Schuylkill County residents will have four opportunities in October to explore local forests, learn about woodland stewardship and see how property owners are caring for Pennsylvania’s natural resources.
About Walk in Penn’s Woods
Walk in Penn’s Woods is a statewide initiative that encourages people to visit and learn about the forests that enhance their well-being. Pennsylvania’s forests provide recreation, wildlife habitat, clean air, improved water quality, wood products, carbon storage and natural beauty.
The coordinated event is traditionally held on the first Sunday in October, although local activities are being offered on several dates. The initiative brings together landowners, parks, forestry professionals, land trusts, trail organizations and other partners with the goal of offering accessible woodland walks throughout Pennsylvania.
Walking Tour at Penn State Schuylkill
Date and time: Friday, October 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Students and members of the public are invited to join campus tree advocates for a walking tour of the trees and arboretum at Penn State Schuylkill.
Participants will learn about the campus tree collection and how the trees provide comfort, beauty and important benefits to people and wildlife. The tour will also highlight campus initiatives involving community outreach and tree equity.
Visitors may spend as much or as little time as they wish exploring and appreciating the trees growing throughout the campus.
Contact: Mary Ann Smith, curator of the Campus Arboretum, at 570-702-6618 or mvs14@psu.edu.
Walking Tour of Steve Delp’s Woodlands
Date and time: Saturday, October 3, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Visitors will tour Steve Delp’s woodlands, where a former abandoned dairy farm has been transformed into a thriving forest over nearly 30 years.
Guided by his vision of creating a forest for the future, Delp planted the property’s former fields and pastures with a wide variety of tree species. Participants will walk along maintained access roads while experiencing the beauty, tranquility and diversity of the woodlands.
Delp is also an active member of the American Chestnut Foundation. His property includes chestnut plantings and research plantations being used in efforts to develop blight-resistant American chestnut trees for future reforestation.
The tour will allow visitors to learn about Delp’s efforts to restore and preserve woodlands for future generations.
Location: 151 Wild Cherry Road, Schuylkill Haven.
Directions: From Route 183 at the blinker light in Summit Station, travel west on Route 895 for approximately five miles. Turn right onto Dad Burnham Road and continue about one-half mile to Wild Cherry Road. Turn right and travel approximately one-quarter mile. The farm will be on the left.
Explore a Woodland in Progress
Date and time: Sunday, October 4, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
George Maroukis and Heather Wright will lead a walk through their woodlands and homestead near Auburn.
The tour is a follow-up to last year’s event and will highlight the progress Maroukis has made in controlling stilt grass and other invasive plants as the couple works to transform the property into a self-sustaining food forest.
A forest management plan was recently completed for the property, and the couple is now putting that plan into action. Maroukis will explain the importance of the plan and how it outlines the work needed over the next several years.
Visitors will also see how goats and chickens play a role in the enjoyment and stewardship of the property.
Maroukis is a novice woodworker who is planning to build a timber-framed porch onto the couple’s 1850s stone farmhouse, which they have spent the past seven years restoring.
Location: 254 Red Church Road, Auburn.
Walk Through the Woods with Barry Palmer
Date and time: Saturday, October 10, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Barry and Shelly Palmer will host a gentle walk through their woodlands near Schuylkill Haven, giving visitors an opportunity to experience the beauty, peace and comfort of a forest setting.
An avid hunter and wildlife enthusiast, Barry Palmer enjoys observing the deer and bears that frequently visit the property. He also offers hunting leases that allow others to use the land while contributing to the stewardship of its woodland and wildlife resources.
The tour will also highlight Palmer’s beekeeping operation. Palmer has previously shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for beekeeping through public presentations at the Schuylkill County Fair.
Visitors will explore some of Palmer’s favorite locations on the property while learning about wildlife, beekeeping and the different ways he manages and enjoys the land.
Location: 520 Bear Creek Road, Schuylkill Haven.