Hollow Oak News

 

"I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art

that anybody could ever want to own."

- Andy Warhol
  
March 4, 2015

Volume 2, Number 9

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Volunteer Opportunities
Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)

 

FrogWatch

Spring is just around the corner, bringing back the welcome chorus of peeps, croaks, trills and chirrups in the wetlands. This year, we need some help listening for some particular animals - frogs! We are partnering with FrogWatch USA to study amphibian health, but we can't do it alone - Hollow Oak needs your help identifying species by listening at our conservation areas in Moon, Kennedy, Hopewell, North Fayette, and Franklin Park. Interested volunteers can join us for an informational meeting to learn how volunteers of all ages can help. RSVP: [email protected]

 

Eastern Hemlock Trees: 

Wooly Adelgid Monitoring

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid egg sacs

Our official sate tree, the Eastern Hemlock currently faces a dire threat from of the invasive insect known as the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)".  Learning how to identify and treat infestations can help save the eastern hemlocks in our area.  Join us for an informational hike at Montour Woods Conservation Area on March 26th at 6:00 PM. RSVP: [email protected] 

 

Earth Day Event, Robin Hill Park 

April 19, 1:00-3:00 PM

Join fellow volunteers at the Moon Township Earth Day celebration at Robin Hill Park as we spread the word about opportunities to protect and connect greenspace in the Pittsburgh area. Volunteers receive native wildflower seeds and trail maps, just in time for spring! RSVP: [email protected]

 

Hollow Oak Species List Online

 

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

To see over 300 types of flora and fauna observed at Hollow Oak conservation areas over the years, check out the new Hollow Oak Species ListIncluding dozens of species of wildflowers, the web page is a great way to bone up for spring!

 

Big thanks to RMU Environmental Science intern, Mallory Sarver, who compiled this data, and Development Intern, Kathleen Macie, who helped with formatting and uploading to the web site.

Nature Notes:  Those Hoppy Anurans (Frogs & Toads)
  
Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

With the snow rapidly melting, you might say it's frog-thirty in western PA. Soon, wood frogs will be quacking, pickerel frogs snoring and toads a'trilling. If you've ever wanted to recognize them by ear, see the FrogWatch article above.

 

Here's a list of our common local anurans and a link to look up their callsHow many of these do you know?  Wood Frog, Spring Peeper, Pickerel Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, American Toad, Green Frog, Bullfrog 

 

Greenspace Cycling Jersey 

     

Celebrate Pittsburgh's greenspace and support local land conservation by ordering the new cycling jersey from Hollow Oak Land Trust. Featuring full front zipper and three back pockets, this jersey was designed & manufactured right here in Pittsburgh by Aerotech Designs.
 

To reserve one or more jerseys at $50 each, send a check to Hollow Oak Land Trust, PO Box 741, Moon Township, PA 15108. Men's and Women's
sizes S-XXL available
.

 

 

New Trail Map Online

 

In 2014, Hollow Oak volunteers built two miles of new trails at Montour Woods Conservation Area, including the new Highlands Trail, which crosses the high plateau from upper Hemlocks Trail to the Lollipop loop. Big thanks to Bruce Cridlebaugh for helping us update the new trail map online! Stay tuned for the new brochure & trail map due out soon. 

  

Get Outdoors PA

Hollow Oak Land Trust has become a
Get Outdoors PA community partner, which provides additional resources and promotional opportunities for programs at our conservation areas. You can also use their Activities Calendar to find programs programs such as these at Montour Woods:
  • Dutch Oven Chili Hike, Mar. 14, 1-4:00 pm
    Come enjoy the deliciousness of chili cooked over an open fire with Hollow Oak Land Trust! We'll take a 3-4 mile hike through Montour Woods while learning about this special place, after which we'll settle down to eat our Dutch Oven meal. Pre-registration required. 
  • Vernal Pools Walk, Mar. 28, 2-5:00 pm
     
    Take an easy 2-3 mile walk through the forests of the Montour Run Valley. We'll join Sean Brady, Executive Director of the Hollow Oak Land Trust and Ryan Miller, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Zoologist, for an educational tour of the area. We'll keep our eyes and ears open as we learn about vernal pools and the Eastern wood frogs, spring peepers, and Jefferson salamanders that live in these ephemeral waters. Pre-registration required. 

Hollow Oak in the News

Fat Bikes Afoot


 

Nonprofit to show off latest Trails in Montour Woods, 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 5, 2015

 

The Montour Woods Conservation Area is a 260-acre tract in Moon that contains 8 miles of trails open to the public for activities that include hiking, mountain biking and geocaching.

Parking and the main entrance is on Hassam Road, about 100 yards west of the Montour Trail. 

 

"This is a new trail system where folks can see wildlife and experience the rugged terrain of western Pennsylvania close to Pittsburgh," Mr. Brady said.


Hollow Oak also provides trail services that include planning, mapping and trail building in the region's hilly terrain. "It's our way of helping to make wildlife habitat accessible to the people who live and work nearby," Mr. Brady said. 
Read
more...  

 

Hollow Oak Land Trust | PO Box 741 | Coraopolis, PA 15108 

(412) 264-5354