Blog Posts - Lacawac.org

Lacawac Sanctuary Plans for the Future with a New Education Center

3/20/2019

LAKE ARIEL, PA (March 2019) – Lacawac Sanctuary’s mission is to educate the next generation of environmental stewards and scientists and strengthen academic achievement by providing hands-on, indoor and outdoor STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) education programs for Preschool-12 students.

Lacawac is currently seeking funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and private foundations and donors to renovate and construct an environmental education center where children and educators can come together to understand, appreciate and protect our natural resources. Lacawac’s future Environmental Education Center will also be a gathering place in a stunning setting for the entire community.

For more than 50 plus years Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center has inspired a love for nature and ecology among families, researchers, and students throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Nearly a half century of footprints on the trails and the natural evolution of our diverse ecosystems have created a critical need to revitalize and expand the aging facilities and to preserve our forests, wetlands and other natural areas for future generations.

Generous community support will help Lacawac develop a new Environmental Education Center, which will increase capacity to serve more students, allow Lacawac to provide environmental science programs year round both indoors and outdoors, and offer a venue where everyone can reconnect to nature and world.

As a nonprofit 501(c)(3), Lacawac is funded solely by its members, benefactors and program participants. These fund only the day-to-day operational expenses of Lacawac. To further our mission to provide environmental education, train the next generation of scientists and earth stewards, conserve our natural resources and preserve our history, Lacawac will launch a capital campaign to build an environmental STEM education center, upgrade educational programming and improve accessibility to the property and facilities. We are inviting and encouraging our friends, supporters and everyone who cares about our work to participate in this campaign to prepare for the next 50 years.

Lacawac encourages the general public to view the plans for the new environmental education center on Lacawac’s website at: lacawac.org/environmental-education-center. Lacawac is asking the public to participate and provide feedback on the plans. A link to provide comments is found at Lacawac’s website. For more information on Lacawac’s future plans to develop an environmental education center, contact Craig Lukatch, President at craig.lukatch@lacawac.org.

The Best Wedding Venues for Your Special Day in the Northern Poconos

3/16/2019

What does your special day look like and where do you see yourself saying "I Do"? Have you considered the Northern Poconos? From outdoor weddings to an intimate indoor reception, here are a few perfect venues for you. These four beautiful venues are all unique in their own right and you will love checking them out.

Lacawac Sanctuary Historic Watres Lodge
Lacawac Sanctuary, in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, is a nature preserve that surrounds a 52-acre glacial lake. Lacawac Sanctuary was founded in 1966 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The sanctuary came about with the donation of 341 acres and now totals 545 acres. The mission of the sanctuary is to preserve the glacial lake, its watershed, surrounding forest, and historic buildings.

Declared a National Natural Landmark, Lake Lacawac is free from development and is the southernmost glacial lake in the hemisphere. It has been referred to as “the southernmost unpolluted glacial lake in North America” due to the owners being careful to not allow wastewater into the lake. This is what makes Lacawac so special for your special day!

Lake-side outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour on the first floor of the Historic Watres Lodge, then dinner on the lawn of the lodge in a beautiful tented space and dancing in the 20th century carriage house make for a fabulous experience throughout Lacawac on your wedding day. Your creative flair can be added to the treasures found around every corner. These treasures provide a unique atmosphere for you and your guests. The centerpiece of Lacawac besides the lake, is our Watres Lodge built in 1903.

Our newly renovated Ice House Cottage is the perfect place for the bride and her maids to prepare for the big day and it is also available for the newlyweds to stay in while they prepare and/or the night of the wedding. Clients love these special options for their wedding party. More information on Lacawac weddings at www.lacawaclodge.com.

The Settlers Inn, Hawley
Couples hosting their romantic wedding in the Poconos at The Settlers Inn will have the choice of a garden or riverside outdoor ceremony. After you’ve said “I do,” you and your new spouse can take wedding photos while your guests will enjoy a cocktail hour, which includes an open bar and a scrumptious selection of hors d'oeuvres.

A champagne toast will take place during the reception, which is held in The Undercroft Room. The lovely dining room features a fireplace, beautifully set with willow tree tiles, windows and glass-paned doors to enjoy the natural light, a stone entryway that leads to our gardens, and accents of cherry wood, glass art, and Arroyo Craftsman wall sconces. The Undercroft Room is warm, inviting, and serene, creating the perfect environment in which to celebrate your nuptials. (From Settlers Website). For more information on weddings at Settlers Inn visit their website at thesettlersinn.com/weddings.

