Walk in Penn's Woods 'well attended' at Penn State Schuylkill

Makenzie Christman, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·2 min read

Oct. 1—SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Penn State Schuylkill's first Walk in Penn's Woods event on Sunday drew over two dozen people, promoting forest education and appreciation.

The annual event aims to encourage just that among the various walks across the commonwealth, according to the Walk in Penn's Woods website.

The campus was one of two Penn State branches to host the event. A total of 66 walks took place around Pennsylvania, said Frank Snyder, retired state forester and a member of the Schuylkill County Conservancy.

Breaking off into three groups, Snyder, Will Thomas and Jerry Bowman led attendees along the campus, which showcases more than 40 species of woody plants.

The trio carried various years and degrees of knowledge with natural wildlife, which Bowman, associate director of the Schuylkill Conservation District, said he valued being able to share.

The tour primarily took place along the paved walkway on campus to ensure handicap accessibility.

That may change as the campus looks to add more plants over the years — something Mary Ann Smith, biology lecturer and arboretum director-curator, said she hopes eventually leads the location to a Level II arboretum accreditation. In April, the campus received a Level I accreditation from ArbNet, a global network of arboreta.

For a first-time event on campus, Smith called the attendance "a win," and said she hopes the event grows.

"So the fact that we're getting people out and visiting the campus again, and remembering we are part of your community, is a great thing for us," Smith said.

Bowman also considered the event "very well attended," noting it went better than he expected.

He also said he thinks the tour was well received by the public.

"They were like thirsty individuals," Bowman said. "They wanted to know everything about trees and bushes ... they basically just soaked up everything."

Walking away with newfound knowledge is exactly what some attendees were looking for, like Eve Bauser. Coming from Shenandoah, Bauser said she especially wanted to find out if she could enjoy the arboretum any day.

Bauser also hoped to simply enjoy the scenery on a sunny afternoon, saying she wanted to "just see the land, see the beautiful trees."

She said the opportunity allowed her to absorb nature and "be so thankful that I'm on my beautiful Earth."

Leading two tours throughout the three-hour-long event, Bowman said he hopes people walk away from it with not just a nice stroll, but a furthered basic education in plants.

"I hope they took some practical knowledge with them," Bowman said. "So when they're selecting a species to plant in their backyard, they'll know what to get."