Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy

Seasonal reminder ⚠️

This unwelcome stowaway was found during a post-hike tick-check. 🧐 Ticks are prevalent in our area, but we can still enjoy the great outdoors with some simple strategies to reduce our risk of contracting tick-borne diseases:

👖Wear long sleeves & pants in pale colors (so ticks are easier to see)
🛑Use repellent containing DEET or Permethrin
🚶Remain on trails while hiking
🧐Perform tick checks after hiking
🚿Shower once home, to wash away unattached ticks
🫧Wash and dry (high heat) hiking clothes once home
🐾Make sure your pets are up to date on preventatives
👩‍⚕️Contact your medical provider with concerns related to tick-bites
🧪Send ticks for free testing at PA Tick Research Lab www.ticklab.org

🌿We are an all-volunteer, member-funded, grassroots organization!
🤝Like what we do? Become a member!
🤜To join the effort - reach out!

We recently had the pleasure of returning to work alongside the incredible students at Mt. Lebanon School District high school ABA/Life skills classroom to continue to plant their native plant garden!

🌱 So far these students have completed 2 years of winter sowing followed by spring planting, and one fall tree planting - transforming a once mainly-mulch bed into a growing native perennial garden, helping to make habitat for pollinators and wildlife, all while creating a beautiful community garden!

🎓 Hats off to three of the students in particular - Aidan, Caitlyn & Elliot - founding members of this project who graduated last week. Among their many contributions during their years in the Mt. Lebanon School District, this garden stands as a living legacy to their efforts. We are so proud of them and wish them success as they step into their next chapter 🙌

🫶A big thank you to MTLSD SESS, Mrs. Nass, the staff, and most of all the students! We look forward to seeing their garden flourish, and to continue to work with these awesome young environmental stewards.

🌿We are an all-volunteer, member-funded, grassroots organization!
🤝Like what we do? Become a member!
🤜To join the effort - reach out!

We are looking forward to joining the students this week to plant more native plants into their garden! Watch this space!

Laura Flannery saw an opportunity for the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy to bring a winter sowing workshop directly to kids in the school district's special education program. So far, students have planted more than 30 native plants of 10 species!

Learn more about the program, and how to get your own kids started in gardening, in Mt. Lebanon Magazine. Link in comments. 🌱