Pennsylvania
The Florence Shelly Preserve boasts fields, woodlands, streams and a glacial pond surrounded by a floating bog. An easy-access boardwalk begins near the parking lot on Little Ireland Road and meanders through the hemlock forest to a lookout over the marsh.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Dogs are not allowed at this preserve.
380 acres
Volunteer Evan Mann who has previously led spring bird walks in the preserve for many years, shares a bird he most looks forward to each year is the northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis). Look for these birds in low boggy areas—their preferred habitat—and listen for its rippling song.
Another favorite of Evan’s is the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), a bird that favors the upper elevations of the preserve. Their high-pitched song has been likened to the phrase, “Oh, sweet Canada-Canada.”
We are creating a science database of all kinds of life—from lichens to ants, mushrooms to plants, birds to mammals and everything in between for our preserves in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
TNC's roots began with local citizens and scientists concerned about special places and species. That legacy continues today. Across our lands, we are utilizing iNaturalist—a digital platform that gives users an opportunity to share and discuss their findings.
Of the 14 preserve projects in iNaturalist, nine have observations recorded; help us increase that number and our understanding of the species—good and bad, native as well as invasive—that can be found on TNC lands across the state. This information can also help guide and inform our conservation staff's management and monitoring decisions.
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The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.
