Westminster College Outdoor Laboratory

CHIPPING PARTY: Saturday, April 22, at 10:15, Field Station! Be there.

Class in Introduction to Environmental Science at the Field Station on March 9, 2017.

Environmental Science class observing "screening," the final stage of composting.

Here, for the record, is the staffing organization of Westminster College Outdoor Laboratory: Director, Patrick Krantz, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and previously Director of the Drinko Center at Westminster (he reports to the Chair of the Division of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science). Manager, Clarence Harms, Professor Emeritus of Biology, previously Director of the Field Station, and has been with the Outdoor Laboratory from its beginning in ...1981 when he chaired the Department of Biology (he reports to the Director). The division of labor between Director and Manager is still being worked out but the future is clear: we know where we have been, what we are now doing and where we want to go! In addition, we have employees, student interns and volunteers, all of whom make substantial contributions in many ways to our work. Photos: Patrick on tractor; Clarence "creek walkin," Erin Hassett student employee, Don and Carole Little volunteers, Ken Filicky volunteer, Kyle Filicky volunteer, Kati Edmiston and Mary Burris volunteers.

Within the past year our program has undergone appropriate reorganization and administration. For clarity, the name, "Outdoor Laboratory," is (and has been) used to encompass three facilities: Field Station, College Woods and Brittain Lake. We keep the singular, "Laboratory," rather than the plural, "Laboratories," because we firmly accept the fact that nature is ONE ENTITY, hence ONE LABORATORY.

Need an escape? Take a walk. Enjoy the weather. Write.

McClure Run bisects the campus and flows into the Little Neshannock Creek near the Field Station. This stream also feeds Brittain Lake.

Sandy Edmiston Labyrinth Journal Entry August 28, 2013 Even though the skies are overcast and a cool breeze blows through the air, it is a magnificent day. The labyrinth is a great place just to come clear your mind. -L

Labyrinth Journal Entry: Aug 1st 2012 "I came here today because I wanted to be reborn. A new creation. I came here because I wanted to remember who I am. I decided to come with the sun and it is kissing my face brilliantly now as it raises to take its place in the sky. I hope we can do the same. Brilliantly light up the world with our love, no matter how hard it may seem or feel. This sacred place has been a place of centering for me. And reminders. I love visiting and soaking in the peacefulness. It moves me to new places and challenges. The beautiful spirit of Sandy no doubt. Inspiring me still. Much love from my heart dear friend, N."

I just read this article (Ten obvious truths about educating kids that keep getting ignored) that knocks classroom education. Of course, I agree with some of what is said. And this is partly why, as a professional educator at the college level, I've repeatedly said that I have done my best teaching of biology out in the field (preferred places are the rainforests, coral reefs, tropical mountains . . . and Westminster College's Field Station). For example, at the Field Stat...ion we love skunk cabbage! The author of the article obviously DOESN'T. Here's a quote, "A skunk cabbage by any other name would smell just as putrid." Now here is the reality than can be learned in the classroom AND field! (THE AUTHOR SHOULD TAKE MY COURSE) -- skunk cabbage is well adapted; it is one of the few plants that can actually generate HEAT inside its spathe (we can measure the heat); the heat and the odor serve to attract insects who enter the spathe very early in spring (even when there is snow covering most plants); the insects crawl around, basking in the warmth and feeding on pollen; they pick up more pollen of the skunk cabbage and leave for another spathe! Zingo! Cross fertilization. THE TRUTH THAT CAN BE LEARNED (besides the biology of skunk cabbage) IS THAT SIMPLE CLICHES (LIKE THE ONE THE AUTHOR USES TO DEMONIZE SKUNK CABBAGE) ARE OFTEN OF NO VALUE. WHAT IS 'PUTRID' TO SOMEONE IS DELICIOUS TO ANOTHER. AND I LEARNED THAT BY COMBINING CLASSROOM THEORY AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE. Clarence See more

Friends of the Westminster College Field Station: as of March 1st, we will be changing our name on this site to Westminster College Outdoor Laboratory because we represent MORE THAN Field Station. We also encompass the College Woods and Brittain Lake. We will regularly be posting details of the organization and operation of Westminster’s programs of the Outdoor Laboratory. AND we invite you to not only "Like" or "Comment" on postings but to add appropriate stories, photos and videos that we will all use. Thank you for making the transition with us!

St. Francis of Assisi watching over the children's garden, thanks to the Filicky family of Poland, OH.

http://news.sciencemag.org//winter-bird-feeders-get-ready-

Interesting plants along the trail at the Field Station: wild cucumber, devil's darning needles, and teasel.

What do barn owls do during the day? Apparently it involves a lot of naps. You can watch live on Cornell's bird cam. http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/42/Barn_Owls/

Homecoming is Saturday! Clarence will have an open house at the Field Station during the game and afterwards. And on Sunday there will be a special labyrinth walk starting at 10:00. Everyone's invited!

http://www.worldwildlife.org//half-of-global-wildlife-lost

Saturday's dedication of the Meg Rankin Memorial Garden and Nursery at the Field Station

We'll be dedicating the new Meg Rankin Memorial Garden at the Field Station on Saturday, October 4th, at 3:00. It will be a good day. Join us!

