@ 9:00 am, Menser Rd Parking area
Join Emma Keele, the PA Priority Grasslands Southwest Coordinating Wildlife Biologist, for a walk to learn about the grasslands management that has been going on at Kimberly Run Natural Area. Starting in April 2025, the east Menser field and half of the Overlook field were forestry mulched to remove mostly invasive autumn olive. Next, starting in June and ending in September these two fields received two herbicide treatments and one mowing to create a “clean slate” for the native grass and wildflower seed mix that was planted in early December. Also, during 2025, the other half of the Overlook field, the Bluebird field, Tree Swallow field, and Roadside field had two herbicide spot treatments for invasive shrubs completed. This work was funded by a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant, and the PA Priority Grasslands Project is a partnership among the PA Game Commission, Pheasants Forever, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
During this program Emma will talk about grasslands management, native plants, invasive plants and their control, grassland birds, and why it’s important to manage large grassland areas like KRNA for grassland bird conservation. It is expected that this program will go till 11am or 12pm, but individuals can leave earlier if needed.
Please dress appropriately for the weather, such as good walking/hiking shoes, sun protection (sunscreen and hat), tick protection (pants tucked into socks and long sleeves), bring layers or rain gear depending on the weather, and bring binoculars if you have them (not needed, but nice for birding). And it is recommended to bring a water bottle.