Natural Lands

Volunteer - Craft Winter Décor
2025-12-02 08:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Join us for fun and festivity as we create natural décor for Stoneleigh’s Main House. Stoneleigh staff will guide you through the process of crafting wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and more that will delight and inspire guests during our Home for the Holidays event series.
Bring gloves, pruners, and your creativity, we’ll provide the rest. This volunteer event will be held indoors.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign –up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. Open to adults only.
Please note: this is not a make-and-take event. All decorations created will be used in the Main House during our Home for the Holidays series.

Volunteer - Winter Gardening
2025-12-02 08:30 - 11:30 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Did you know more than 100,000 plants thrive at Stoneleigh: a natural garden? Grab gloves and join staff and fellow volunteers for seasonal garden projects.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with like-minded people.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign-up, please show-up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Children age 12-14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Please note that the volunteer activity for this date may support our Home for the Holidays event and could include greens and natural materials collection

Volunteer - Winter Gardening
2025-12-01 08:30 - 11:30, 2025-11-25 08:30 - 11:30 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Did you know more than 100,000 plants thrive at Stoneleigh: a natural garden? Grab gloves and join staff and fellow volunteers for seasonal garden projects.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with like-minded people.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign-up, please show-up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Children age 12-14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Please note that the volunteer activity for this date may support our Home for the Holidays event and could include greens and natural materials collection.

#OptOutside with Natural Lands
2025-11-28 10:00 - 11:30 | ChesLen Preserve, 1199 Cannery Road, Coatesville, Pennsylvania, 19320
Ditch the mall, skip the screens, and opt outside with us this Black Friday at ChesLen Preserve. Instead of navigating crowded stores, take a walk on the wild side surrounded by fresh air, scenic trails, and the peace that nature provides.
Make this the year you start a new post-holiday tradition, one rooted in gratitude, movement, and the beauty of open space.

Volunteer - Craft Winter Décor - FULL
2025-11-26 08:30 - 11:30 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
This event is full. Please join us for a future event.
Join us for fun and festivity as we create natural décor for Stoneleigh’s Main House. Stoneleigh staff will guide you through the process of crafting wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and more that will delight and inspire guests during our Home for the Holidays event series.
Bring gloves, pruners, and your creativity, we’ll provide the rest. This volunteer event will be held indoors.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign –up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. Open to adults only.
Please note: this is not a make-and-take event. All decorations created will be used in the Main House during our Home for the Holidays series.

Volunteer - Craft Winter Décor - FULL
2025-11-25 08:30 - 11:30 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
This event is full. Please join us for a different event.
Join us for fun and festivity as we create natural décor for Stoneleigh’s Main House. Stoneleigh staff will guide you through the process of crafting wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and more that will delight and inspire guests during our Home for the Holidays event series.
Bring gloves, pruners, and your creativity, we’ll provide the rest. This volunteer event will be held indoors.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign –up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. Open to adults only.
Please note: this is not a make-and-take event. All decorations created will be used in the Main House during our Home for the Holidays series.

Volunteer - Give Back to Nature
2025-11-23 09:00 - 11:30 | ChesLen Preserve, 1199 Cannery Road, Coatesville, Pennsylvania, 19320
Love nature and want to lend her a helping hand? Grab gloves and join fellow volunteers in nurturing nature. Good fun (and dirt) is guaranteed! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with enthusiastic, like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event. If you sign-up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Minors ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult and registered in the same transaction with their guardians.

Dig-In Day | Member Tree Planting - waitlisted
2025-11-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Stroud Preserve, 454 North Creek Road, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 19382
This event is full. Please join the waitlist below.
Be part of a transformative reforestation effort at one of our most beloved preserves. Roll up your sleeves and help us plant 600 native trees during this all-hands-on-deck effort at beautiful Stroud Preserve. Enjoy the crisp fall air, work shoulder to shoulder with fellow members who share your commitment to nature, and know your time and energy will make a lasting impact.
This volunteer event is reserved exclusively for Natural Lands members and members of the Conservationists—our leadership annual giving society—and their guests.

