Trust Renovations Have Focus on Student Education

Approximately $240,000 will go into renovating the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust’s Visitors Center, which will include a classroom dedicated to area students.

The renovations to the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust began on Dec. 27, and it didn’t take long for the Lower Moreland based company Bickel and Scena Construction to completely demolish its interior. “It's just a general overhaul of the building. It's a little tired at this point," Art Scena, working foreman for Bickel and Scena Construction and Trust member, said. "The finished product should look nice, according to the plans." According to the Trust’s executive director, Dr. David Robertson, plans for renovating the visitors center were long in the making. It wasn’t until after successfully matching the $120,000 grants from the Beneficio Foundation, which has supported the Turst since the 1970s, that the Trust went forward with …

• Videos (1)

March of the Monarchs Passes Through Pennypack

The Monarch Butterflies are migrating to Mexico and are passing through Upper Moreland on the way. The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust is celebrating this event with The March of the Monarchs this Saturday, September 17th.

As we sense the way daylight slips away earlier each evening, we are reminded from past experience that summer is going and winter is near.  The Monarch butterfly knows this much better than we do, yet they have no past memories on which to base this, only instinct. “The Monarch butterflies are a fascinating species,” Ehren Gross, enviornmental educator at Briar Bush Nature Center, said.  The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, or commonly referred to as just the "Trust," brought Gross brought on to spearhead the March of the Monarchs event. The family-friendly event is scheduled to take place at the Trust, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17. “Scientists have found that Monarchs have magnets that show them where magnetic north …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Toni Kistner

6:57 am on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Awesome -- I had no idea that they have this event. It must be really cool to watch!   more ›

Practical Science with Phil Freda

Practical Science Profiles: The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust

This week, we have the unique opportunity to discover a hidden gem: The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust.

After pulling into the main entrance of the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, I thought that I stumbled into a dream. I said to myself, “Wasn’t I just on Huntingdon Pike? How on Earth did I get here?” A few quick turns of the wheel, and I had discovered a magical realm with pristine woodlands and prairie. It seemed that civilization itself was far away. After I got myself together, we were met by the executive director of the Trust, David J. Robertson, Ph.D. Dr. Robertson received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981 and has been employed by the trust since 1988. He is responsible for the overall administration of the preserve. The Trust is operated by nine employees, but garners the help of over…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (30)
• Videos (1)