Amphibian and reptile spring awakenings highlighted in Brandywine Conservancy lecture
Chadds Ford, PA, March 27, 2018 — The sounds of amphibians and reptiles awakening from their winter hibernation marks the arrival of spring in the Brandywine Valley and surrounding area. This season is an ideal time to look and listen for frogs, toads and salamanders moving to their breeding pools to call and find mates, in addition to turtles and snakes emerging from hibernation to bask in the sun. Learn all about these spring Herpetofauna or “herps”—the collective term for both reptiles and amphibians—during the next lecture in the Brandywine Conservancy’s Stewardship Series on Thursday, April 5, 2018.
Entitled “Amphibians and Reptiles Awaken,” this how-to lecture will help you identify these creatures by sight and sound, protect and enhance their habitat, and submit observations as a citizen scientist. Led by Mike McGraw, MES, QAWB (Senior Wildlife Biologist/Ecologist and PA Branch Manager at Applied Ecological Services), the lecture will be followed by an optional field walk along the Brandywine Conservancy marshlands to listen for the sounds of the earliest calling frogs.
“Amphibians and Reptiles Awaken” will be held on Thursday, April 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Brandywine River Museum of Art’s lecture room at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317. Admission is $5 for non-members and free for Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members and Conservancy easement landowners; light refreshments will be provided. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.brandywine.org/conservancy/events. Those joining the optional field walk are encouraged to bring a flashlight and wear waterproof hiking shoes.
About the Brandywine Conservancy:
The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever, and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds 483 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of more than 64,500 acres of land. The Conservancy is a program of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands throughout the Brandywine Valley, developing new conservation approaches and assuring access to majestic open spaces and dependable water supplies for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.
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