Volunteer - Care for Nature - CANCELLED
2025-11-22 09:00 - 11:30 | Gwynedd Preserve, 640 Swedesford Road, North Wales, Pennsylvania, 19454
This event is cancelled. Please join us for a future event.
Love nature and want to lend her a helping hand? Grab gloves and join fellow volunteers in nurturing nature. Good fun (and dirt) is guaranteed! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with enthusiastic, like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event. If you sign-up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Minors ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult and registered in the same transaction with their guardian.

Volunteer - Care for Nature
2025-11-22 09:00 - 11:30 | Binky Lee Preserve, 1445 Pikeland Road, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, 19425
Love nature and want to lend her a helping hand? Grab gloves and join fellow volunteers in nurturing nature. Good fun (and dirt) is guaranteed! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with enthusiastic, like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event. If you sign-up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Minors ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult and registered in the same transaction with their guardian.

Owl Prowl
2025-11-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Crow’s Nest Preserve, 201 Piersol Road, Elverson, Pennsylvania, 19520
Whooo wants to learn more about Pennsylvania’s owls? Dawn White, owner and certified environmental educator with Indian Run Environmental Education Center (IREEC) will present an exciting program with live, non-releasable owls. Discover their unique adaptations for survival.
After the presentation, we’ll take an owl prowl around the preserve by flashlight and call for Screech and Great Horned Owls.
IREEC promotes knowledge and stewardship of Pennsylvania wildlife and its ecosystems through traveling educational programs that include live animals, all of which are native to the United States.
This event is made possible by the
Cassandra O. and Dennis B. Lacey Performance Series.
Crow’s Nest Preserve is located within the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape, a place-based partnership administered by Natural Lands and funded in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

Silent Sensory Forest Meander
2025-11-20 15:30 - 17:00 | Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, 240 Sunnyside Road, Easton, Pennsylvania, 18042
Escape the hustle and bustle for a couple hours and instead immerse yourself in the soothing sights, sounds, and scents of nature.
This unique afternoon experience invites you to step into the peaceful embrace of the forest, guided by the rhythm of your footsteps and the sensory wonders that surround you.
The stroll is perfect for those seeking a calm, reflective experience or anyone wishing to reconnect with nature on a deeper level. All ages and fitness levels are welcome, as the pace is leisurely, with plenty of time to pause and soak in the natural beauty around you.
After the stroll, we’ll pause for a quiet reflection, whether written or drawn, and a voluntary open share before we part ways.

Volunteer - Fall Gardening
2025-11-20 08:30 - 11:30, 2025-11-18 08:30 - 11:30, 2025-11-13 08:30 - 11:30 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Did you know more than 40,000 plants thrive at Stoneleigh: a natural garden? Grab gloves and join staff and fellow volunteers in weeding, planting, mulching, and other seasonal garden projects.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign-up, please show-up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Children age 12-14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Natural Materials Ornament Workshop
2025-11-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Come enjoy a festive gathering while learning to make holiday ornaments from natural materials. From seed pods to feathers, beech nuts to pinecones, gardens can be a great source of materials for seasonal decorations. Learn how to develop your creative eye for using these natural materials and turn them into something sustainably beautiful under the guidance of Stoneleigh staff.
Participants will make 3 to 4 ornaments during the workshop to take home. All materials provided. Bring your own pruners or snips.
This class will be held indoors at the Pool House.

Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature Exhibit
2025-11-16 11:00 - 18:00 | DaVinci Art Alliance, 704 Catherine Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Presented by Natural Lands’ NextGen Council, Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature is a special, four-day exhibition featuring works that celebrate the natural beauty and biodiversity of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
With a wide array of media—from paintings and mixed media to photography, ceramics, and sculpture—the exhibit showcases how artists of all backgrounds connect with the outdoors, particularly the preserves protected and cared for by Natural Lands.
Check out the featured artists here.
Whether you’re a nature lover, art enthusiast, or curious passerby, this show invites you to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the landscapes that shape our region… and ourselves.
This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to join us and be inspired.

