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Green Lane Park Offers Fun Water and Land-Based Activities for Everyone
Green Lane Park, located in western Montgomery County, offers a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, boating, and camping. The 3,400-acre park has two camping areas, one for families and organized groups and one for equestrian camping. The park also includes three separate bodies of water totaling 870 acres. Park visitors can fish at Knight Lake. Privately-owned non-powered and electric boats can be used on Deep Creek Lake; rentals are available on Green Lane Reservoir (privately-owned boats can be used after a 10-day quarantine.) Boat rentals are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the Hill Road Day Use Area. There are 25…
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Chester Valley Trail Connects Counties, Improves Accessibility
The Chester Valley Trail Extension is officially open for business. Though skies were gray and threatening, the rain held off, allowing local dignitaries to officially open the newest Philly-area trail. This paved path connects the Chester Valley and Schuylkill River Trails, providing a continuous hiking and biking route from Chester County to the Philadelphia Art Museum. Connecting Trails, and Counties The Philadelphia area is home to hundreds of miles of trails, but few are connected. Now two of the area’s most popular trails have been linked, providing greater opportunity for residents who want an alternative way to get around or simply easier access to more places to explore. Most of…
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Explore the Garden Electric at this Year’s Philadelphia Flower Show
The Philadelphia Flower Show reminds us that spring is just around the corner
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Join in at These Earth Day Celebrations
Did you know? While April 22 is officially Earth Day, from the very start, Philadelphia chose to make the celebration last longer. The first city to celebrate Earth Week, the City of Brotherly Love planned events from April 16 to 22, 1970. During that time, tens of thousands of people showed up, with the largest gatherings on Independence Mall and the Belmont Plateau. This year offers plenty of opportunities to give back by volunteering with cleanups or planting projects. Check with your favorite nature center, park or environmental group to see what they need. In the meantime, here are a few larger celebrations to take your family to this month.…
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Taking Spring Cleaning Outside
Spring is here! For many, that means throwing open windows and refreshing our indoor spaces. But what about outside? It’s an unfortunate fact that trash ends up in places it shouldn’t. While many people routinely carry a trash bag to pick up litter while enjoying the outdoors, sometimes a group effort is called for to maintain our outdoor spaces and preserve the health of our waterways. These creek cleanups rely heavily on volunteers. For years, many organizations have partnered with corporate sponsors and local groups for years to organize group clean-ups, choosing April to coincide with Earth Day. As a result, thousands of pounds of trash are removed from our…
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Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em, Every Year, Squirrels Are Appreciated
January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day. Whether you love them or hate them, you have to admit they serve an essential role in maintaining the ecosystem. (And, they’re so darn cute.) Squirrels are great at engaging humans and it could be debated whether those who interact regularly with humans are the trained or the trainee. They are among the most popular animal species to watch; a quick search reveals an official Squirrel Lovers Club and squirrel watching clubs at UConn and Cornell. Part of the charm of these rodents lies in their fearlessness and curiosity about humans as well as the fact that they are especially vocal. Their repertory of…
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Those Frightening Shrieks Are Really Love Songs
What was that noise? An overactive imagination? It’s after dark, but that was definitely a shriek. It didn’t really sound human, more like a bird or maybe a cat. But birds aren’t usually active at night, and this is the suburbs; there are no cats large enough for that sound. There it goes again. What IS it? Most likely, it’s a fox. While your kids may have convinced you that you know what the fox says, I assure you, until you have heard it for yourself, you have no idea what sort of sound a fox makes. Pennsylvania is home to both the Eastern Red Fox and the Gray Fox. …
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The “Nest Best Thing” in Montgomery County, New Audubon Museum Has Something for Everyone
The new museum at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove seamlessly blends art and nature into an education center that is sure to create a new generation of birders. The result of 15 years of planning, the new jewel in the Mill Grove site demonstrates the best possible result of a public/private collaboration. Funding for the museum came from local and state government as well as contributions from private individuals and foundation supporters. Representatives from the local and national Audubon Societies as well as local officials were actively involved in the planning process which has been well thought out and executed. With a design reminiscent of a bird…
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A Walk Along the Wissahickon
Trails to Try A series of articles dedicated to hiking trails in the Philadelphia area The Green Ribbon Trail The Wissahickon Creek is part of the history of the Philadelphia area. The word Wissahickon comes from the Lenape word for “catfish creek” or “yellow water. “ Covering 23 miles, the creek generally is a mellow stream traveling through parks and woodland, but over the final seven miles, the creek drops over 100 feet in altitude, creating a gorge. While the most well-known and popular trail along the creek is Forbidden Drive, further north in the suburbs, another hiking trail runs through Montgomery County. The Green Ribbon Trail is a 12.6…
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A Hidden Hike in Suburban Montgomery County
Trails to Try A series of articles dedicated to hiking trails in the Philadelphia area The Skippack Creek Loop Trail Hidden in the suburbs of Montgomery County, Evansburg State Park, a 3000+ area on both sides of the Skippack Creek, includes a variety of landscapes, from forests to meadows including the creek and former farmland. Located just off Route 73 between Norristown and Collegeville, if you miss the signs you won’t even know it’s there. The park offers a number of recreational activities, including hiking which, while rated “easy” provides more of a challenge than the area rail trails. The Skippack Creek Loop Trail, in the center of Evansburg State…
