If you dig birds, here’s some good news. Local birder Victoria Sindlinger and illustrator Jess Ruggierio have teamed up with The Woodlands to develop a guide to birds at the cemetery. And it’s a zine!

A release part for the Guide to Birding at The Woodlands is scheduled for Tuesday, May 22, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Woodlands (40th and Woodland). The zine will be available for sale at the event. Sindlinger will also be hosting bird walks at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

A few days later, on Saturday, May 26, The Woodlands is hosting an “Urban Wildlife Walk.” This includes birds, snakes, salamanders and other critters that call The Woodlands home. It gets underway at 7:30 a.m. rain or shine and is “pay what you wish.”

Photo via fairmountwaterworks.org.

A species in decline, the once-abundant North American freshwater mussel is one of the bedrock animals of our local aquatic ecosystem. Last year, a combination art exhibit, educational facility and working mussel hatchery opened at the Fairmount Water Works. Building on the success of the hatchery, several prominent local organizations including the City of Philadelphia, Bartram’s Garden, The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Drexel University and the Independence Seaport Museum are joining forces to establish an Aquatic Research and Restoration Center (ARRC). 

The Center will be dedicated to the restoration of local aquatic ecosystems in general, and specifically the reintroduction of freshwater mussels and river shad (a kind of herring) to the Delaware Estuary, including our own Schuylkill River. Why shad? Mussels require shad and other host fish in order to breed. Though the shad don’t get anything out of it, we do: Mussels are filter-feeders, and a single mussel can filter waste out of enough drinking water for anywhere from a dozen to two dozen people a day. Considering that the source of Philadelphia’s drinking water is the Schuylkill, which is also where local sewage treatment plants dump their treated effluent, more mussels and therefore more filtration seems like a pretty good idea.

The ARRC program kicks off May 3rd at the Fairmount Water Works (640 Water Works Drive) when a memorandum for the development of the ARRC will be signed.

– Mike VanHelder

Photo courtesy of Watershed Stewards PHL.

High school students in West Philly have a chance to participate in a great local educational and job training program and also earn some money this summer.

The Philadelphia Water Department and the LandHealth Institute are recruiting local students for the second year of their Watershed Stewards PHL program.

Here’s how the program works:

Beginning in late spring, 15 high school students age 15-18 from the West Philadelphia area will work alongside PWD, the LandHealth Institute and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) for 11 weeks. The training sessions will be held at the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center. Students will learn how to protect the Darby-Cobbs watershed, which flows through many West and Southwest Philadelphia neighborhoods. The program will cover such topics as ecology, watershed management and stormwater runoff. After the training sessions, students will spend the summer applying the new skills in their communities.  Continue Reading

Here’s a great way to celebrate the longest night of the year. The Woodlands (40th and Woodland) will be hosting a special Winter Solstice bird walk on Thursday, Dec. 21, from 4 – 6 p.m.:

“Celebrate the Winter Solstice by exploring The Woodlands with Toribird, our resident birding expert! Toribird will lead a candlelit bird walk from 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Then enjoy Center Circle after dark and create bird themed crafts by our firepits. Seasonal treats, music, and activities will take place until 6:00 p.m.”

Sounds like fun. More information can be found at woodlandsphila.org.

As many of you already know, a partial Solar Eclipse (about 75% in the Philadelphia area) will take place on Monday, Aug. 21, so if you’re into it don’t forget to go outside shortly before 2:44 p.m. to view it. If you have special Solar viewing glasses make sure to bring them as it is not recommended to look at the sun with the naked eye. If you’re really into the Solar Eclipse, you can join other sky-watchers at a Solar Eclipse viewing party.

In Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute and Seaport Museum will host Solar Eclipse viewing parties from 12 to 4 p.m. You can find more information here. There will also be a Solar Eclipse viewing party in West Philly, at the Science Center (3711 Market St.) and Innovation Plaza at 37th and Market. You can even pick up free solar glasses (first come, first served). Here’s the event flyer with more information (click to enlarge):

Tangle Movement Arts will present a firefly-inspired performance this Friday at The Woodlands (Photo by Michael Ermilio).

Nature Nights at The Woodlands is a great summer event for families. This Friday (June 23), the 2017 Nature Nights kick off with a Firefly Night, featuring all-female aerial acrobat group, Tangle Movement Arts, with their firefly-inspired performance.

Everyone is also invited to learn more about fireflies with the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Invertebrate Specialist Karen Verderame. She has worked at the Academy for over 13 years and oversees the live invertebrate collection.

Finally, guests are welcome to treat themselves to local snacks from Lil’ Pop Shop, and take part in fun activities and crafts with University City Arts League.  Continue Reading