Volunteer - Nurture Nature
2025-11-16 09:00 - 11:30 | Bryn Coed Preserve, Flint Road, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, 19425
Love nature and want to lend her a helping hand? Join fellow volunteers in removing invasives, nurturing native plants, or restoring habitat. Projects vary, but good fun (and dirt) is guaranteed! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with enthusiastic, like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event, and pre-registration is required. If you sign-up, please plan to participate. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Minors under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent/guardian. Adult(s) and the Minor(s) for whom they are responsible, should register in the same transaction.

Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature Exhibit
2025-11-15 11:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-14 11:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-13 11:00 - 18:00 | DaVinci Art Alliance, 704 Catherine Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Presented by Natural Lands’ NextGen Council, Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature is a special, four-day exhibition featuring works that celebrate the natural beauty and biodiversity of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
Check out the featured artists here.
With a wide array of media—from paintings and mixed media to photography, ceramics, and sculpture—the exhibit showcases how artists of all backgrounds connect with the outdoors, particularly the preserves protected and cared for by Natural Lands.
Whether you’re a nature lover, art enthusiast, or curious passerby, this show invites you to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the landscapes that shape our region… and ourselves.
This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to join us and be inspired.

Mindfulness in Motion
2025-11-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Saunders Woods Preserve, 1020 Waverly Road, Gladwyne, PA, 19035
Saunders Woods Preserve is a lovely backdrop for practicing mindfulness in motion. Join instructor Aimée Alegria Barry as she leads you through some relaxing, easy steps of Tai Chi walking to bring together mind and body. She’ll also teach several slow-moving Qi Gong stretches to help deepen your breathing and focus. We hope you’ll leave Saunders Woods feeling calm and centered, ready for the rest of your day.
Can’t make it to this one? View more dates in this series:

Saturday, September 20, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Saturday, October 11, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Saturday, November 15, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

About the instructor: Aimee Alegria Barry from Centaur Tai Chi began studying Yang style Tai Chi and Chi Qi Gong more than 30 years ago. She also holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Aimee’s movement background includes dance, Pilates, and therapeutic horsemanship.

Volunteer - Give Back to Nature
2025-11-15 09:00 - 11:30 | Hildacy Preserve, 1031 Palmers Mill Road, Media, Pennsylvania, 19063

Volunteer - Nurture Nature
2025-11-15 09:00 - 11:30 | Stroud Preserve, 454 North Creek Road, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 19382
Love nature and want to lend her a helping hand? Grab gloves and join fellow volunteers in removing invasives, nurturing native plants, or restoring habitat. Projects vary, but good fun (and dirt) is guaranteed! Natural Lands cares for more than 23,000 acres and 120 miles of trails, and we couldn’t do it without volunteers like you.
Volunteering with Natural Lands is a great way to learn more about the natural world, give your time to a great cause, and connect with enthusiastic, like-minded people.
The health and safety of staff and volunteers is our highest priority during this volunteer event. Please review “before you go” details.
Capacity is limited for this small-group event. If you sign-up, please show up. If you need to cancel, please let us know so another volunteer can attend. All are welcome, ages 12 and up. Minors age 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult and registered in the same transaction as their guardian.

Sound Meditation
2025-11-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Crow’s Nest Preserve, 201 Piersol Road, Elverson, Pennsylvania, 19520
Join our partners Soul Bloom for an evening of supreme relaxation in the restored bank barn at Crow’s Nest Preserve.
Enjoy a full sound bath and yoga nidra meditation to harmonize your body, mind, and spirit.
Please bring pillows and blankets.
Learn more about Soul Bloom.

