Science and Nature Program and Nature Explorers

A Living Museum: A History of the Land at Powdermill Nature Reserve
The land at Powdermill has a long history even before the establishment of the nature reserve in 1956. Pamela Curtin, Education Coordinator at the Westmoreland Historical Society, will share an historical overview of Powdermill and how people have used the landscape over time. Whether using its natural resources for agriculture, logging, or mining, or by studying its flora and fauna to understand and conserve the natural environment, people have changed the land, and some remnants of these changes are visible today. The effects of human activity are both unique to the area and reflective of larger historical trends and challenges that the state and region have faced. This research uses a blend of historical documents, such as written records and images, as well as modern GIS technologies to understand both past and present at Powdermill. After the lecture, please join us for a short hike to find evidence of human impact on the land.

Powdermill Exploration
What happened at Powdermill before it became a nature reserve? What has happened since? Children will discover the long history of Powdermill’s land by studying historic images, documents, and maps that show how things have changed over time. After the activity, children can meet up with adults attending the lecture to enjoy a short hike in search of evidence of human impact on the land.