A word from

Wildwood

Autumn 2011

The Friends of Wildwood, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110

Annual MeetingFriends of Wildwood

Date: Thursday, November 3, 2011Time: 6:30 PM

Place: Olewine Nature Center

AgendaIntroduction of current Board Members

Nomination of new Board Members Election of Officers

Review on 2011 EventsUpdate on Upcoming 2012 Events

ProgramJudd Pittman

Harrisburg teacher and nominee forWGAL Teacher of the Year. Judd willpresent a short program about his work with Harrisburg School District youth,their urban vegetable gardens and the group’s connection to Wildwood Park.

Summer ReviewWildwood Park certainly had its ups and downs this season.

The five week-long daycamps were filled with enthusiast children and energetic interns and staff. Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue and ZooAmerica made special visits to the camps and the older participants enjoyed a great trip down the Susquehanna River. Many other groups came to participate in summer programs and educator workshops held throughout the summer.

On the flip side, though, it was a hard summer for the park itself and for the staff. Staff and volunteers all pitched in to help clean up the park during the unprecedented seven floods that hit the Paxton Creek watershed. Enormous amounts of debris and trash rushing down the creek; took out a large section of the Paxton Creek Bridge, removed the Fox Run Bridge and destroyed parts of the boardwalks and trails. Wind was not a friend of Wildwood either with dozens of trees throughout the park being uprooted or broken off.

AARP Magazine RecognitionAn article featured in the AARP magazine recently listed Harrisburg as one of the best places in the country to retire, for its affordability and livability.

In the article, Susan Mahoney cited Wildwood Park as the “best deal in town” with no admission, a nature center and trails and boardwalks. This is in addition to the lovely Susquehanna River, plentiful festivals and events, a 4.5-mile Riverfront Park and 20-mile Capital Area Greenbelt.

Have you visited Wildwood Park lately?

A word from Wildwoodis published quarterly by

The Friends of Wildwood100 Wildwood Way

Harrisburg, PA 17110(717) 221-0292 • (717) 221-0318 fax

www.wildwoodlake.orgEmail: friendsofww@wildwoodlake.org

Board OfficersMary Lou McDowell-PresidentArt Schiavo-Vice PresidentMarilyn Dowling-SecretaryLou Starzl-Treasurer

Board MembersRobert W. Colman, Ph.D.Carl DicksonGeorge B. Faries, Jr., M.D.John W. Greenleaf, IIIEmily Matlin, D.O.Wendy McClintockShawn ScottKathy SilksValerie SimmonsOlivia SusskindEugene Wingert

A Word from the President

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Wildwood Park and the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center are part of the Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department. The Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is closed Mondays and

holidays. Wildwood Park’s trails are open from dawn until dusk. Programs can be viewed at www.dauphinc.org and questions can be directed to wwstaff@dauphinc.org.

County CommissionersJeff Haste, ChairmanMike PriesGeorge P. Hartwick III

Parks and Recreation DirectorCarl Dickson

Wildwood Park StaffNoel Falk, D. Ed., nfalk@dauphinc.org, Executive Administrator

Environmental Educators/Park NaturalistsSandra J. Lockerman, slockerman@dauphinc.orgSandra K. Nevius, snevius@dauphinc.orgChris J. Rebert, crebert@dauphinc.orgJane K. Webster, jwebster@dauphinc.org

Every season is a busy one at Wildwood Park.

Get your team/family together for our annual Walk for Wildwood on Sunday, September 25.

The Friends of Wildwood Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 3 at 6:30 p.m. See Page 1 for announcement.

Often I am asked the question “How can I help Wildwood? I really love that park”.

Here are a few ideas: Join the Friends of Wildwood; become a park volunteer and help with the front desk, trail maintenance or special projects; purchase a Memorial Brick in honor of someone who shared the outdoors with you; sponsor turtle research at Wildwood Park through the Adopt –a Turtle research project; attend our interesting lectures throughout the year; enter the 2011 FOWW Photo contest; take a guided nature walk or program; donate used nature books for the annual February Book Sale; purchase nature related items for all ages in our Nature Shop; donate to the Friends of Wildwood through matching grants at your place of work; support the Wildwood Park Endowment Fund at the Foundation for Enhancing Communities; bring a friend for a walk; tour the Olewine Nature Center; purchase a raffle ticket to win the color photo of the Great Egret at Wildwood; get your friends together to support the September 25 Walk for Wildwood.

