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February 2021
Overview from Overhead: Raptors in our Skies
Can you tell a red-shouldered hawk from a red-tail? A merlin from a kestrel? Philadelphia sees an astounding 26 raptor species throughout the year, more than half of those present in the US. But winter surprisingly boasts the largest number of species, as migrants move here for the season and mix with winter residents. This raptor extravaganza inevitably brings some to the Wildlife Clinic’s door as they tangle with man-made hazards and the challenges of winter. Join Clinic Director Chris…
Find out more »Braiding Phragmites: Richard L. James Lecture
This summer environmental artist Sarah Kavage and designer Yaroub Al-Obaidi will construct a traditional Iraqi guesthouse, a mudhif, at the Schuylkill Center, one of the first such structures in America. It will be built entirely out of phragmites, an invasive wetland grass that threatens ecosystems worldwide and is one of the most abundant plants in the Delaware River watershed. At this event, the artists will speak about traditional reed practices, methods of eco-friendly harvesting and eradication, and the creation of…
Find out more »Leave it to Beavers
Surprise! Not only do bald eagles nest near the airport and peregrine falcons swoop out of Manayunk skies, but beavers are now building dams and lodges along the Schuylkill in Manayunk and Roxborough. Once locally extinct, beavers have happily returned to several places in our city. While this is worth celebrating, it has ironically impacted restoration efforts where beavers devour newly planted trees. Local naturalist Bernard “Billy” Brown, author of the Urban Naturalist column in Grid magazine, the Roxborough Manayunk…
Find out more »March 2021
The Rise and Fall of our Forests: from the Lenape to Smokey the Bear
The Pennsylvania landscape has undergone a near-complete transformation over the last 350 years, starting with the extirpation of the Lenape and the loss of their fire management practices. After European settlement, extensive logging and land clearing, the introduction of exotic insects, diseases and invasive plants, increasing deer browsing, and the Smokey Bear-era has led to unprecedented changes in forest composition across the eastern US. We’ve lost not only once-dominant chestnut trees, but many white pine forests too, and super-abundant white…
Find out more »Six Legs to Rule Them All
With over 1 million species found so far and millions more still to be discovered, insects are unbelievably diverse in form and function. Join entomologist Isa Betancourt for a deep dive into the wonderful world of insects. She’ll share stunning examples of insect diversity here in Philadelphia, from the fastest color-changing arthropod known to the cicadas that emerge once every 17 years, then jump into why insect biodiversity is so precious-- and what we can do to support it in…
Find out more »Celebrate Spring! A Virtual Wildflower Walk
After this wicked snow-filled winter, spring has finally sprung, bringing the promise of a forest overflowing with bright green leaves and a stunning carpet of ephemeral wildflowers. Mike Weilbacher, our resident wildflower expert, takes you on a virtual nature walk through the Center’s trails to meet our wonderful wildflowers, so many having such evocative names: Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauties, Jacob’s ladder, Jack-in-the-pulpit, wake robin. He’ll share their life stories, the role they play in the ecology of the region, and…
Find out more »April 2021
Ask a Naturalist
Bring your nature questions for our panel of naturalists to answer. What’s the best local tree to plant in my yard? Which birds are migrating through Philadelphia right now? How are native bees or monarch butterflies doing? What actions can I take at home to support nature? Tony Croasdale, naturalist at the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center joins our staff naturalists Aaliyah Green Ross and Eduardo Duenas to answer all your nature questions.
Find out more »Saving the Ark: Religion and the Environment
In April, sermons about nature and the environment are increasingly heard in churches, mosques, and synagogues across the planet—sermons about stewardship, justice, even survival. At this event, religious leaders from diverse faiths gather to discuss and dissect the role of religion in the environment and will take your questions. Our panel includes Eileen Flanagan, author and former leader of the Earth Quaker Action Team, Reverend Gregory S. Holston, pastor of the Janes Memorial United Methodist Church in Germantown, Pastor Langdon…
Find out more »Rob Carter: Cultured Lands Artist Discussion
Environmental artist Rob Carter’s work involves architecture, the science of plants, the environment and the history of colonialism. Join us for a virtual reception as he shares his fascination with how botany and urban development shape our shared environment. He will discuss his current research into the history and future of landscapes with Tina Plokarz, the Schuylkill Center’s Director of Environmental Art, and Lee Stoetzel, manager of the West Collection, a contemporary art collection in which several of Rob Carter’s…
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Earth Day Live!
