Education
Twinleaf Award
We’re excited about native plants and native wildlife and we hope that you are too! We created this program to inspire visitors of all ages to go out into nature during the four seasons and help participants sharpen their observation skills, knowledge of the natural world, and sense of wonder.
The Twinleaf Award is comprised of eight classes held at the Preserve. Each class will begin with an indoor introductory presentation about that day’s topic and then we will head to the trails for outdoor exploration.
Register for the Twinleaf Award program by calling (215) 862-2924. (Note: the Twinleaf Award program has been cancelled for 2012. Check back for 2013 program details).
2011 Twinleaf Award Winners
Congratulations to the following participants who successfully completed the Twinleaf Award program:
Individual Awards: Team Awards:
Jean Barrell Ingrid Periz and George Loreto
Leah Hight Jill Foley and Wally Snow
Monica Flint
Gail Siggelakis
Rona Webster
Sophie Webster
A special thank you to our Twinleaf Award instructor, Pam Newitt, for her dedication and enthusiasm. Thanks for helping the Preserve to connect more people to nature!
Twinleaf Award Information
To earn the Twinleaf Award, one must fulfill the requirements of attending 6 of the 8 offered classes and complete the task for that class.
Participants will be given a notebook to use for the series to take descriptive notes, do detailed drawings and/or keep a photo journal.
Once you have finished these requirements, you will be able to submit your notebook for review by Preserve staff and, if everything is successfully completed, earn the coveted Twinleaf Award at a special award ceremony!
Twinleaf Award Program Fees
For the Series of eight classes:
Adults: $60 for BHWP members; $75 for non-members
Children (10 yrs & up): $50 for BHWP members; $65 for non-members
Children under 10: free with paying adult
Note: Adults and children ages 10 and up can work by themselves to earn the Twinleaf Award. We ask that children under 10 work with an adult as a team to complete the Twinleaf Award classes and requirements.
Twinleaf Award Program Classes
(Note: the Twinleaf Award program has been cancelled for 2012. Check back for 2013 program details).
Classes will be held in the Preserve Visitor Center on eight Saturdays throughout the year. Each class will run from 3:30 – 5 p.m. You must be registered for the Twinleaf Award program to attend these classes – sign up now!
Nature Detectives
Though we have many animals that live in the Preserve, we are rarely treated to glimpses of them. We can, however, discover who's around if we know where to look and what to look for. Bundle up for a walk in the woods and meadow in search of the traces animals leave behind. We'll learn about tracks, scat, and other clues that confirm mammals' and insects' presence.
Buds and Bark
Dress warm as we venture out into the woods to identify common trees by bud and bark. We'll learn to use a dichotomous key, a tool that will help us throughout the Twinleaf Award programs, and put that new found skill to the test in the Preserve's diverse forest. We'll also learn a few tricks by using unique characteristics of some common trees as shortcuts to identification.
Spring Ephemerals
With the promise of warmer weather, the spring ephemeral wildflowers are just poking through the soil. We'll learn about the natural history of some common early bloomers, discover their crucial relationship with insects, and learn to identify a few flowers along the way.
Birds
Just in time for insect activity, the migratory birds start rolling in from the south. We'll explore the relationship between Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and the Atlantic Flyway, learn about the role native plants play in supplying reliable food sources, and identify some common and not so common birds by song and sight.
Pollinators
The list of pollinators in the mid-Atlantic region is vast and often overwhelming, but these animals play an integral roll in a native plants' life cycle. We'll talk about bees, moths, butterflies, beetle and other insect pollinators as well as some unusual creatures we often leave off the list.
Stream Study
Many aquatic creatures are indicators of water health. In this rare opportunity, we'll be venturing into the Pidcock where we will try to identify some of the many insect, crustaceans and amphibians that make the Pidcock Creek home. Wear closed toe shoes you can get wet.
Fall Comes to the Forest
Fall is a wonderful time of year to walk the woodland trails of Bowman's Hill. We'll learn about why leaves change, how soil and water affects the colors and what strategies the trees employ to survive the coming winter.
Seed Pods and Fleshy Fruits
After flowers are visited by pollinators, plants produce seeds for the next generation. These seeds are often encased in woody or fleshy fruits. We'll explore the structure and design of some fruits and learn how their shape aids the plant in seed dispersal.