Feel free to contact Dr. Noel Falk, Park Manager or me about any special requests you may have. Check www.wildwoodlake.org for up-to-the minute information on all Wildwood Park activities, wildlife sightings and trail conditions.

Thank you for all your support of Wildwood activities. We have had record attendance for all park programs and use of the park trails.

I look forward to seeing you this fall at Wildwood.

Mary Lou McDowell, PresidentFriends of Wildwood

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Park HighlightsTri-County Association for the Blind Visits Wildwood Park

Through a partnership with the Tri-County Associa-tion for the Blind, Wildwood Park was one of the destinations during their Out of Site Club’s Summer

Camp. The blind and limited-sighted children arrived at Wildwood Park on a beautiful summer morning.

Using the senses of touch and hearing, the children were given the opportunity to learn about birds through touching and handling wing and feet specimens. They were also treated to a bird banding demonstra-tion where they learned about bird migration.

After the bird lessons, the children had a great time getting their hands dirty as they created terrariums using recycled clear plastic pretzel containers. They filled the terrariums with mosses, miniature sedums and other small terrarium plants.

THANK YOU!2011 Wetlands Festival Sponsors

2011 Photo ContestOriginal, amateur photographs taken within Wildwood Park are being sought for the 2011 Photo Contest. The photos should reflect wetlands habitat and/or fauna and convey the conservation values of Wildwood Park. Contest information and entry form are available at the nature center or on the Friends’ website.

Entries will be accepted starting October 29 through December 1. The awarding of prizes will be held during the reception on January 8, 2012.

This contest has become quite popular with 104 entries submitted for last year’s contest. The Friends of Wildwood wish to thank Charlie Smith and the Harrisburg Camera Club (Harrisburg Photo Safari and Photography for Kids) for their support and guidance.

Free Mini-Photo WorkshopIn conjunction with the Friends of Wildwood 2011 Photo Contest, Charlie Smith will be offering a FREE mini-workshop on mounting and matting techniques.

He will be sharing information on how to get the best print from a digital image and how to prepare the photo for competition.

The mini-workshop will be held on October 29 from 10 AM until Noon. Register by October 23 at the nature center.

Go GreenSign up for anE-newsletter

A Word from Wildwood can be sent electronically to Friends of Wildwood members. Contact the editor at slockerman@dauphinc.org

with a subject header of “Newsletter” to sign up to receive your next newsletter by email.

Help save paper! Go Green!

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Two New Summer Programs Offered at Wildwood ParkWhat does a fishing rod and a flashlight have in common? Both were needed for two new summer programs!

The first program was Fun World of Fishing in which youth ages 8—13 came to Wildwood to explore fish species and aquatic critters through fishing in Paxton Creek and Wildwood Lake. The children learned about fishing equipment, tying knots, casting and the fun of fishing. They were even successful with the catching of a large blue gill and a large carp.

The second program was the Flashlight Walk. In observance of National Night Out, participants explored the North Boardwalk and Wildwood Way to learn about the animals that are active at dusk and at night. At the end of the walk, an insect-attracting

spotlight demonstration was set up beside the nature center. It consisted of a white sheet hanging up with a bright light shining on it to attract moths and other nighttime insects.

Turtle Project Update-Summer Day Campers introduced to Citizen ScienceJunior Naturalist Day Campers were joined by the Mechanicsburg Conservation District Summer Campers to learn about vernal ponds and aquatic reptiles this past July. Leading the program was Gene Wingert, adjunct professor at Dickinson College and Friends of Wildwood Board Member.

Gene led them on a walk on the Towpath Trail to explore the canal area. They watched as Gene and the Dickinson College students retrieved traps that were set out as part of Wildwood Park’s Turtle Tagging Project. They learned first-hand about field study and citizen science and the reasons for tagging the painted and snapping turtles with the PIT Tags (passive integrated transponders). A total of 112 turtles have been tagged this year with 10 turtles recaptured. What a great start to this research project.

After the walk, Gene presented a wonderful program about vernal ponds and their importance in the forest ecosystem.

Turtle Project Update-Support of Adopt-A-Turtle OverwhelmingThe Adopt-A-Turtle Project has been a huge success for the Friends of Wildwood. To date, 93 adoptions have been purchased. Support for this project is so important as the staff and Dickinson College continue to monitor the turtle populations at Wildwood Park.

Friends Sponsors Raffle of Great Egret Color Photo

Photographer Phil Lloyd has donated a stunning color custom photo of a Great Egret at Wildwood to use as a fun(d) raiser. The majestic bird has spread its wings ready for flight. This 38” wide x 26” high photo is printed and mounted on archival paper. It is custom framed with a black wood frame using UV glass by Some Saturday Frame Shop.

