download the full guide - Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Berks279nolde forestenvIRONMENTALeduCATION centerLocation: The center is located on the west side of Rt.625, about 4 miles south of Reading.Owner & Contacts: PA Department of Conservation &Natural Resources (665 acres)610-796-36992910 New Holland Rd., Reading, PA 19607www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/noldeforest.aspxDirections, Access & Parking: To reach thecenter from the north, at the interchange of Rt. 422 andLancaster Ave. (old Rt. 222), go south on Lancaster Ave. forabout 0.6 miles and turn left on Rt. 625 (New Holland Rd.).Proceed for about 3.2 miles to the center. Nolde’s mainentrance is on the right. Look for the large state park entrancesign on the right.Site Description: In 1904, Jacob Nolde purchased 500acres of land depleted by logging and farming, intending tocreate a pine forest. More than 90% of the 1.4 million conifersplanted by the Nolde family on 310 acres survived. Today, inaddition to the coniferous plantations, the center’s 665 acresinclude a mature hardwood forest of oak, maple, beech, tulippoplar, and birch. Eleven miles of trails traversing 500 feet ofrelief provide accessibility to woodlands, ponds and streams.Access to the property is free and open to the public dawn todusk, year-round. Stop at the C. H. McConnell EnvironmentalEducation Hall for a trail map. The center is staffed 8 am to 4pm, Monday through Friday.Through the Seasons:Winter: The coniferous plantations provide a haven forGreat Horned, Screech, Barred and Saw-whet owls. Otherwinter birds to be found in association with the coniferousplantations include Pileated Woodpecker, White-breasted andRed-breasted nuthatches, Golden-crowned Kinglet and YellowrumpedWarbler.Spring: Look for migrating songbirds. Some of the owlsmentioned in the “winter” section can be found throughoutthe year.Summer: Birds that breed at Nolde Forest EnvironmentalEducation Center include Great Crested Flycatcher, Veery, WoodThrush, Louisiana Waterthrush and Scarlet Tanager.Fall: Migrating songbirds can be found in late August throughearly October.Other Comments: Be sure to visit French Creek StatePark and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, p. 19, iftime permits.Red-breasted Nuthatch, Jason Cheever/iStockphoto.comNorthern Saw-whet Owl, R. Austing/VIREO