April 2024

Hello ClearWater,

If this first week of April is any indication, we should have countless May flowers in a few more weeks! We’ve been discussing the recent rain, and how our communities and landscape have been shaped by water. Impressive images from areas like Millbrook Marsh and Scotia Barrens illustrate just how much water our local wetlands take on during these spring storms, and all the biodiversity those areas support.

Our April calendar is full of opportunities to volunteer, learn, or become a leader in outdoor-related fields. Clean up a local roadside or waterway on Watershed Cleanup Day, consider a more intensive volunteer training with PA Master Naturalists, or take time to recharge and connect with nature during Forest Bathing at Rhoneymeade.

May will be here before we know it, and soon we’ll be announcing our schedule for Season 8 of Centred Outdoors. If you have joined us for fall or winter programs we’ve offered recently, thank you! We are thrilled with the success of the Full Moon Walks, Forest Therapy, and Junior Naturalist Play Days, and hope to continue events like these in the future. New destinations for our weekly Guided Outings and Wellness Wednesdays will be announced soon.

Keep an eye out later this month for opportunities to volunteer all summer, and make time every week to get outdoors. Happy April!

The Centred Outdoors Team

Have a question? Email us!

Centred Outdoors'

Outdoor Leadership Cohort

Application Deadline April 12.

Centred Outdoors is committed to making the outdoors more accessible and inclusive for all, including the next generation of leaders who pave the way. This scholarship program provides diverse individuals of our community with the resources and funding to participate in a personally tailored suite of nationally recognized trainings, workshops, and conferences. By reducing barriers to entering outdoor-related fields, we aim to support a more diverse community of individuals who can see themselves as changemakers in environmental stewardship, education, and conservation.

Forest Bathing at Rhoneymeade

led by Anne Marie Nachman, Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT) Certified Guide.

April 14 | 1:00-3:00 p.m.*

at Rhoneymeade Arboretum

*Space is limited; Registration Required (opens one week prior to event)

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so the program can begin promptly at 1:00 p.m.

No experience necessary. Everyone is welcome to attend this event.

During a Forest Bathing walk, the trained Forest Therapy guide uses a clearly defined sequence of events and invitations in partnership with the forest which allows participants to slow down, allow the senses to open, and to experience the environment using all of the awakened senses to deepen the reciprocal relationship between participants and the forest. This supports the wholeness and well-being of both.

The invitations are open-ended. There is no expectation for how to participate or what you experience or receive. Rather, you spend time in silence, listening and feeling with a quiet and accepting presence. You become reconnected with your senses and your innate creative potential is tapped, which allows the imagination to awaken.

How To Prepare:

• Dress warmly and for the weather: layers, sturdy shoes, hats and gloves if necessary.
• Bring bottled water to stay hydrated.
• Sorry, no pets are permitted at Rhoneymeade.

Watershed Cleanup Day

Centre County, PA

Saturday, April 20

8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Volunteer for four hours on Earth Day weekend to make a long-lasting difference in your community!

​Register by April 12 to participate. Please contact us with any questions via email or phone at: maggie@clearwaterconservancy.org / 814-237-0400.

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Since 1997, volunteers have prevented more than 6 million pounds of trash from entering our local waterways! Thank you for keeping Central Pennsylvania clean and beautiful!

Watch our video to learn more about what to expect when you volunteer!

Mark your calendars!

Our annual Wildflower Walks will be held Sunday, May 12 (Mother's Day) at the Spring Creek Canyon Trail (near Fisherman's Paradise). Join any of the hourly guided walks, or drop by to explore on your own and try out the Seed Bomb Making activity. A great way to get outdoors with the family!

Centred Outdoors is a program of ClearWater Conservancy, made possible with financial assistance from an Environmental Stewardship Fund grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Financial assistance for the program is also provided by the Hamer Foundation, Mount Nittany Health, Richard King Mellon Foundation, and community organizations.