Central Pennsylvania Conservancy Spring 2024 Newsletter

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) is a beautiful native plant in the onion family that is only seen in rich woods during the springtime. Did you know that it takes 7 years for one of these plants to go to seed?

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) in bloom at a property we protect

Can you believe it's already May? Spring ephemeral species are on their way back into hibernation, CPC's spring property monitoring season has wrapped up, volunteers have returned to stewarding the Letort Spring Garden Preserve, and birds continue their migrations to summer grounds! (and the full eclipse happened! Did you see it?)

CPC staff attended the WeConservePA conference in early April, learning about a variety of conservation topics and being in community with fellow land trusts from around the state. Across Pennsylvania, land trusts have protected a collective 880,722 acres and counting, with over 8,000 of those protected by us since 1982. At the beginning of this month, we received a grant from our friends at PA American Water to continue developing the visitor infrastructure at our Letort Spring Garden Preserve!

In this issue, check out our special feature on how you can help birds during migration season, as well as our community events list for the rest of the month.

Photo of Red-winged Blackbirds by Minette Lane

Special Feature:

Supporting Our Feathered Friends during Migration Season

As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, nature orchestrates one of its most remarkable spectacles: bird migration. Every spring and fall, billions of birds embark on epic journeys, traveling thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. While migration is a wondrous phenomenon, it can also be a perilous one, with numerous challenges along the way. As stewards of the environment, it's crucial for us to support these avian travelers during their migrations. Here are some tips on how to do just that!

1. Create Bird-Friendly Habitats:

Enhancing your outdoor space to accommodate migratory birds can offer them safe havens during their journey. Planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers provides essential shelter and foraging opportunities. Additionally, minimizing the use of pesticides and allowing natural areas to flourish can create welcoming environments for birds and other wildlife. Keeping cats indoors is also a good idea, as predation by cat is one of the biggest threats to bird populations.

2. Provide Food and Water:

During migration, birds expend a tremendous amount of energy, and finding food and water along their journey is vital for their survival. While creating bird-friendly habitat is the best way to support birds during migration, that isn't always possible for everyone. You can help by providing bird feeders filled with seeds, suet, or nectar, as well as clean water sources such as bird baths. These provisions offer essential sustenance for weary travelers and can make a significant difference, especially in urban areas where natural resources may be scarce. Be sure to select seed and feeders that support our native birds. Avoid seed mixes with milo/millet, which attract invasive house sparrows and starlings.

3. Reduce Collisions:

One of the most significant threats to migrating birds is collision with buildings, especially those illuminated at night. Many birds navigate using the stars, and artificial lights can disorient them, leading to fatal collisions with structures. Participating in Lights Out initiatives, where non-essential outdoor lighting is dimmed or turned off during peak migration periods, can greatly reduce these incidents. By simply switching off lights or drawing curtains from dusk to dawn, individuals and businesses can play a crucial role in protecting migratory birds. Birds are also vulnerable to window collisions during the day, which is often fatal. You can help birds avoid daytime collisions by placing stickers, exterior screens, etched glass, or vertical cords on the outside of windows that break up the reflections and help birds recognize glass as a barrier.

4. Spread Awareness:

Education is key to fostering a culture of bird conservation. Share information about migration season and the challenges faced by migratory birds with your community. Encourage others to take simple actions, such as keeping cats indoors and minimizing disturbances in natural areas frequented by birds. By raising awareness, we can inspire collective action to support these remarkable travelers.

5. Get Involved:

Consider volunteering with local conservation organizations like CPC or your local Audubon chapter, or participating in citizen science projects focused on bird migration. These initiatives not only contribute valuable data for research but also offer opportunities to directly engage with bird conservation efforts in your area.

As migration season unfolds, let us remember our responsibility to support and protect the incredible journeys of migratory birds. By providing food, creating bird-friendly habitats, reducing collisions, spreading awareness, and getting involved, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of these remarkable creatures. Together, let's ensure that the skies remain filled with the beauty and wonder of avian migration for generations to come.

For more tips on how to help migratory birds, check out this link from the National Wildlife Federation: Help Migratory Birds article at NWF.org

and this one from Audubon: More things you can do to help from Audubon

See bird migration forecasts in real time at birdcast.info

We had a great Earth Day evening walk at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve on April 23rd! A Great Horned Owl provided a steady backdrop and we had a beautiful view of the almost full moon. The cooler weather kept the Spring Peepers (treefrogs) quiet, but it was exciting to see three species of recently returned swallows, including Tree Swallows checking out our new bird box trail thanks to Andrew Dapkins & volunteers.

Every spring day brings new excitement -hope to catch you on the trails soon!

Stewardship Specialist Brennan Ka'aihue with volunteer Joe Herbstritt at the New Cumberland Earth and Arts Festival, talking to the legendary (retired) Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program botanist Rocky Gleason about rare plants! We gave away a lot of native seeds and CPC stickers that day, met lots of awesome folks and lots of good conversation! Missed out on seeds and stickers? Visit us at the Master Gardener Event, details below!

