Visit Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Berks County, on July 13 and enjoy a full day of free education programs in honor of the grand re-opening of the not-for-profit’s newly expanded Irma Broun-Kahn Education Building.

All programs will celebrate learning in the great outdoors and be free of charge, although a modest trail fee always applies for non-members wishing to walk to scenic overlooks. On-site vendors will offer lunch options, and a free, continuous shuttle will transport visitors to and from the Visitor Center and the Education Building throughout the day.

The Grand Re-Opening culminates a two-year-long capital campaign that raised $1 million to expand an outdoor patio area, create full ADA accessibility, install high speed Internet and an interactive “Smart Board” for school groups, install a safe school bus turn-around and connector trail, and to outfit the building for both environmental education programming and corporate meetings and retreats.

“We couldn’t be more proud to reinvest in outdoor education, and to present to our community and supporters this beautiful facility,” says Hawk Mountain president Jerry Regan.

“Not only does the building embrace our history and re-use the original structure from the 1950s, but it also now provides us with modern technology, a great space to host a broader range of programs, and will be perfect for corporate meetings and retreats during our downtime,” he adds.

Free programs for the day were designed to cover a range of interests and will feature live, native American wildlife presented by Jack Hubley with live raptor and snake presentations, and a focus on bats by Susan Gallagher from the Carbon County Environmental Center.

Others may be interested to tour the building, learn how to prevent bird deaths from glass strikes, or hear insights on Hawk Mountain history, its founder and its first volunteer Irma Broun, for whom the building is named.

The day begins at 9 a.m. with tours of the building and a mock field trip, followed by “Snakes: Venomous or Not?” at the Education Building or “Rosalie Edge: the Mother of the Environmental Movement” by biographer Dyana Furmansky at the Visitor Center.

At 11 a.m., naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul will reflect on environmental education during a slideshow at the Education Building, Porcupine Pat McKinney will lead a Wee One’s (and Big Ones!) Walk from the Visitor Center, and Jeremy Scheivert will present Raptors Up Close! In the Outdoor Amphitheater.

Cindy Dunn, the Deputy Secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be on hand for the noon-time ribbon-cutting, along with Berks Commissioner Christian Leinbach and Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill).  An unveiling of an inscribed boulder outside the building will culminate the short dedication.

At 1 p.m., Dyana Furmansky will present a history of education at Hawk Mountain at the Education Building, Susan Gallagher will talk about “Bats, bats, bats!” at the Visitor Center, and Jack Hubley will present “Feathered Hunters” in the Outdoor Amphitheater.

At 2 p.m., Dr. Dan Klem, Jr, ornithologist and Muhlenberg professor, will share his expertise in preventing bird deaths from glass strikes, and the day will end with Dr. Laurie Goodrich who will lead an interpretive walk from the Education Building to the North Lookout where the group will scan for bald eagles.

Also on hand will be the chance to informally walk through the new building, to meet and learn more about fern species by volunteer Catherine Ellwell, to test-drive optics from Cabela’s Outdoor Outfitter, and to snap your photo with a life-size cut-out of our first-volunteer Irma Broun at the trailhead entrance.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world’s first refuge for birds of prey and an international center for raptor conservation. The 2400 acre sanctuary, including its 8-mile trail system, scenic overlooks, Visitor Center and native plant garden are open daily year round.

To learn more, visit the Hawk Mountain website or call 610-756-6961.

7/1/2013