The Sourland Conservancy will sponsor:
June 11 to 13 will be Hopewell Valley Come Outside and Play, a Sourland scavenger hunt at Sourland Mountain Preserve, 235 Rileyville Road, Hopewell, 2.5 miles north of Railroad Place.
Follow the wide, flat trail as it winds through a deciduous forest strewn with large boulders to find the items on the Sourland Mountain-themed scavenger hunt.
Pick up tips and trivia, take pictures and leave the flora and fauna in their native habitat. Exchange a completed sheet at the Sourland Conservancy office in Hopewell for a prize while supplies last — a Sourland Music Fest T-shirt, Sourland Spectacular T-shirt or Audubon plush bird.
Email hikes@sourland.org to receive scavenger hunt instructions and printable (or emailable) sheet. Sponsored by the Sourland Conservancy.
July 12 from 9 a.m. to noon will be a butterfly walk and count at the Mercer County Thompson Preserve, next door to 95 Hopewell-Pennington Road, on Route 654 in Hopewell Township.
Join in the annual North American Butterfly Association’s Butterfly Count. The preserve’s fields were restored to native wildflowers, which draw swallowtails, sulphurs, hairstreaks and more.
The count will be led by Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space land steward Rachel Mackow. No experience is required. Bring sun protection, water and butterfly binoculars (not required).
Hikes are limited to 15 participants. Email hikes@sourland.org for more information or to register.
The Sourland Conservancy has announced its Sourland Stewards project.
The project includes nature hikes and programs on stewardship topics; the stewardship guide, “Living In The Sourlands;” print and online media on stewardship topics; a Facebook group for Sourland stewards to discuss projects, ask questions and share successes; a stewardship resources page with web, print and organizational stewardship materials listed and linked to the Remember The Rain campaign, focusing on amphibian awareness in the Sourlands; a brochure on spring wildflowers of the Sourlands; and more.
To participate, email lcleveland@sourland.org, sign up during an upcoming event or join the Facebook group.
Save the dates for two events:
Sourland Music Festival to be held Saturday, July 18, from 3 to 10 p.m.
It is a mix of blues, jazz and rock and includes food and beverage options, including a beer and wine garden, displays of local crafts and artwork, children’s activities, hot air balloon rides and more. Visit www.sourlandmusicfest.org for more information.
Also, the Sourland Spectacular will be held Saturday, Sept. 12.
Held each September on the first Saturday after Labor Day, the Sourland Spectacular is a rural bicycle ride on paved roads.
Ride from 23 to 63 miles through the forest, farmland and hills of the Sourlands. Receive a free, double-walled insulated water bottle with advance registration. There will be SAG services and fully-stocked rest areas.
Afterward, riders have a gourmet lunch of pizza cooked onsite with a homemade brownie sundae for dessert. Visit www.sourland.org/spectacular for more information.
The Sourland Conservancy works for the adoption of policies, plans, ordinances and stewardship practices that protect the Sourlands.
In order to be effective, it needs the support of members and the general public.
Advocacy projects require a great deal of work, involving research, attendance at meetings of local boards, letter writing, canvassing, displaying yard signs, organizing community members and more.
Visit http://sourland.org/how-to-help/advocacy/ to learn more.
