​On Saturday, May 10, 2025, more than 80 Cub Scouts along with adult leaders and parents from across the region gathered at the local Scout council's Camp Karoondinha, located along Penns Creek near Millmont, to rotate through numerous stations designed to teach science and environmental literacy while having fun in Cubs Explore the Water.

​A pond study station, led by Doug Fessler of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, allowed Scouts to examine aquatic insects and learn how scientists use them to measure water quality. At another stop in the rotation, they built their own beaver dams on a stream table and watched how water flow changed.

Participants also launched water bottle rockets, raced boats in the rain gutter regatta, cooled off at the octopus sprinkler games and practiced their casting skills at the fishing station.

On Saturday, May 24, 2025, Eagle Scout Cole Orner will lead a hands-on birdhouse-building workshop for children as part of his Summit service project with Venturing Crew 2307. The program begins at 9:00 a.m. at Goose Cove Pavilion 1.  The workshop is free and open to the public, but due to supply needs, registration is required.

Women Reconnecting and Engaging with Nature (WREN) will host a map and compass workshop on Sunday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m. at the historic Alvira bunkers in Union County. The event will focus on map reading, compass use and basic orienteering skills, offering participants a hands-on opportunity to learn essential navigation techniques in a unique outdoor setting. 

Camp Chillisquaque is set to return to Montour Preserve in July 2025. This free educational day camp, organized by the Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership, offers children aged 7 to 13 an immersive experience in environmental science and conservation.

The Vernal School has some very exciting news — Montour Preserve's resident eagles are nesting and breeding.  We will be documenting the progress of the nest regularly, so our Eagles need names, and we are asking the public to help us name them.

As spring blossoms around us, April offers the perfect opportunity to connect young readers with nature through books and hands-on exploration. This month’s Read and Explore series features stories that celebrate our planet, foster imagination, and encourage us to observe the world a little more closely.

This past Sunday in Lewisburg, the Vernal School's Women Reconnecting and Engaging with Nature (WREN) program spent the afternoon with Rose Anna Moore, a contestant from Season 8 of the History Channel’s Alone series. The informal get together brought together women from across the region for a powerful conversation about survival, resilience, and the profound relationship between humans and nature.

​Despite damp and dreary conditions, the weather was perfect for spring amphibians this previous Sunday, March 16th. The weather created an ideal opportunity for over 30 enthusiastic participants to explore Montour Preserve’s ponds. The Spring Amphibian Walk, hosted by The Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership and led by Dr. Mary Kate O’Donnell, a herpetologist from Lycoming College, offered attendees a firsthand look at the remarkable amphibians that emerge as winter gives way to spring.