Honorable Mention

Headwaters Park December 16, 2014

A neat feather in the cap of Headwaters Park for 2014:  we earned Honorable Mention in DCNR's Green Parks Award for this past year!  Designed to showcase and honor those Pennsylvania parks that make a great effort to keep conservation and preservation a priority for their region, this award is granted annually.  See here for details on other honorable mentions and also the 2014 winner, Sullivan Park in Northampton County.

Headwaters Park summer 2014

As we continue to work on the details for our Master Site Plan, we continually have the focus of Headwaters Park in the forefront of our minds.  It is our mission to conserve and preserve our unique natural resources while welcoming the public to enjoy the natural area and continually learn more about nature and its abundant resources.  Our write-up by DCNR was quite nice.

Although we here in Erie consider our area to have 4 seasons, occasionally it seems that we have a new season every day.  The opening photo was taken December 16th, after yet another snow melt and rain event.  The colors are still captivating, especially when one expects to see only shades of brown and gray.

Winter 2013-14

Even in the winter, who would expect varying shades of white and blue?

It is wonderful to find a natural space near you to visit regularly.  To watch the stream change course gradually over years, or overnight in a sudden weather event.  To see new seedling grow, or a different variety of wildflower gradually fill in a space with its own rainbow.

A single visit to nature is invaluable, and to have a space to visit whenever you like is priceless.  I suggest you go find one, if you haven't already.  Find a spot as small as a lone tree or as large as you can handle, just one that makes you smile or relax when you are there.  A place you are comfortable.

Now visit it.  As much as you can, for as long as you can.  When you begin to observe changes, it's a mix of emotions a little like watching a child grow up.  You are sad when some things are gone or outgrown, but also happy to see the new, wonderful things that are taking their place.

Monarch migration 2014

Shaggy Mane mushroom