Yearly Themes

 2026 Year of Exploration - Sponsored By Konzel Construction

Asbury Woods announces The Year of Exploration as their 2026 annual theme. Asbury Woods uses a yearly theme to pursue their vision for Northwestern Pennsylvania as a place where appreciation for and protection of natural places is a deeply held community value. Asbury Woods will host programs and events encouraging people to explore the natural world.

We are encouraging visitors to experience the Wonder of Asbury Woods as they Wander the 234 
acre property, and Discover all that nature has to offer. 

New this year, Asbury Woods will offer an Adventure Passport. This passport will be a way to explore all things Asbury Woods from our events, trails, and public programing. Passport holders will also  receive 10% off of Asbury Woods event Registration (Excluding Summer Camps and Wine & Dine in the Woods). Passports will be sold for $35 inside our Squeaky Frog Gift Shop.

Also new this year is our exhibit on exploring the history of our property in our Berhend Room at The Nature Center. Several photos show historical changes to the nature center, Brown’s Farm, and the rest of the property. The exhibit is open to the public during Nature Center Hours.

Executive Director, Sarah Bennett shared, “We are excited to offer new and creative ways for the community to engage with nature and Asbury Woods. Our Adventure Passport will provide incentives for people to explore our trails and Nature Center all year.”

Previous Years

2025: The Year Of Wildlife

This year marks the third year that Asbury Woods has a year-long theme for our programs and outreach activities, helping us to take a deeper look at various environmental and conservation topics as we pursue our vision for Northwestern Pennsylvania to be a place where appreciation for and protection of natural places is a deeply held personal and community value.
The Year of Wildlife is an opportunity to focus on animal species native to Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has a rich diversity of habitat which allows an incredible array of wildlife to thrive across the State. This year we’ll look into our own backyards, surrounding forests, fields, wetlands, lakes, and streams to discover the wildlife that surrounds us. Read More

2024: The Year of Trees

Trees form the backdrop for most of the Asbury Woods property and are core to the establishment of Asbury Woods by Dr. Otto Behrend, co-founder of Hammermill Paper Company in Erie. Dr. Behrend’s family had a rich history in papermaking, and from an early age he developed a deep appreciation for the power of trees, for industry, but also for health, wellbeing, and recreation. Throughout his life, Dr. Behrend was known as an avid outdoorsman, enjoying farming, walking in the woods with his dogs, golfing, planting fruit orchards and reforesting the 110-acre tract of land he purchased in 1920, then known as Asbury Farm. Dr. Behrend planted numerous trees over the years to reforest the former farmland but also to experiment with various papermaking processes. Dr. Behrend was known as an innovator in the science of papermaking and his country estate provided the perfect place to indulge his scientific curiosity and love of trees.
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2023: The Year of Water

Water is one of the world’s most vital natural resources and our region’s strategic location adjacent to Lake Erie makes the topic of clean water and sustainable use of fresh water a matter of local, regional, national, and global significance. Whether we are drinking it, recreating in and on it, living on its shores, or using it for industry, Lake Erie and its watershed surrounds us and is an inescapable part of the fabric of our community. With Walnut Creek, a major tributary of Lake Erie, passing through Asbury Woods' property, water was a natural choice to kick off our yearly themes.

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