March Moments
Our mission of inspiring a greater connection to the natural world came alive this March, reaching school children to adults through a variety of programs, school visits, and outreach visits.
Connecting Through Learning
In early March we hosted Weslyville United Methodist Church for a Protecting with Pollinators program. This was the group’s first outing since 2020, and they were excited to take a look at the origin of pollinators, learn the ways that pollinators affect our ecosystem, discuss how humans are impacting their health and survival, and discover how we can make a difference to the life of pollinators in our own backyard.
Creating Bee Hotels and Partnerships
One of our community program offerings was building a bee hotel, which are a great way to attract pollinators to your family’s flower or vegetable garden and provide necessary shelter for many native solitary bees in our region. The program was a success, and one of the participants invited Asbury Woods to host the program at various branches of the Erie County Public Library. We’re excited to forge this new partnership and together, educate more people in the community about protecting this important pollinator.
Engaging Students Through Science Discovery
Another new partnership forged this past month is with Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School. Working in conjunction with the YMCA of Greater Erie’s DiscoverY program, our environmental after-school initiative offers hands-on science discovery for five weeks at the school. Our programming encourages exploration of the natural world through engaging science experiments and hands-on fun. This program aligns with our strategic plan initiative to foster diversity of our audience through collaborative partners, with a focus towards growth and fulfillment of our mission of offering environmental educational experiences to our community. The image above shows students preparing to launch their balloon during a balloon race where they are learning about air pressure and propulsion.
Asbury Woods in the Community
Asbury Woods participated in the Penn State Behrend 7th Annual STEAM Fair in March. The program had over 50 organizations involved with over 1,300 students in attendance. Our table showcased a variety of animal pelts, mounted animals, and tracks to offer an up-close look at native animals in our region. Children were invited to touch and learn, play an animal track game, and even dissect an owl pellet.