BACK TO NATURE
Monocacy Hill Conservation Association encourages enjoyment of the outdoors
Spring is a wonderful time to get outdoors and explore nature on one of many local trails that are easily accessible. It’s a window when it’s typically not too hot and not too cold to interfere with taking in all of the natural beauty of the season.
While hiking the trails is a wonderful way to keep the entire family physically active, there are ways to make your time in the forest even more purposeful through volunteering your time in helping with conservation efforts.
Made up of five trails, the Monocacy Hill Recreation Area in Amity Township is 420 acres of open space. The Conservation Association offers educational programming for all ages at the Hill, which can be seen along Route 422.
On May 15, “Kid’s Intro to Woodland Birds” is happening at 1 p.m. Coming up on June 4 they are hosting a “Walk in the Woods” at 1:30 p.m. Last month, two wildflower walks, a sunset hike and a youth scavenger hunt took place, among other events during their Spring Open House.
Preserve the Monocacy Hill Recreation Area
Monocacy Hill Conservation Association was one of the recent
Rounding Up at the Register recipients at Kimberton Whole Foods in Douglassville.
“We chose Monocacy Hill Conservation Association because they are a prominent part of the Douglassville community, working to preserve the Monocacy Hill Recreation Area and providing educational programming to adults and children,” said Becca Settle, Kimberton Whole Foods’ director of marketing. “As our Douglassville location is set in the shadow of Monocacy Hill, we feel a deep, local connection to the organization.”
According to the mission statement on the association’s website, the purpose of the Conservation Association is to preserve Monocacy Hill Recreation Area in its natural state, and to maintain the forest for recreation and as a retreat for the study and appreciation of nature.
The group is also committed to protecting the environmental quality of Amity Township and the local area. Membership and volunteer opportunities are open to the public.
Commitment to preserving the Hill
Since April’s Kimberton Whole Foods Rounding Up recipients revolve around environmental conservation, Monocacy Hill was a
natural fit for the month.
“The association resonates with our customers, recognized and applauded by many for their commitment to preserving ‘the Hill’,” Settle said. “When the organization was featured in the program during April of 2021, they were a favorite with customers and team members.”
As part of the Rounding Up program, Monocacy Hill Conservation Association visited Kimberton Whole Foods’s Douglassville store on a Sunday where they set up a table to provide information on their organization.
“These tabling events are hosted with the purpose of further connecting Rounding Up at the Register recipients with our customers,” Settle said. “It’s our hope that customers will see the faces behind the organizations they choose to help through the program.”
Bring awareness to missions
The events also serve to bring awareness to recipients’ missions and often educate customers about the organizations. It’s also an opportunity for them to share new happenings within the community.
Other non-profit environmental organizations that Kimberton Whole Foods supported last month are the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy at their Collegeville store; Berks Nature at their Wyomissing Store; and Green Valleys Watershed Association at their Kimberton store.
“These non-profits and mostly volunteer-based organizations focus on everything from cleanup and conservation to summer camps and educational programs for all ages,” Kimberton Whole Foods shared on its Facebook page, adding that these organizations also foster enjoyment of the outdoors.
All walks hosted by the Monocacy Hill Conservation Association are free and open to the public.
To find a trail map, parking information, or to become a volunteer, visit: www.monocacyhill.org.
For information on upcoming events, go to Facebook: Monocacy Hill Conservation Association