The Ledges Hotel, Hawley
Ledges Hotel, is the ideal Pocono Mountains location for a more intimate wedding. The settling is breathtaking with their decks offering views of the river gorge falls. The Waterfall Package at Ledges is ideal for 25 to 50 guests and is available from May to October. Bridal parties will have the ceremony on site, a cocktail reception, wedding cake, coffee bar, and an open bar with a champagne toast. Their Gorgeous Package can accommodate up to 125 guests year-round. This package offers guests 4 hors d’oeuvres, 2 small plate stations, an open bar and dessert displays like cream puffs or chocolate covered strawberries. Guests can end the evening with a coffee bar and after dinner cordials. Each bride and groom will also receive the assistance of a wedding coordinator to make sure all details are handled from beginning to end. (From Ledges Hotel website). For more information on this unique venue visit ledgeshotel.com/weddings-receptions.

The French Manor, Newfoundland
When it comes to romantic Pennsylvania wedding venues, no place compares to the French Manor Inn and Spa. Nestled atop Huckleberry Mountain in Newfoundland, PA, our enchanting stone chateau offers brides and grooms the ideal setting for their special day. The grounds at the inn offer unparalleled views, an inviting ambiance, and luxury accommodations for you and your guests. The knowledgeable staff is eager to assist with planning your Pocono wedding down to the smallest detail. Another great thing about having your reception at The Manor is that we will not host any other weddings on your special day. (From the French Manor Website). For more information on the beautiful French Manor visit them at thefrenchmanor.com/storybook-weddings/.

Photos credit Nicole Dumond Photography. nicoledumondphoto.com/

The Dime Bank Supports Lacawac Sanctuary

2/26/2019

The Dime Bank donated $6,000.00 to Lacawac Sanctuary to support the nature preserve, environmental education center, and biological field station. $5,000.00 was donated through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to support Lacawac Sanctuary’s mission to educate the next generation of environmental stewards and scientists and strengthen academic achievement by providing hands-on, indoor and outdoor STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education programs for Preschool to 12th grade students.

$1,000.00 was donated as a corporate sponsorship to help with the Sanctuary’s mission to promote environmental understanding through education and conservation – a worthy mission that aligns with the values of many organizations devoted to improving quality of life in the communities where they do business. The Lacawac Sanctuary is a non-profit conservation, research, and education center providing the community with a host of quality environmental, historical, and cultural programs.

Lacawac Sanctuary president Craig Lukatch-Setser stated, “The financial support offered by The Dime Bank makes it possible for Lacawac to educate over 2700 students each year with hands on STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) opportunities both in the classroom and at Lacawac' 550 acre outdoor classroom. We are grateful for the bank's continued support and their partnership to make education a priority in our region and communities we live in.” For more information, visit www.lacawac.org.

The Dime Bank is dedicated to supporting education in our school districts and to bringing the arts to our communities through the sponsorship of many different programs and venues. The Dime Bank has been participating in the EITC program since 2001. If you are passionate about your future, choose The Dime Bank as your financial partner. Serving its primary market of Northeast Pennsylvania since 1905, the bank offers a full array of financial services and solutions. Community banking yields community benefits. For more information on The Dime Bank, visit www.thedimebank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

Pictured left to right: John F. Spall, Esq., The Dime Bank Board Member and Lacawac Sanctuary Trustee; Craig Lukatch-Setser, Lacawac Sanctuary President; Cassandra Box, The Dime Bank Teller; Amanda Ferris, The Dime Bank Teller; Viktoria Thompson, The Dime Bank Customer Service Representative.

Spotted Lanternfly: What you need to know!

2/26/2019

The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive planthopper native to China, India, Vietnam. It was first discovered in Pennsylvania in Berks County and has spread to other counties in the southeast portion of the Commonwealth. This insect has the potential to greatly impact agricultural crops such as grape, hops, and hardwoods. It is also reducing the quality of life for people living in heavily infested areas.