We've been looking for you!

Yes, you, our newest volunteer!

Join us for our monthly earthcare day at the Letort Preserve every 2nd Saturday of the month; the next one is this Saturday, May 11th and the whole family is welcome.

Some of the things we do as a group including planting native species, removing invasive species, creating wildlife habitat, learning about our environment, collecting and spreading native seeds, "urban archaeology" and litter cleanups, and lots more!

We love hosting local organizations for earth care at the Preserve; reach out to Land Steward Jesse Price (click to email him!) for more information.

If you have event/program ideas, want to collaborate or know of a local business/organization that would be a good match, desire to have us host certain types of events, have interesting topics you'd love to see on our social media or would like to write a newsletter article, possess genius fundraising ideas to help us save more land, then sign up as a volunteer at the link below and let's chat!

Special thanks to Microchip Technologies in Mount Holly Springs (above) for coming out recently for a group stewardship day the Letort.

Click here to sign up to volunteer with us!

Upcoming Events

Enriching fun for the whole family!

RSVP by emailing your name, how many people will be in your group, and which events you'd like to attend to info@centralpaconservancy.org

May 11th

Community Volunteer Stewardship Day

9 am - 12 pm

Letort Spring Garden Preserve, 1110 S. Spring Garden Rd., Carlisle, PA 17013.

See above for more information and to sign up for our first volunteer stewardship day of the year!

May 16th

Juniata Preserve Guided Walk for PA Native Plant Day

9 am - 11 am

Meet at Rutter's #37, 27335 Rte 75 N, Mifflintown, PA 17059

Join Central Pennsylvania Conservancy for the 3rd annual Pennsylvania Native Plant Day while exploring Greg’s Woods and Port Royal Wetlands. These two preserves are part of the Cedar Spring Run wetland complex and were donated the Conservancy in 1996 and 2003, respectively. We’ll enjoy a leisurely walk as we discover a variety of native plants as well as common invasive species. Mid-May is the peak of songbird migration, so we’ll identify species by sight and sound.

May 16th

Evening Guided Walk at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve for PA Native Plant Day

7:30 pm - 9 pm

1110 South Spring Garden Road, Carlisle, PA 17013

Join Central Pennsylvania Conservancy for the 3rd annual Pennsylvania Native Plant Day while exploring the Letort Spring Garden Preserve. Protected by the Conservancy and partners in 2018, the preserve features a series of trail through wet meadows, stream, and upland habitat.

This evening walk will cover ~1.5 miles over level terrain. We’ll check out the native plants as well as invasive species in the area. Songbird migration is in full swing in Mid-May as well as their singing amphibian counterparts – frogs and toads.

May 18th

CPC@ Cumberland County Master Gardeners Plant Fest & Sale

8 am - 1 pm

310 Allen Road, Carlisle, PA 17013

Join us for a fun day with the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Cumberland County at their Plant Fest & Sale in Carlisle on May 18th from 8 am to 1 pm. Featuring native plants suitable for a variety of condition, gardening advice, youth gardening activities, Plant Fest has something for everyone! We will also have native, local-ecotype seed packets available, and a small selection of native plants for folks to take home (by donation).

May 31- June 1

KTA Trail Love: Michaux Edition

7:30 am 5/31 - ?

Pine Grove Furnace State Park, 20 Quarry Rd, Gardners, PA 17324

Join our community partners at Keystone Trails Association for a trail love extravaganza at Michaux State Forest! There's camping with a fire and smores, lunch, dinner, new and known friends, and the satisfaction in knowing that together you helped spruce up some of our area's most popular trails. More information and signup available at https://www.kta-hike.org/michauxtraillove.html?

June 6

2024 Members Picnic

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

South Middleton Township Park, 534 Park Drive, Boiling Springs, PA 17007

Mark your calendars for our 2024 Member's Picnic! We want to celebrate you - the people that make our mission possible. If you're a CPC member (donor) and didn't receive an invitation, we still have space and would love for you to join us for a conservation community barbecue.

If you're unsure if you're a member of CPC or not, you can respond to this email and we can let you know your status, and if you're not already a member, we'd love for you to join us!

Psstttt! There are wild native Pinxterbloom Azaleas at the Juniata walk!

You know how we're always mentioning that we can't save land without your support? Well, it's true, and we hope that you too have dreams of preserving our local lands as much as we do. Your financial support is what makes permanent protection of local lands possible; please consider a tax-deductible donation to CPC if you are able to. Thank you!

Click here to support our conservation mission!

This box turtle's tail was too cute to not share. The work we do ensures this little critter and all of its relations residing on land we protect will be able to peacefully bask in the sun forever, as long as a predator doesn't get them.

Thank you for reading and supporting our work to protect and preserve land in south-central Pennsylvania!