|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Message from the Executive Director
Thanks to You!
This year, thanks to the generosity of numerous donors and supporters of our education programs, many thousands of children will have meaningful, hands experiences in nature and science education that will help shape their values of environmental stewardship. As Riverbend enters our fifth decade we are implementing exciting plans to make important improvements to our property, additions to our educational offerings and bringing hands on nature and science programs to an ever increasing number of individuals.
Thanks to many of you we will be building our long-planned aquaponics greenhouse off the side of the Snider Barn adding an important educational resource about sustainable agriculture and why it is important to our future. As soon as the freezing weather ends we will be breaking ground and if all goes well the green house will be operational in a few short months, with educational programs beginning in force by September. The most thrilling part of this is imagining the curiosity, the questions, and the awe when children learn - and see! - that it's possible to grow organic greens in a greenhouse thanks to the nourishment provided by fish waste! This amazing educational tool will help us make real-life environmental problems relevant and solvable to learners of all ages.
Also, thanks to a $30,000 grant from The McLean Contributionship we are thrilled about an important repair and improvement to the center of our operations. The board walk and the Lieberman Outdoor Classroom will be receiving a lovely upgrade replacing the wooden walkway and hand railings plus adding lighting to extend its' usefulness.
Finally, later this year , thanks to a Pennsylvania State RACP grant we plan yet another capital improvement with the addition of a picnic pavilion and composting toilet. More to come on this as our plans are solidified.
These improvements and growth are important because they truly are enabling better learning situations that inspire environmental stewardship and a love of our natural world. Thanks to you, we hope to reach more than 19,000 individuals in 2015. If one person can make a difference, just imagine the change 19,000 can cause!
See you around the 'bend,
Laurie Bachman
Executive Director
__________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
Check out what fun facts we discovered in 2014 with our
|
|
2nd Annual
Farm To Table Dinner
 May 31st, 2015 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Featuring speaker and author, Chef Ian Knauer and food provided by Chef Alex Garfinkel
Riverbend's second annual Farm To Table Dinner will take place under a tent at the highest point on our preserve in Gladwyne.
Stay tuned for more info.
|
Year Round Camp Dates
Camp doesn't end when the summer does! Flexible and low-key, our school holiday camp program meets the needs of busy parents while providing children the perfect place for holiday fun.
Upcoming camp days: March 23rd- 27th March 30th - April 3rd |
Summer Camp and Kindergarten Open House
March 14th
10:00 am- 12:00 pm
Night Hike and Campfire
March 21st
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Astronomy Night with the PSF
April 24th
7:30 - 10:30 pm
|
Be a Part of Our Family!
With the support of our constituents, Riverbend continues to offer an open space that is free and open to the public to enjoy. In order to continue our mission and preserve our land for future generations, we need your continued support. For as little as $25 for an individual or $50 for a family, you can make an investment in "Growing Greener Children" for the future of our planet. |
Two years ago, Riverbend launched a weekly program that supports a child's developing skills through experiences in the natural world. Its' value and distinctiveness comes from the significant time children spend outdoors in a setting that allows meaningful learning through free play, hands-on activities, exploration, and observation. |
Through nature study and investigation, games, crafts, hikes and more, our professional educators will guide your children in hands-on exploration and science-based learning that only nature can provide.
This year, we are breaking out our camps into three age categories, offering different themes to better meet the needs of children as they grow-up.
|
|
Please welcome our new Board of Director's Chair: Doris Brogan
 We are so pleased to announce that Doris DelTosto Brogan has been elected as Riverbend's new Chair of the Board of Directors. Doris joined the Board in 2012, served on the Development Committee, and chaired the Aquaponics Campaign Committee. Under her leadership - shaped by her passion for the aquaponics project- the committee was able to reach their goal, allowing Riverbend to expand our education programming for the region. Doris's strong commitment to the environment, coupled with an acute appreciation of the value of open space and the importance of reaching underserved populations, motivates her volunteer commitment to Riverbend. Under Doris's leadership, the board will continue to provide guidance that will increase the impact of Riverbend's work. Doris is a Professor of Law at Villanova University and lives in St. Davids with her husband and school age daughter, a former Riverbend camper. She is also the mother to two adult children, one of whom is a former Riverbend Summer Camp Educator.
Doris succeeds, Lisa Thomas, who has served in the role for nearly three years and a member of the board for seven. Riverbend was extraordinarily fortunate to have an accomplished and committed member of the community to lead the organization through such critical stages in our development. Lisa will remain an integral member of Riverbend by continuing to serve on our Property Committee.
