Category: Uncategorized

Saving our Beech Trees: A Talk with John Dwyer and Michael Shreiner of Shreiner Tree Care

Sunday, May 17

1:00pm- 3:00pm

The Great Hall of the Maguire Museum, Saint Joeseph’s University

50 Lapsley Lane, Merion, 19066

Free

Join us in the Grand Hall of the Maguire Museum for a wine and cheese reception followed by a talk with John Dwyer and Michael Shreiner of Shreiner Tree Care. Learn the latest research on beech leaf disease and the best available treatment options. Katie Jacoby, head gardener of the Barnes Arboretum at St. Joseph’s University, will end the event with a guided walk around the grounds, highlighting management of prevalent East Coast tree diseases within the Arboretum.

Lost a tree to beech leaf disease? Sign up at the event for a free native replacement tree through Lower Merion Conservancy! Funding for replacement trees was made possible from a generous Green and Healthy Homes Initiative “Thriving Communities” grant. 

REGISTER

 

Spring Foray with the Philly Myco Club

Saturday, April 18

1:00pm-4:00pm

The Conservancy Cottage in Rolling Hill Park

1301 Rose Glen Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035

Join us and our friends from the Philadelphia Mycology Club for an afternoon of mushroom foraging in Rolling Hill Park. Members of the Myco Club will split us into smaller groups lead walks to collect mushrooms. The groups will re-convene at the cottage with the mushrooms they found. Myco Club leaders will identify the haul so everyone can appreciate the variety and improve their identification skills. Foragers of all experience levels are welcome!

The event is sold out, click here to join the waitlist.

Rain Garden Training Series

April 22, April 29, May 6, and May 13

7pm – 8pm for each session

Virtual (you will receive the link when you register)

Free

The Growing Greener Communities Rain Garden Training Series is a four week program that covers everything you need to design and install your own native rain garden. Instructors will walk you through each step of the process, share experiences from past rain garden builds, and offer individualized project support. Our goal is to leave you feeling confident about building a rain garden. After completing the course participants will receive free native plants and tailored resources to help make their own rain garden projects successful.

Register

Blueprints from Nature: A Cyanotype Workshop

Saturday, May 9

1:00pm – 2:30pm

The Conservancy Cottage in Rolling Hill Park

1301 Rose Glen Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035

Cyanotypes have long celebrated the forms of nature. In 1842, Sir John Herschel developed the process to copy scientific notes – aka blueprints. A year later, botanist Anna Atkins transformed it into art, using sunlight and plants to create the first scientific book illustrated with photographs.

In this beginner workshop, we’ll explore historic and contemporary cyanotypes, take a short walk to gather natural materials and create our sun print art. Participants will make prints on site and prepare photosensitive paper to continue experimenting at home.

Sliding scale ticket price!

Register

Spring Gala 2026

The home of Dr. Janice Gault and Dr. Jim Vander

1113 Brynlawn Road, Villanova, PA 19085

Thursday, Jun 11

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Celebrate with us at our Spring Gala — an evening with great food, drinks and music under the stars at the beautiful home of Dr. Janice Gault and Dr. Jim Vander. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, small plates, a light dinner and signature cocktails in a special garden. 

Stylized in the spirit of a French country estate, the lush property features a striking grove of native river birch trees, designed by award-winning landscape architect Chuck Hess. The home itself was created by the preservation firm Peter Zimmerman Architects. 

Proceeds from the Gala are tax-deductible and directly support the Conservancy’s work to protect open space, preserve historic architecture and care for our local watershed.

Buy Tickets

Make a Donation to the Gala

Nurture Nature Book Club

Interested in joining our Nurture Nature Book Club? 

Every month we read a nature-themed book and meet for a discussion on the last Wednesday of the month. 

Aprils’s book is “How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World” by Ethan Tapper.  We are meeting on *TUESDAY* April 28th from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Conservancy Cottage in Rolling Hill Park. (Note the change in date from Wednesday to Tuesday for April.)