What Is Being Done
Penn State University and Extension, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and PA Department of Agriculture (PDA) have joined forces to control and contain the spread of SLF. Penn State University is leading the research efforts currently underway to answer the many questions we have about the insect’s biology, pesticide studies, and the ability of the insect to adapt to the environment in Pennsylvania. USDA and PDA are actively treating locations where SLF has been reported. USDA is treating on the outer edges where the populations are small and will begin to move inward towards the center of the quarantine. PDA is treating areas where the population numbers are high and is targeting high risk pathways which may contribute to moving the insect to other locations. As funding is available, both USDA and PDA will work on properties for treatment. PDA is also surveying all counties in the state outside the quarantine looking for SLF.

What Can Be Done
Spotted Lanternfly can be controlled with a combination of physical removal of life stages and host trees, as well as pesticide applications. Penn State Extension has developed information for homeowner management as well as a management calendar. Use of these management techniques are important to assist PDA and USDA in control of the spread of this invasive pest.

Businesses also play an important role. Business owners should incorporate pest management into their vegetation management plans and work to minimize the possibility of this insect hitching a ride on products they produce and ship. Businesses who ship products within and out of the quarantine zone are required to have or hire companies who have a Spotted Lanternfly Permit.

How You Can Help
This insect is easily moved if no one is looking. If you are in the quarantine area, please “Look Before You Leave.” Inspecting your vehicles, trailers, or any outdoor items before you move around or out of the quarantine is important. If possible, don’t park in tree lines and keep windows rolled up when you park your vehicle. Know the life stages of the insect and when to look for them.

Using the recommendations developed by Penn State Extension, take control measures on your own property. Any efforts you make in destroying the Spotted Lanternfly or it’s egg masses helps your property and community.

Report sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly. All reports of SLF outside of the quarantine are taken seriously and will be investigated. Reports within the quarantine are registered in a database for USDA and PDA. The database is used to help determine properties for treatment. Treatment is based on location, risk, and available funds.

Please join the effort to control and prevent the spread of Spotted Lanternfly. We need everyone to protect their properties, communities, and the Commonwealth from this invasive insect that has the potential to change our landscape and quality of life.

Report Spotted Lanternfly
Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm:
1-888-4BAD-FLY
(1-888-422-3359)
Report Sightings Here

2019 Summer Day and Residential Camps Announced

2/21/2019

LAKE ARIEL, PA (February 2019) –Join Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center for its 2019 Summer Day and Residential Camps. Lacawac’s 550-acre field station has meandering trails, open fields, lakes and wetlands in which to explore. Experience nature through hands-on activities, artistic expression, thematic games, scientific experiments, and environmental observation. E-STEM (Science, technology, engineering and math taught through environmental education) is incorporated into all of our camps in order to foster problem solving, innovation, self-reliance, and logical thinking. Campers will be fully immersed in our living laboratory and discover how they fit into the complex web of our diverse ecosystem.

Weeklong Day Camps are open for children ages 5-12 and take place at Lacawac Sanctuary’s Environmental Education Center. For information regarding themes and dates visit www.lacawac.org/summer-camps.html.

Lacawac’s residential camp, Conservation Leadership Academy is a weeklong experience for middle and high school students ages 13-17. Participants will be immersed in STEM and Conservation activities at the beautiful and historic Lacawac Sanctuary and Field Station. Students will experience hands-on science programs along-side local conservation professionals and resident university researchers. Enjoy a day kayaking the upper Delaware River. Additional program highlights include water quality sampling on Lake Wallenpaupack, conducting tree surveys, canoeing on Lake Lacawac, fishing on Heron Pond, assisting with aquatic research in the field and in the lab, participating in bird banding, and gaining leadership skills!

For more than 50 plus years Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center has inspired a love for nature and ecology among families, researchers, and students throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Lacawac offers signature programs throughout the year including: PLEON (Pocono Lakes Ecological Observatory Network) and K-12 Education Programs.

For more information on our day and residential camps, contact Jamie Reeger, Director of Environmental Educaton at Jamie.reeger@lacawac.org. Additional information can be found at Lacawac.org.

Wayne Bank Donates to Lacawac's Education Programs

2/18/2019

Honesdale, PA – Lewis J Critelli, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank, is pleased to announce that the Bank will support the Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation with a donation through the Educational Improvement Organization Program in 2019.

