Philly-based United By Blue kicks off its 2016 spring Schuylkill cleanup season at Bartram’s Garden. The one-for-one clothing and outdoor gear company—one pound of trash picked up for every item purchased—has removed more than 13,000 pounds of trash from Bartram’s since they started hosting cleanups there in 2010. For this go-round, they’re partnering with the Philadelphia Water Department to pick up garbage that collected along the Schuylkill River banks throughout winter. After the cleanup, the group will head to City Tap House to toast their accomplishment over beer and pizza. 

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s Women Bike PHL initiative hosts Urban Riding Basics. The free gathering is for ladies and female-identifying folks who want to learn more about how to be a better, safer biker in Philly. Instructors will share ways to deal with angry drivers, offer a few route suggestions and tips on how to dress for the weather. They’ll also cover basic info on Philly’s bike share program, Indego, for those who haven’t yet embarked on bike-rental territory.

Montgomery County’s Green Lane Park will host a program entitled “Maple Sugar Magic” on Saturday, March 5, 2016 with demonstrations beginning at 11:00am and 2:00pm. The rain/snow date will be Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the same starting times. 

Educators and volunteers from the Montgomery County Division of Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites will demonstrate the centuries-old process of making maple syrup and sugar from the sap of maple trees. Maple sugaring is a uniquely North American tradition dating back to the 1500s, and has a prominent place in Native American and early American folklore. Visitors will witness the tapping of a maple tree and the boiling process in an evaporator and learn about the tradition of the “sugaring off” party. Participants will also be able to compare the taste of real maple syrup with commercial pancake syrup. Real, Pennsylvania-made maple syrup, cream, and candy will be available for purchase. Help celebrate Green Lane Park’s 28th year of maple sugaring in the park and enjoy the process from “tree to table.”

This program is offered free of charge and is appropriate for all ages. Demonstrations will begin promptly at 11:00am and 2:00pm at the Hill Road Day Use Area located at 2821 Hill Road, Green Lane, PA 18054. Scouts and other organized groups are welcome, but please call ahead.

For more information, please contact Kevin Crilley, Region II Environmental Educator, Montgomery County Division of Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites, at 215-234-4528 or via email at . Visit Green Lane Park online at www.montcopa.org/greenlanepark. 

Take a closer look at maple trees, especially sugar maples, at Norristown Farm Park on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 1:00pm. How did the Native Americans and early settlers get their maple sugar? Hear a Native American legend about the discovery of maple sap.  Learn how maple syrup is made from the sap of this special tree. Taste maple sugar and pure maple syrup and compare them to commercial varieties.

This free program is sponsored by the Montgomery County Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Department of Assets and Infrastructure. The program is suitable for adults and children six and older. Preregistration is required. Please call 610-270-0215 to preregister. The snow date is Wednesday, March 16, 2016.

The program will meet at the pavilions. Visit Norristown Farm Park online at: www.montcopa.org/norristownfarmpark. 

Join the Schuylkill River Heritage Area for a dinner and awards ceremony to support the river, the Schuylkill River Trail and many other projects that benefit the region. 

Attendees will enjoy an evening of live music, delicious food and silent auction/basket raffles while the Schuylkill River Heritage Area honors the recipients of their Schuylkill River Legacy Awards. Raffle and auction items include: and Emotion Kayak, Local beer and wine, original paintings and photographs and other goods from the Schuylkill River region. 

The event will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Historic Sunnybrook Ballroom located at 50 Sunnybrook Road, Pottstown, PA 19464. To purchase tickets online, click here.

Women Bike PHL is the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia program to inspire more women to ride bikes and encourage and support them along the way through rides, workshops, and social events.

Each Wednesday, Women Bike PHL meets at a different coffee shop in Philadelphia for Coffee Club -- an informal gathering where Philly's women bicyclists can share tips, rant, support, celebrate, and, most importantly....CAFFEINATE together.

Curious about biking but haven't quite gotten pedaling yet? You're welcome too!

Bring your ideas, questions, announcements, and good cheer!

Jump into spring with a trail run through forests and ravines, with a chance to choose your own adventure run as you go.  Runners will begin as they would any other trail race, but at some point, they will encounter a literal fork in the road, marked by enlarged maps which they will have to quickly study. From there, they will choose their path and continue along, only to encounter further options later in the course. All routes will ultimately come back together at the finish. Individual distances will vary slightly depending on runners’ route choice, but all courses will be roughly five kilometers.  Runners will have to make decisions based on the maps they encounter, but the entire course will be marked on the maps and on the ground with colored surveyor’s tape.

For those who are more ambitious, consider taking the Schuylkill Center's Adventure Challenge by running in both races. There will be a one-hour gap between events.

Schedule

5k Trail Run, 9:00 am
Run Your Own Adventure, 11:00 am

Registration

5k Trail Run: $30
Run Your Own Adventure: $35
Adventure Challenge: $50

Race-day registration will open at 8:00 am. A $5 fee will be added to each event for day-of registration.

Register online here. More information about the Schuylkill Center and the race here. 

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is excited to host the National Park Service’s 2016 Northeast Region Interpretive Workshop at the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem, PA. Training is free of charge to all museum, interpretive and education professionals. All attendees must register online.

March 29 – April 1

More information about the workshop here.