On this day, more than 1 billion people from almost 200 countries will unite to improve our planet. Join us for a highly interactive event where we invite you to share Earth Day actions, ask questions of Saleem Chapman, the city’s climate resilience coordinator, enjoy eco-poetry, learn our city’s special history with Earth Day, and guess the top 5 environmental pop songs of all time—while hearing a climate change quartet. You’ll also meet our impossibly cute Nature Preschoolers, who help…
Find out more »Native Plants Hotline
Native plants offer a host of benefits to your garden-- and one of the most powerful acts you can offer to improve our planet. In addition to their beauty, native plants provide nectar and pollen for insects, food for colorful birds and rare butterflies, homes for toads and salamanders, protection from stormwater, and a whole lot more. But what to plant in YOUR yard? Are there native plants that grow in the shade? In that annoying wet spot? On the…
Find out more »May 2021
The Philly Tree Plan: Growing Our Urban Forest
Though parts of Philadelphia are shaded by a beautiful canopy of trees, much of the city is not-- and our overall tree canopy sadly declined 6 percent between 2008 and 2018. To address this, the city is creating an urban forest plan-- and needs your help. Erica Smith Fichman, the city’s Community Forestry Manager and the project lead for the Philly Tree Plan, presents the city’s efforts to create a 10 year plan for the planting and care of our…
Find out more »A Botanical Paradise: Kazakhstan & the Altai Mountains
Paul Meyer presents an illustrated lecture on his recent botanical travels in northeast Kazakhstan. The world’s largest landlocked country, few travelers from the western world have visited this extraordinarily beautiful region, noted for its rich steppe and alpine flora. In addition, Meyer will share stories of the people, architecture, and culture. He is the retired F. Otto Haas Executive Director of the Morris Arboretum, not to mention an exceptional photographer, writer, and speaker.
Find out more »Latinx Nature Trivia Night
Put your nature knowledge to the test at our upcoming bilingual virtual trivia night. It’s a cornucopia of questions covering all things nature‐‐-from plants and birds to reptiles and insects, and more. Questions will be read in English and in Spanish. Teams can consist of 1-6 players; prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place teams. This event is co-sponsored by Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership and Congreso de Latinos Unidos. Pon a prueba tus conocimientos sobre la naturaleza…
Find out more »June 2021
Green New Deal: A Roundtable
The Green New Deal has been a source of extreme controversy ever since it was first proposed more than two years ago. But while a lot of ink has been spilled about the GND, few people know much about what it actually proposes. We’d like to change that. State Senator Nikil Saval, State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler-- two candidates who ran, in part, on the proposal-- and the Sierra Club’s Zakia Elliott answer all your questions about the Green New Deal.
Find out more »Freshwater Mussels, Our Blue-Collar Bivalves
Freshwater mussels are THE most imperiled animals in both America and the Delaware River watershed, and restoration of mussels has become a national priority, especially as these hard-working animals perform the vital service of filtering our water. A coalition of public and private partners has ambitious plans, including propagating as many as a million mussels annually in labs and ponds to restore their populations. Lance Butler, senior scientist with the Philadelphia Water Dept, one of the partners, presents the astonishing…
Find out more »Black to Nature: Reconnecting with our Natural Roots
Join us for a lively panel discussion on the historic relationship of African-Americans to nature and the land, and how these relationships have been strained by societal and structural forces. We’ll highlight local organizations working to help Black people rediscover their connection to nature, and discuss how cultivating positive experiences in nature can help us heal from personal and shared trauma. Panelists: Latiaynna Tabb and Pamia Coleman, co-founders of Black Girls with Green Thumbs Camila Rivera-Tinsely, Director of Education at…
Find out more »October 2021
The Secret Life of a Goldenrod Field
For thousands of insect species, goldenrod is a critically important, life-giving plant, the last chance for pollen and nectar before winter settles in. For migrating monarch butterflies, it is fuel that powers the trip to Mexico. Honey bees depend on it for the last burst of honey-making. Crab spiders and praying mantises rely on it for luring insects for them to eat. For people, it is a tragically misunderstood plant. And for peacock flies? We’ll let that be a surprise.…
Find out more »Filthadelphia: The City’s Trash Crisis
Philadelphia’s long struggles with solid waste and recycling programs deepened and were brought into high relief in the pandemic. Trash pickup became increasingly erratic, the controversial street sweeping program was suspended, and so many people working from home created more residential waste. We’ll dumpster-dive into the future of a cleaner city with former sanitation worker Terrill Haigler, better known in social media circles as Ya Fav Trashman, and Nic Esposito, the city’s former Zero Waste and Litter Director.
Find out more »The Monarch’s Amazing Migration: a Status Report
The monarch butterfly undergoes one of the most extraordinary migrations in the animal kingdom, butterflies across America and Canada flying south to only a handful of Mexican mountain valleys. But that phenomenon is endangered as monarch numbers have plummeted in recent years, compromised by climate, Midwestern “milkweed deserts,” and logging in Mexico. How are this year’s monarch’s doing? National monarch expert Dr. Chip Taylor, founder and director of Monarch Watch, the organization that has started placing monarch waystations across the…
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