There are lots and lots of Japanese beetles this year, doing what they do best -- eating leaves and reproducing. The ground is full of larvae so they're going to be a big problem for a long time!

Scientists from Axion Power International, Inc. installing two batteries that they donated to store power generated by the wind turbine. Now we can use both wind and solar power to run the Field Station.

The College has been harvesting pondweed from Brittain Lake and dumping it at the Field Station. Now we have many, many tons of pondweed that we can use to make some really nice compost. Some get some pondweed if you want it for your garden!

Planting plants to make a sensory plot in the Children's Garden with plants that children can smell, touch, and taste.

Thousands and thousands of tiny baby toads hopped out of the pond at the Field Station this week. They're everywhere!

Science Camp at the Field Station!

The new butterfly garden in the Meg Rankin Memorial Garden at the Field Station.

Two ash trees at the Field Station killed by emerald ash borers, probably the first of many. Lots of our trees have holes in them which means the adults have matured inside the trees and emerged to lay their eggs on nearby trees. Once the eggs hatch and the larvae bore into the tree it's really hard to save the it. On the upside, woodpeckers love to eat insect larvae so maybe in the next few years we'll have fewer ash trees but more woodpeckers!

A farm in Youngstown growing crickets for people to eat. http://www.newscientist.com//mg22229702.900-six-legs-tasty

Two inches of rain in three days. The little Neshannock is out of its banks and the trails at the Field Station are all flooded.

Lots of bluebirds in the boxes at the Field Station -- some already hatched and hungry!

A killdeer nest among the stones in the labyrinth. Watch where you walk!

Nature art along the trails at the Field Station, created by students in the Intro. to Sculpture class.

Bird cam on newly-hatched chicks in a red-tailed hawk nest. http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/16/Red-tailed_Hawks/

Chipping party at the Field Station! - now until noon.

Amazing murmurations of starlings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctMty7av0jc

What's living in the wood duck boxes at the Field Station? Screech owls!

Check out the webcam on a bald eagle nest in Pittsburgh. Two eaglets have hatched and a third is expected very soon. http://triblive.com/news/projects/pittsburgheagle/

Spring is just around the corner -- the spring peepers have started peeping in the ponds at the Field Station. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com//amp/spring-peeper/

A beautiful snowfall yesterday for dogs at the Field Station to enjoy. Maybe the last snow of the season?

Happy spring! https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/spring

- lots of cardinal activity along the trails at the Field Station today. The males are singing and squabbling with each other, trying to attract females. They can tell it's almost spring! http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sounds

Today's the last day for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Count your birds, then enter your data on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's web site. The most common birds for Lawrence County so far: mourning doves, song sparrows, wild turkeys, and crows. http://gbbc.birdcount.org/get-started/

A full Valentine's moon plus a great view of Venus http://www.mnn.com//valentines-day-full-moon-rises-on-frid

Very strange. A bunch of aphid mummies (aphids killed by parasitic wasps) all in a line on a tree along the Frey Nature Trail.

Snowy owls spotted not far from the Field Station. http://www.ncnewsonline.com//Birdwatchers-flock-to-see-rar

Juggling otters. What could be better than that? http://www.telegraph.co.uk//Juggling-otters-delight-crowds

Happy Birthday Clarence!

Clarence's 80th birthday is this Wednesday! We're having a party at the Nature Center from noon to 3:00. Everyone's invited. Pass it on!

One more night to observe the "Mini Moon" - the smallest full moon of the year. We won't see another one this small again until May 13th, 2052. http://www.universetoday.com//see-the-smallest-full-moon-/

http://news.cnet.com//buckle-up-the-years-best-meteor-sho/

If anyone sees a snowy owl in this area we'd love to hear about it! http://blog.pennlive.com//snowy_owl_movement_into_pennsy.h

http://www.mnn.com//scientists-identify-2370-irreplaceable

Taking tree cores at the College Woods. We found that the width of annual tree rings correlates with precipitation in beeches but not in cherries.

Birdwatching for all of us stuck inside on a beautiful day. Check out the live bird feeder cam at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology. http://cams.allaboutbirds.org//Cornell_Lab_FeederWatch_Cam/

Wintery birdwatching at the Field Station. Even though it's cold and snowy we still saw several groups of bluebirds!

http://www.latimes.com//la-sci-sn-orionids-meteor-shower-2

Did you know that Pennsylvania's official state insect is the firefly? Ironically, they're not flies -- they're beetles -- and not all species can fly. And not all of them produce light. Who was in charge of naming these things? Nationally, fireflies are declining but scientists say they're thriving here in western Pennsylvania. http://triblive.com//fireflies-firefly-hoover-species-penn

Look, but don't eat! You can find these beautiful mushrooms at the Field Station in late summer and fall. They're called Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria). Although they can be toxic to humans, deer and squirrels consume them enthusiastically without any harmful effects.