Riverbend is deeply grateful for the tremendous amount of time, energy and support that all of our Board Directors, past and present, have devoted to advance our mission to teach environmental principals to children through hands-on learning and discovery. Back to top
| |
______________________________________________________________________
|
Meet Our Donors: Steve Shreiner
Riverbend's donors are a dedicated and inspiring group of people that support bringing children closer to nature through hands-on learning. Learn more about the people who make our work possible!
Tell us a little bit about yourself, how did you start Shreiner Tree Care?
I was a senior at Radnor High School. I had a lot of energy and loved being active. My mentor saw these qualities in me and directed them towards climbing trees. I fell in love with it and began the business with a friend soon after.
In your spare time, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy working with wood, specifically live edge woodworking. I like making organic styled furniture, cabinets or end tables. I also enjoy fly fishing.
What have you most enjoyed at Riverbend?
I got involved with Riverbend through scouting. I saw the importance of being in touch with nature, especially at a young age. It's important to understand your natural surroundings. Riverbend connects children to nature through their programming.
What inspired you to get more involved?
Riverbend's mission. Teaching children the importance of nature. Riverbend goes beyond social and economic lines to allow every child the chance to experience nature.
We're striving to make things more eco friendly. In other words, we strive to do more--with less. Tell me about a way you strive to do that in your life.
Shreiner Tree Care strives to be environmentally conscious and eco friendly. When we have to remove trees for health or safety concerns, we make sure we re-purpose that wood for fuel, composting, mulch or saw mills. We are also constantly planting new trees and plants from March- November to regrow anything we have lost.
What is your favorite part about nature? Do you have a specific memory that stands out and if so, can you tell us about it?
I have two memories that spring to mind. I used to be a counselor at a Boy Scout camp in the Poconos. On the weekends between camper weeks, I enjoyed hiking alone and exploring nature. I had some run-ins with mosquitoes due to a lack of a tent but it really connected me to nature. My other memory is while I was hiking with a friend. We came to a clearing in the woods that was going through a regrowth of cinnamon ferns. I remember the way the ferns were moving with the wind. It was a great moment in nature to witness.
Steve Shreiner is an Honorary Board Director and has been a generous donor for over seven years supporting programs, events and providing very generous in-kind tree work.
Back to top
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
It Takes A Village of Homes to Make a Habitat
 In 2014 we completed an Animal Homes Project to attract and support birds, bats, butterflies and insects at Riverbend. These animals provide us with opportunities for teaching children and the wider public about nature, as well as improve the health and diversity of our ecosystem. In the meadow, open areas, and in our bird observation areas, we installed four bluebird houses, four wren houses, four woodpecker, and four butterfly houses - a village of animal homes. We also purchased a bat house which we will put up this spring. 
Along the main path, we built and installed an Insect Hotel. Insects have important jobs in the ecosystem and we need them at Riverbend. Insects serve as food for other animals, plants and flowers can't produce seeds without them and they also recycle plant and animal materials and keep our soils healthy. Due to habitat loss, many insects struggle to find appropriate nesting places. As a way to welcome them to Riverbend, we built the Insect Hotel with nesting materials that create a cozy and safe place for insects to lay eggs and hibernate for the winter. We also landscaped the area surrounding the Insect Hotel with native ferns and shrubs which will attract birds, butterflies and insects.
The Insect Hotel has been a source of great interest for visitors to the property, and our environmental educators have incorporated it into their lesson about the importance of insects in the ecosystem.
| |
___________________________________________________________________
|
 Eco Activity: Wonderful Winter Adaptations
Brrr... it has been a frigid winter! How do animals survive this extreme weather? Many animals will migrate or hibernate to avoid the winter weather and lack of food but many stay active all winter! The Polar Bear, who spends his whole life on the frigid Arctic Tundra, has developed special winter adaptations that not only allow them to survive but thrive in these very chilly temperatures. Try out this experiment at home to learn more about the Polar Bear's winter survival secret!
Step 1: Start out with a bowl of icy cold water. This represents the cold Arctic waters the Polar Bears hunt in. Have the kids stick their hands in the water and count how long they can keep their bare hands in the icy water. Most likely they won't be able to keep their fingers in the bowl too long. What did it feel like?
Step 2: Next have the kids stick their hands in a disposable rubber glove and cover the glove in an inch or two of shortening. To contain the mess you, cover the shortening in plastic wrap. Step 3: Have them stick their hand back in the icy water. How does it feel? Count long can they stick their hands in water now. Were they able to keep their hands in longer?
The shortening represents the thick layer of fat that Polar Bears have. This layer of fat can be over 4 inches thick! It does a great job of insulating the Polar Bear by trapping his body heat in even in the sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic! Pretty cool, huh!
| |
Back to top
|
|
|
Behind the 'Bend
This Red-tailed Hawk is seen often by staff and visitors of our property and believed to be part of a mating pair nesting at Riverbend.  Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