Lacawac Sanctuary President, Craig Lukatch-Setser, accepted a check in the amount of $5,000.00 from Mr. Critelli.
The gift was made possible as a result of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program offered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting through the Department of Community and Economic Development.

“Wayne Bank is proud to continue to support the Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation through the EITC program,” stated Mr. Critelli. “The Sanctuary provides wonderful opportunities for local students to participate in numerous environmental education programs, and we are so pleased to be able to contribute to these valuable courses.”

This contribution will benefit Lacawac Sanctuary’s Youth Engaging Science (YES) program by providing opportunities for students, in kindergarten through twelfth grade, to participate in hand-on environmental programs both in and out of school. The YES program allows students to explore collegiate pathways and careers in environmental education, including ecology and environmental fields, by offering first-hand experiences and connections with professionals. The YES program also supports opportunities for students to participate in environmental education projects and experiences. Much of Lacawac’s YES program focuses on low and moderate income, rural, and other populations that are traditionally underserved or underrepresented. The program serves youth throughout a multi-county region of Northeastern Pennsylvania and, in 2017, supported over 2,500 local students.

Wayne Bank is a subsidiary of Norwood Financial Corp., Member FDIC, and is located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The Bank has 26 Community Offices serving Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Lackawanna Counties in Pennsylvania, along with Delaware and Sullivan Counties in New York State. The stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol— NWFL.

PHOTO CAPTION - LEFT TO RIGHT: Lewis J. Critelli, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Bank; Craig Lukatch-Setser, President, Lacawac Sanctuary; and Bonnie E. Rutledge, Assistant Trust Officer, Wayne Bank.

Snowman Challenge 2019

2/15/2019

Join the Lacawac Snowman Challenge 2019 by building your best snow person or sculpture this winter. It's simple, its fun and snow people from anywhere in the world are eligible to win prizes that will be awarded in two age groups; those under 15 and 15 to 99.

How can you join the fun?
1. Build: build a snowman, snow woman, or snow sculpture. Your snowman must have been made between January 1st and March 31st, 2019.
2. SNAP: snap a picture of your snow masterpiece.
3. POST: post a picture of your snow creation on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram. Be sure to include the hashtag: #LacawacSnowman19 in your post. Also include a note saying the creator was 15 or under. No note is needed for over 15 yr old participants.

Prizes will be given for the most creative snow creation:
-15 yrs old or less: one winner will get a free pass to a Lacawac summer event.
-Those 15 yrs and older: one winner will get a signed comic by Bob Eckstein, a New York Times Best Selling Author, author of The Illustrated History of the Snowman, and creator of numerous funny comics.

For more information, visit: https://www.lacawac.org/lacawacsnowmanchallenge.html
#LacawacSnowman19, #LacawacSanctuary

Lacawac Announces Signature Programming in 2019

2/8/2019

Lacawac Sanctuary’s mission is to educate the next generation of environmental stewards and scientists and strengthen academic achievement by providing hands-on, indoor and outdoor STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math)education programs for Preschool-12th grade students.

For more than 50 plus years Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center has inspired a love for nature and ecology among families, researchers, and students throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. Lacawac offers signature programs throughout the year including: PLEON (Pocono Lakes Ecological Observatory Network) and K-12 Education Programs.

What is PLEON?
The Pocono Lake Ecological Observatory Network is a regional lake monitoring program focused on educating the public and lake associations on water quality and lake management.

Why PLEON? Lakes are ecological treasures that form the economic backbone of tourism in the Pocono region. They provide both recreational enjoyment as well as critical habitat for a variety of wildlife, including plants and animals.

Lakes are complex ecosystems, and effective management requires good data as well as an understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of lakes and their surrounding catchments.

Despite their aesthetic, recreational, and environmental importance, we know little about water quality in our Pocono lakes. Neither the state nor regional counties offer regular surveys to provide data essential for good management of these complex ecosystems. Increasing concerns about harmful algal blooms throughout the region make responsible lake management of central importance to the health of these ecosystems and the people, pets, and wildlife that depend on them.

PLEON works to accomplish the following: Empower the public to better understand and manage their fresh waters; cCreate a community of scientists, students, environmental educators, and landowners to work together in improving the ecological state of Pennsylvania’s lake ecosystems and complement a traditional lake consultant by providing ongoing monitoring data on lakes and ensuring that land owners fully understand the advantages and limitations of different lake management approaches

Nature-Based STEM Education
Direct experiences with nature provide relevant learning that equips students with critical thinking, creative approaches, and problem-solving skills.