The Photo Committee will be raffling off this beautiful photo valued at $335.00. This photo is on display in the lobby of the Nature Center.

The drawing will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, January 8, 2012 during the Photo Awards Ceremony at the Nature Center. Raffle tickets are available from any Board Member and at the front desk at the Nature Center during regular business hours. Tickets will be sold for $5.00 each or 6 for $25.00. Only 300 tickets will be sold and only cash or check will be accepted. All proceeds from this drawing will support the educational mission of the Friends of Wildwood.

As of press time FOWW is awaiting the arrival of the temporary raffle permit from Dauphin County. FOWW members will be notified by email when ticket sales can begin. We will also post the information on the website at www.wildwoodlake.org.

Events CalendarNPR-No pre-registration, no fee * PR-Pre-registration and possible fee * PwR-Payment with Registration is required

All programs meet at Olewine Nature Center unless otherwise notedPrograms and events are listed at: www.dauphincounty.org and www.wildwoodlake.org

Call the Nature Center at 717-221-0292 for more details

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Sat., Oct. 1, Migration Bird Walk9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., NPR

Sun., Oct. 2, Goldenrods, Asters and Other FallSurprises Plant Walk1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., NPR

Wed., Oct. 5, Educator Workshop: Forestry for Educators 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., PR

Sat., Oct. 8, Volunteer Work Day 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., NPR

Wed., Oct. 12, Preschool Storytime: Fall at Wildwood! 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 p.m., NPR

Sat., Oct. 15, Brownie Girl Scouts–Watching Wildlife Try-It10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., PwR

Wed., Thurs. or Fri., Oct. 19, 20 or 21,Wildwood’s Magical Trails6:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m., PR

Sat., Oct. 22, Digital Photography Workshop9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., PwR

Tues. and Wed., Oct. 25 and 26, Educator Workshop: Watershed Education8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., PR

Sat., Oct. 29, Mini-Photo Workshop10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., PwR

Wed., Nov. 9, Educator Workshop: Growing Up Wild 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., PR

Sat., Nov. 12, Wandering Wildwood with Phil Lloyd 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., NPR

Sat., Nov. 12, Volunteer Work Day10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., NPR

Sat., Nov. 13, Brownie Girl Scouts-Animals Try It10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., PwR

Sat., Dec. 3, Wreath-making Workshop10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., PR

Sun., Dec. 4, Wreath-making Workshop12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., PR

Sat., Dec. 10, Bear Boy Scouts Achievement–Sharing Your World With Wildlife10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., PwR

Great Stocking

Stuffers!

Nature Shop Holiday Sale

December 6 through 10, 2011

20% off books 15% off everything else

Excludes memberships and memorial bricks

Friends of Wildwood membership discount not applicable

Friends of Wildwood Membership Application

New Membership Renewal Membership

Name__________________________________________

Address________________________________________

City___________________________________________

State and Zip Code _______________

Telephone ______________________________________

Email Address ___________________________________

Make checks payable to: Friends of Wildwood 100 Wildwood Way

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Or

Sign up to use PayPal at www.wildwoodlake.org

Questions about the Friends of Wildwood or Wildwood Park can be directed to friendsofww@wildwoodlake.org

Membership Category (please check one)

$15.00 Student Membership

Student Membership: School _____________Grade ______

$35.00 Individual Membership

$50.00 Family Membership

Family Membership: Please list the family members’ names and dependent children’s ages.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

$100.00 Supporting Membership

$500.00 Business Membership

I would like to contribute additional funding in the amount of $ _______________ to help support Wildwood Park.

Membership Benefits Your membership supports the ongoing environ-mental education programs and conservation efforts of Wildwood Park and the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center.

Membership includes the following:

• 10% discount off Nature Shop purchases

• Subscription to A Word from Wildwood quarterly newsletter

• Invitations to special programs or activities “For Members Only”

• Reciprocal membership in more than 125 nature centers throughout the country that participate in the Association of Nature Center Administrators program

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Volunteer News Volunteers Help with Clean-ups at Wildwood ParkIt’s been a long and wet spring and summer for the maintenance crew, staff and volunteers in their efforts to keep the Park cleaned up after wind and flooding episodes.

Starting with the downpour 36 hours before Wetlands Festival and continuing through the departure of the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee everyone has been doing a fantastic job of cleaning up the Park.