register now

Stuart Bogie & Buck McDaniel Concert
2025-11-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Stoneleigh: a natural garden and Bowerbird present a concert featuring composer-clarinetist Stuart Bogie and composer-keyboardist Buck McDaniel, continuing their acclaimed collaboration that began with the 2024 project November Variations.
First conceived in 2024, November Variations began as a series of five improvised concerts at New York’s Church of Our Saviour, recorded live to capture each composition as it unfolded. The resulting five-part album is being released in parts leading up to the 2025 five-concert residency in Manhattan, November 17 – 21.
The duo performs for clarinet and organ, melding contemporary American minimalism, drones, and rapturous melodies. McDaniel’s expansive organ voicings and deft melodic interplay provide a dynamic landscape for Bogie’s clarinet, creating an immersive, horizonless sound.
This November 14th performance at Stoneleigh offers an opportunity to experience the duo’s ethos of stillness, connection, and sonic exploration in two distinct instrumental settings.
About the Artists
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Bogie was born in Evanston, Illinois. He studied for six Years with Gary Onstad and at the Music Center of the North Shore before attending Interlochen Art Academy and the University of Michigan where he studied with Debra Chodacki. He is the recipient of a Meet the Composer grant, and he composed the score for the Oscar-nominated documentary How To Survive a Plague, featuring performances by the Kronos Quartet. He has written for film, television, commercials, and the stage. He has released nine albums as a leader.
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Buck McDaniel is a composer, conductor, keyboardist, and improviser based in New York City. His music blends the American Minimalist tradition with a personal storytelling practice. McDaniel’s work often explores site, text, and memory, engaging both concert, sacred, and non-traditional spaces with equal depth and curiosity.
His compositions have been performed and broadcast internationally, including on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, BBC Radio 3, WQXR, and NPR’s The Moth Radio Hour. His work appears in Oliver Hermanus’s film The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. A frequent collaborator, McDaniel has worked with artists including Sam Smith, Nico Muhly, Sam Amidon, and Stuart Bogie.

Crochet Your Own Ornament Workshop
2025-11-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Stoneleigh: a natural garden, 1829 County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 19085
Join us for a morning of creativity at this crochet workshop led by Stoneleigh staff. Using yarn made from natural materials, you will create three ornaments to bring holiday cheer to your home or gift to a loved one.
This workshop is for experienced crocheters. We’ll provide the materials, patterns, and guidance. Please bring your own crochet hooks. You are also welcome to bring yarn from your own collection, if you prefer.
This class will be held indoors at the Pool House. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided.

Sold Out - Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature Opening Reception
2025-11-13 18:30 - 21:30 | DaVinci Art Alliance, 704 Catherine Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
This event is sold out. Please visit the exhibit during regular hours 11/13-11/16.
Join Natural Lands’ NextGen Council for a celebratory evening honoring the opening of Art & Connect: Inspired by Nature, a group exhibition showcasing work by emerging and established artists whose creative visions are rooted in the landscapes and wildlife of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
Check out the featured artists here.
Mingle with featured artists and NextGen Council members, enjoy light refreshments, and immerse yourself in artwork that reflects deep, personal connections to the natural world. From painting and photography to sculpture and audiovisual work, each piece celebrates the beauty, diversity, and power of preserved open spaces—especially those protected by Natural Lands.
This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to join us and be inspired.

Through the Wild Lens – Photo Contest at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary
2025-11-13 | Pennsylvania
Connect with the wonders of nature—and share the magic you see through your lens.
Natural Lands invites photographers of all skill levels to participate in the inaugural “Through the Wild Lens” photo contest, celebrating the beauty, biodiversity, and serenity of Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary in Easton, PA. Whether it’s a fleeting moment of wildlife, a quiet landscape, or a close-up marvel of the forest, we want to see what makes Mariton special to you.
What we’re seeking:
Submit a single, original photo that reflects your unique connection to Mariton. Categories may include (but aren’t limited to):

Landscape photography
Wildlife in action
Macro and detail photography
Environmental storytelling

Let your lens tell the story of Mariton’s wild, subtle, and serene spirit.
Showcase & Celebration:
Selected photographs will be featured in a special gallery exhibit at the Mariton Nature Center, online, and across our social media platforms. The overall winning photo will receive special recognition and will be framed and displayed at the Nature Center for a limited time.
We’ll celebrate with an Open House Showcase on March 18, 2026, where photographers, community members, and nature lovers are invited to enjoy the exhibit and connect with others inspired by the sanctuary.
Deadline to Submit: Friday, February 13, 2026
Questions? Contact Tianna Godsey at Natural Lands. Scroll down for a link to submit and more guidelines/details.
We can’t wait to see what you discover through your wild lens.
Submit your photo and be part of this unique celebration of Mariton’s natural beauty.
PLEASE NOTE: Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary is closed for controlled hunting from November 29 – December 11. We ask you to be respectful during this time. To learn more about why we allow hunting on our preserves, please visit our deer management page.