WHY STEM? STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education is an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based method of learning. It goes beyond the mere transfer of knowledge; it creates connections between school learning, the community, and the world beyond.

Lacawac delivers STEM programs that utilize nature as the foundation of learning. When nature-based curriculum is used, students are three times more likely to find the material interesting and create lasting memories.

Both nationally and in Pennsylvania, the focus has been to increase STEM proficiency at the high school and post-secondary levels. As Lacawac works with school districts in our region, we see a need to direct effective STEM resources all the way down through elementary school. Grades K-5 are a critical period in which student interest can either be deeply engaged or lost in respect to science and technology. Students who have positive experiences through high-quality science teaching and who have opportunities to participate in hands-on science are the ones most likely to pursue STEM paths.

Lacawac strives each year to take our inquiry-based science programs to the next level, transforming the way teachers teach and students learn environmental education.

Field trips are available to public and private schools, scouts, day care centers, home school groups, and after school programs as part of the YES (Youth Engaging Science) Program. Trained environmental educators lead each class/group on trails through diverse habitats as students participate in hands-on, minds-on activities. Each program connects the ecological research conducted at the field station with age appropriate activities. All environmental education field trip programs are aligned to Pennsylvania Department of Education Science Curriculum Framework with a focus on STEAM content.

For more information on our PLEON Program contact Dr. Beth Norman at beth.norman@lacawac.org. To find out more on our nature-based STEM programs, contact Jamie Reeger at Jamie.reeger@lacawac.org. Additional information can be found at Lacawac.org.

Experience Earth Week - Attend Three Events to Enter the Raffle

4/17/2018

The Pike/Wayne Conservation Partnership will host Experience Earth Week, from April 21 through 29. It’s easy and fun to participate! Simply download your passport from pikeconservation.org/experience-earth-week/ and print it, or stop by any of the Partnership member organizations to find one.

Attend at least three of the Partnership’s Earth Week events, get your passport stamped at each one, and drop it in the entry box at your final Earth Week event be included in a raffle for cool prizes such as:

a two-day adventure on the 2018 Delaware River Sojourn
an all-inclusive one-night stay for two adults and two children at Woodloch Pines Resort

The Pike/Wayne Conservation Partnership is an alliance of over 20 government, non-government, non-profit, and grassroots organizations that work toward common goals for natural resource conservation, sustainable communities and citizen involvement in community planning in Pike and Wayne Counties.

Partnership members include: Delaware Highlands Conservancy, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Keystone Clean Water Team, Lacawac Sanctuary, Lackawanna College, Lackawaxen River Conservancy, Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Management District, National Park Service – Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, National Park Service- Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, The Nature Conservancy, Northeast PA Audubon Society, Northern Tier Hardwood Association, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Penn State Extension, Pike County Conservation District, Pike County Office of Community Planning, The Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Pocono Environmental Education Center, Promised Land State Park, SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support), US Forest Service at Grey Towers NHS, and Wayne Conservation District.

Notes from the Forest Newsletter Spring 2018 Now Available

3/21/2018

Our Spring Newsletter 2018 is now available. Check out all the exciting things happening at Lacawac.

In This Edition:
* Lacawac Hires a New Director of Science and Research
* Robert Moeller Research Awards 2017
* Scienctific Workshops and Symposiums
* Climate Change Research
* Lacawac Receives $111,450 Grant from DCNR
* New STEAM Mentoring Program for Girls - PiER Program
* In Memorium: John Whitehouse
* NEPA Match Day 2018
* SEEDS to Install Solar Arrays
AND MORE!!

Read the Spring Newsletter Here!

Lacawac Hours: Open to the public sunrise to sunset

LACAWAC SANCTUARY
94 Sanctuary Road
Lake Ariel, PA 18436
570.689.9494
info@lacawac.org

Lacawac Sanctuary Field Station and Environmental Education Center is an independent, non-profit, environmental education organization located on the shore of Lake Wallenpaupack in the Northern Poconos. We operate solely on program fees, memberships, sponsorships, grants and private donations from people like you.

Major Business Sponsors 2019