Author: news
The Buzz on Lanternflies
August 13, 2019By Executive Director Mike Weilbacher
A pair of concerned homeowners walked into the Schuylkill Center early last week in a bit of a panic. “We have lanternflies everywhere,” they told Steve Goin, our Director of Land and Facilities. “What do we do?” And many others have been calling our front desk with the same question.
What do we do indeed. Allow me to tell you.
[caption id="attachment_270974" align="alignleft" width="2268"] Photo credit: Shawn Riley[/caption]
The newest invasive creature in our backyards, spotted lanternflies were accidentally imported into Berks County from their native southeast Asia in 2014. And in the five years…
Hotter, Wetter, Weirder: Philadelphia’s Already-Changing Climate
August 8, 2019By Mike Weilbacher, Executive Director
Climate change remains in the headlines, as wildfires, flooding, heat waves, ice cap melting, and more dominate the news. But what will happen here in Philly? How will we fare in a rapidly heating world?
As the city’s Office of Sustainability notes in “Growing Stronger: Toward a Climate-Ready Philadelphia,” we have weathered “the snowiest winter, the two warmest summers, the wettest day, the two wettest years, as well as two hurricanes and a derecho” since 2010, the latter an unusual, high-energy storm system. Climate change is teaching us new language.
And we’re getting hotter. Climate…
The Science Behind Shooting Stars & S’mores
August 1, 2019by Charlotte Roach, Communications Intern
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular annual events for amateur stargazers and serious astronomy enthusiasts alike. During its peak, tens of shooting stars blaze across the sky each hour, wowing skywatchers as they gaze up into the heavens. We are actually watching bits of comet debris burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere, but if you indulge your imagination, it looks like stars are falling to Earth. This astronomical event is truly awe-inspiring, and you would be remiss not to step outside and look up in the wee hours of August 9th, 10th,…
2019 Bird Census Results
June 24, 2019by Ben Vizzachero, Environmental Educator
On the morning of June 1st, staff and volunteers completed the Schuylkill Center’s Nesting Bird Survey. Birders of all experience levels come out to participate in this annual citizen science project. Birding is one of the most popular ways to engage with the natural world. Read this article by Jack Connor to learn more about why birding is so great (warning: you may shed a tear).
[caption id="attachment_270832" align="alignleft" width="208"] Blue Jay[/caption]
To complete the count, participants break up into five groups and walk through all major areas of the Schuylkill Center’s property. As they…
Illuminating the Plastic Crisis: Art from Waste at the Schuylkill Center
June 6, 2019By: Christina Catanese
Recently, plastic has been the object of much attention – environmental news feels saturated with increasing calls for bans on plastic straws and grocery bags; images of dead albatrosses on beaches with stomachs full of bottle caps and other small pieces of plastics mistaken for food; an unfolding crisis in the recycling industry triggered by China’s ban on imports on many recyclables, where most of America’s waste had been shipped for years; and the resultant environmental justice crisis in Chester, where Philadelphia’s recycling was being burned for a time this year. Statistics like “8 million tons…
Community: Behind-the-Scenes
April 11, 2019by Sam Bromberg, Environmental Art and Communications Intern
In the gray winter months, Community has brought a refreshing splash of vibrancy to the Schuylkill Center. Our gallery bursts with color and texture, from chunky knits to intricate wood carvings to sleek photography.
The diversity of the show is the product of a collaborative community effort, speaking to the impressive creativity and talent of our Schuylkill Center members, neighbors, staff, volunteers, and friends. The start-to-finish creation of this exhibition was a fruitful process. So, how did we go from bare white walls to the captivating display that’s transformed the gallery? Here’s…
Nature & Art Exhibitions in the Region: Field Trips with Schuylkill Center Art Staff
April 4, 2019Collaboratively written by Lauren Bobyock (former Art + Communications Intern,) Liz Jelsomine (Exhibitions Coordinator), and Christina Catanese (Director of Environmental Art)
Though artists have always been inspired by nature, with the growing awareness of climate change and other ecological crises, an increasing number engage with themes of nature, landscape, and how people and culture connect to them. Over the past few seasons, several exhibitions in our region explored these ideas and the Schuylkill Center environmental art staff took a few field trips to enrich our thinking.
Natural Wonders at the Brandywine River Museum
The relationship between beauty and the sublime…
New Program Opens for Two-Year-Olds
March 21, 2019Imagine witnessing a child's love of nature unfurl through a series of moments: the first time they hold a wiggling earthworm, hear a warbler call, or watch frogs scurry into a pond. These experiences play into the sensory needs of young children and help to bolster their language, fine and gross motor skills, and cognitive abilities. For the first time this spring, we are offering this curriculum to children ages 25–36 months through Fledglings, a "watch-me-fly" program for children and caregivers.
This five-week series will use walks and wanders, songs, stories, and art to tap into children’s innate interest in…
Knit and Crochet for Climate Change
March 15, 2019
By Christina Catanese, Director of Environmental Art
There’s just something about climate change. Despite the fact that predictions grow more dire by the day, it doesn’t feel like an emergency. It can be hard to wrap our minds around something so big and abstract. So how can it become more personal, tangible, visceral?
A group of knitters has one idea—by applying their craft to climate change data.
The Tempestry Project (https://www.tempestryproject.com/about) is global climate data visualization through fiber arts. A Tempestry is a wall hanging, or temperature tapestry, that represents the daily high temperature for a given year and location,…
A Valentine to Bob and Nancy Elfant
February 13, 2019By Mike Weilbacher, Executive Director
It’s Valentine’s Day, that day set aside to think about the things we love. Bob and Nancy Elfant, local residents and strong supporters of the Schuylkill Center’s Wildlife Clinic, love animals.
“We both have a soft spot in our heart for animals,” said Bob last week. “And needy animals,” chimed in Nancy, noting their adoption of two rescue dogs 11 years ago. The Elfants were making a visit to the Wildlife Clinic, being given a tour by Chris Strub, the clinic’s assistant director.
“If I pass an animal along the road that has been hurt,…