Click the “Sign Up” button below to join the book club email list. You only need to sign up once. If you are interested but cannot make this month’s gathering, please sign up anyway so we can be in touch about future meetings.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

Sign Up

Getting to the Bottom of a Salty Situation

Thursday, February 12

7:00pm – 8:30pm

Narberth Borough Hall

100 Conway Ave., Narberth, PA 19072

Free

Join us for a winter workshop with Dr. Steven Goldsmith from the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University to examine the impact of road salt on streams and actions we can take to improve conditions. Dr. Goldsmith will share findings from our National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funded project, including stream monitoring data and results of a community survey about road salt use. The event will be the first time this important information is shared publicly. Learn more about the project in this recent article. 

Register

Nurture Nature Book Club

Interested in joining our Nurture Nature Book Club? 

Every month we read a nature-themed book and meet for a discussion on the last Wednesday of the month. 

March’s book will be “Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark” by Leigh Ann Henion. We are meeting on March 25th from 6pm to 7pm at the Barnes Arboretum at SJU (50 Lapsley Lane, Merion, PA 19066).

Click the “Sign Up” button below to join the book club email list. You only need to sign up once. If you are interested but cannot make this month’s gathering, please sign up anyway so we can be in touch about future meetings.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

Sign Up

School and Group Lessons

Our environmental education programs are available to public and private schools, homeschool groups, and extracurricular organizations such as Scouts and school clubs. Each lesson is designed to connect students to nature, inspire curiosity, and empower them to make positive impacts on their environment. By engaging students in real-world science and outdoor exploration, we aim to nurture the next generation of environmental stewards and help teachers strengthen their STEM curriculum with hands-on, place-based learning experiences.

We can accommodate a variety of class sizes, with a standard rate of $200 per session. One educator is provided for approximately 25 students; larger groups or creek-based programs may require additional educators for a small added fee. Discounts are available for Title I schools, and grant funding may be available to help offset program costs. 

Read about our lesson structures below. Email [email protected] and [email protected] to learn more about scheduling classes, customizing lessons, and exploring funding support.

Creek & Water Lessons

Held at nearby creeks, our water-focused programs bring watershed science to life. Many of these lessons can be adapted to in-class settings. 

  • Watershed & Stormwater Runoff: Students learn about watersheds and how land use within the watershed impacts water health. They will understand the changes affected by impervious surfaces, buildings, land use, etc. (Grades 4–12)
  • Enviroscape Interactive Model: Using a large 3D model, students can see how pollution travels through a watershed and brainstorm solutions to reduce nonpoint source pollution. We illustrate how common actions (such as road salt and fertilizer use) can lead to pollution downstream and share pollution solutions. This engaging, visual activity is ideal for all ages and is always a crowd favorite.
  • Macroinvertebrate Study: Students roll up their sleeves to collect and identify aquatic insects and other stream life. They’ll discover how these small creatures serve as indicators of water quality and the health of the ecosystem. While we think being in the creek is the best approach to this lesson, preserved samples can be brought into the classroom to accommodate. (Grades K–12)
  • Chemical Water Testing: For older students, this lesson adds a scientific layer to their fieldwork, testing water for pH, dissolved oxygen, and other factors that affect stream health, connecting the chemicals in the water to the actions on the land. (Grades 5–12)

Seasonal & Wildlife Lessons

Available either at Rolling Hill Park, at our cottage and surrounding land, or right on your school grounds. Students might learn about how animals adapt to winter through learning about hibernation and feeling real animal pelts, dissect owl pellets to explore food webs, join bird call walks, or go on bug hunts to discover the creatures that live under logs and leaves. We also offer exploratory nature play sessions that encourage creativity and sensory engagement with the natural world.

Native Plant Lessons

Through our native plant programs, students learn how native species support biodiversity, provide critical habitat, and protect local waterways. Lessons can include planting native species on school grounds or in community restoration areas, depending on available funding and season. These activities connect ecology, and stewardship of the land in a memorable and interactive way.