The Asbury Woods Environmental Center is pleased to bring back its program, Nature in Your Neighborhood, for its second year in the City of Erie.

This program takes science and nature on the road to various locations in the City of Erie each Thursday June 15 through August 17.

Thanks to our presenting sponsor, the Erie Community Foundation and additional support from H. Richard Obermanns and Konzel Construction this program is provided for free and offers different hands-on activities each week.

Our goal is to ignite a curiosity about nature through engaging themes and to provide unique learning experiences in an open and accessible format.

This year families can discover underwater creatures, explore parks through scavenger hunts, act like busy bees, and much more. In addition, a partnership with Hooked on Books allows Asbury Woods to hand out a nature-themed book to each child attending.

A core tenet of our vision is to educate people of all ages about northwest Pennsylvania’s unique and diverse habitats and native wildlife.

Research shows that environmental education helps build creative thinking and relationship skills, fosters leadership qualities, and makes school subjects rich and relevant.

Nature in Your Neighborhood will apply science concepts and real-life environmental examples to help influence the way youth think about the world and their connection to it.

“Fostering diversity of our visitors and program participants is a goal of our strategic plan and taking our show on the road is one way to achieve that. Last year we reached over 200 children and adults in various parks and community spaces, with topics such as seeds, pelts and skulls, and monarch butterflies. We welcome families in each neighborhood to stop in for these hands-on, minds-on, staff-facilitated educational activities, and hope to ignite their curiosity about the natural world,” says Jennifer Farrar, Asbury Woods Executive Director.

“We support the Nature in Your Neighborhood program because it aligns with the goals of the City of Erie to create welcoming and vibrant neighborhoods that provide excellent amenities for all residents, high quality of life, and community pride. This family-friendly, free programming will offer residents educational opportunities in local public spaces within their neighborhoods during summer months,” says Chuck Zysk, Director, Department of Public Works, City of Erie.

To learn more, visit the Nature in Your Neighborhood webpage and see the locations and themes for each week.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and more, visit the Asbury Woods Environmental Center webpage.

[Posted: June 14, 2023]

6/19/2023