In early August, volunteer crews were busier than usual with the trails after an incredible 7 inches of rain fell on the Paxton Creek watershed in a few hours.. They removed 27 tires, 13 bags of trash, 20 plastic plant containers and a plastic pool.

A group of Scouts got wet and muddy as they unclogged a dam of debris from the North Boardwalk. The County’s maintenance crew repaired the side railings of the Paxton Creek Bridge and replaced the asphalt swept away by the flood waters. Thinking that was the worse it could be, Hurricane Irene’s winds came along and tore up more trees and left a trail of debris behind in the Park while Tropical Storm Lee dumped 6-7 inches of rain on top of that.

A big thank you to all those volunteers and to Volunteer Coordinators Pat George, Jackie Lord and John Maxwell for their efforts and to the Maintenance Crew for their hard work.

Patriot News Chooses Marilyn Dowling for next Spotlight on Volunteers Marilyn Dowling was recently highlighted in the Patriot News’ Volunteer Spotlight column. Marilyn has been a volunteer for Wildwood Park since 2007.

She holds the office of Secretary of the Friends of Wildwood and is responsible for all correspondence duties of the organization. She is also the driving force behind the fund-raising sales of foods, snacks and drinks at events such as Wetlands Festival, Wildwood Family Triathlon and Walk for Wildwood.

Eagle Scout Project CompletedBy Colin Cochran

I have lived next to Wildwood Park all my life, and when it came time to decide on an Eagle Scout Project, I knew exactly where I wanted my service project to be. I wanted to give back to a place that I have known my entire life. Chris Rebert was my advisor on this project and was so helpful and guided me every step of the way. On June 4th, my fellow Troop 36 scouts and I mounted 4 bluebird boxes, 7 wood duck boxes, and one bat box at Wildwood Park. That day marked the completion of a project that took several months to plan and finally implement. It was an absolutely

beautiful day outside and the park was full of people. It was great that other people could see us doing the project. Although tiring, it was a very fun day and everyone who helped had a great time.

Colin (far left with shovel) and Troop 36 helpers

Troop 368 Working on the North BoardwalkPhoto by Larry Imes

Friends of Wildwood Membership Application

New Membership Renewal Membership

Name__________________________________________

Address________________________________________

City___________________________________________

State and Zip Code _______________

Telephone ______________________________________

Email Address ___________________________________

Make checks payable to: Friends of Wildwood 100 Wildwood Way

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Or

Sign up to use PayPal at www.wildwoodlake.org

Questions about the Friends of Wildwood or Wildwood Park can be directed to friendsofww@wildwoodlake.org

Membership Category (please check one)

$15.00 Student Membership

Student Membership: School _____________Grade ______

$35.00 Individual Membership

$50.00 Family Membership

Family Membership: Please list the family members’ names and dependent children’s ages.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

$100.00 Supporting Membership

$500.00 Business Membership

I would like to contribute additional funding in the amount of $ _______________ to help support Wildwood Park.

Membership Benefits Your membership supports the ongoing environ-mental education programs and conservation efforts of Wildwood Park and the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center.

Membership includes the following:

• 10% discount off Nature Shop purchases

• Subscription to A Word from Wildwood quarterly newsletter

• Invitations to special programs or activities “For Members Only”

• Reciprocal membership in more than 125 nature centers throughout the country that participate in the Association of Nature Center Administrators program

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The Friends of Wildwood Lake Nature Center, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization listed with the PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations, and incorporated within the Commonwealth of PA. It is an advocate for Wildwood Park through preservation, education and financial support.

Used Nature Books WantedUsed nature books are being accepted for the February nature book sale. Animals, wild plants, trees, birds, guidebooks, travel adventures, outdoor adventures, geology, gardening, nature exploration and puzzles are all acceptable topics for book donations. All children’s books are welcome, also.

Sorry, no textbooks, magazines or journals will be accepted. A receipt stating the number of books donated is available. Dollar values will not be assigned by the Friends of Wildwood.

Nature Center Holiday Schedule

The Nature Center will be closed on

Thursday, November 24 and

December 24 through January 2

Friends of Wildwood100 Wildwood WayHarrisburg, PA 17110(717) 221-0292www.wildwoodlake.org

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHARRISBURG PAPERMIT NO. 533

30% Recycled post-consumer fiber

Wildwood’s Magical Trails Wednesday, Thursday, Friday October 19, 20 and 21, 2011

6:00 or 7:00 p.m. Call 221-0292 to register