduct a site analysis. Expand your reach by applying these newly acquired observation skills of hydrology, sun/shade analysis, circulation, and more in your home landscape or in community project space!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes

Kick the mulch habit! Learn how to integrate native groundcovers (“green" or "living" mulch) into your garden.Do you find yourself in a seasonal habit of spreading wood mulch in your garden beds to suppress weeds? In this interactive workshop, learn how to kick that habit to the curb and instead nurture a new land ethic of cultivating a layered landscape by integrating native groundcovers (“green or living mulch”) in your garden. Through mimicking natural landscapes in your home garden, you truly can experience the joys of stewarding your own mini nature preserve (don’t let anyone stop you from making your

Learn how to create a native garden with visual interest and benefits for wildlife!Our home gardens are often designed for the warm growing season, overlooking the potential of a stunning winter garden with snow-capped seed heads and hints of green.Students will learn 20 native plants that are showstoppers in a winter home garden and tips on supporting overwintering wild bees, butterflies/moths, and songbirds.Bring a jar/vase to build a take-home native plant winter bouquet!The Lancaster Conservancy has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands, which are critically important to supporting biodiversity. Smaller patches of native habitats spread throughout urban landscapes are

Join the Lancaster Conservancy at LUCA as we raise money during the ExtraGive to save our local woods and water!Stop by LUCA any time from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. on November 21 to dine, drink, and donate to save nature as we celebrate the ExtraGive! Enjoy LUCA's award-winning food and a fantastic drink on us while DJ Image spins tunes. We'll also have a giving room set up to help you make your ExtraGive donations. Together, we can protect the beautiful woods and water that make our community such a wonderful place to live and explore! This event is free

Join us for this virtual presentation to learn all about avian species in our winter skies!About the PresentationThe Susquehanna Riverlands are the wintering grounds for many different species of songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors. During this Nature Hour presentation, we’ll review the commonly seen and heard avian residents that bring life and activity to an otherwise quiet time of year. Winter birdwatching is a wonderful way to embrace the joy of nature in the chillier months, often from the comfort of your own home. We’ll discuss the ways that you can provide habitat for birds in your backyard as well as