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Berks Nature is the leading agent for the conservation of the environment in Berks County.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization, Berks Nature has been serving the Berks County community since 1974. Land preservation, water protection, trail management, community gardens, education programs, State of the Environment, Eco-Camp and our valued partnerships are at the center of Berks Nature’s work every day.

We hope you join us by becoming a Champion of Nature. You’ll enjoy exclusive benefits, while supporting programs that help connect people to nature and maintain the natural beauty of Berks County.

THE NATURE PLACE PUBLIC HOURS

FREE TO VISIT!
Open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Open until 6:00 pm on Wednesday for special extended hours through May
CLOSED Sunday and Monday

Berks Nature is seeking a Delaware River Watershed Fellow for the 2024 summer!

Learn more and apply by reviewing the full job posting below!

Join Our Team!

Berks Nature is also searching for a Fall 2024 intern!

Details below in our News in Nature section!

Looking Back on 50 Years and Planning for 50 More

In 2024, Berks Nature is humbled to celebrate 50 years of serving nature in Berks County. Join us all year round as we reminisce and celebrate 50 momentous years of conservation and start planning the next 50 years of protecting, restoring, and elevating Berks County’s inspiring mosaic of natural and cultural resources.

50 Conversations for 50 Years: A Public Input Forum

Berks Nature works hard every day to protect the environment and connect people to the nature all around them. In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, Berks Nature is not only reflecting on the accomplishments of our past, but also looking forward at our goals for the future. Who better to guide the next 50 years of environmental action, protection, and education than the residents, outdoor enthusiasts, and conservation champions that call Berks County home? 

Throughout 2024, Berks Nature will be hosting 50 Conservations for 50 Years, a series of forums to collect feedback from our partners and the Berks County community.

Twenty of these conversations will be open to the general public to share their thoughts and conservation priorities. This feedback will be used to inform Berks Nature’s next strategic plan.

Berks Nature Wants to Hear from You! 

What are your priorities for Berks? What should we be doing that we aren’t already doing? Which resources and natural spaces are important to you?   

We have made it easy for you to participate:
  1. Select a date from 20 public input forums that works best for you
  2. Register for your selected date online at our Free Events page.
  3. Show up and enjoy informal conversation with like-minded people.

A full list of the public input forum dates can be found on our Free Events page!

Register Here!

We’re feeling nostalgic…

We invite you to reminisce with us by sharing your story! What are your favorite memories from Berks Nature? What do you love about our work, our preserves, or our people? How did you find us and what keeps you coming back?

Share your Story!

More Ways Than Ever to Support Local Conservation

Monthly Giving

Support Berks Nature in a big way for our 50th Anniversary by signing up for our Monthly Giving Program. For as little as $5 per month, you can be a Champion of Nature by having your monthly donation automatically deducted from your account.

Corporate Giving

Corporate partners are now invited to support local conservation action through Berks Nature’s Corporate Sponsorship Package! Protect nature while enhancing your visibility in the community.

Plant-a-Tree

More details coming soon!

It's your turn to speak for the trees! Support Berks Nature's annual tree growing efforts by planting a tree with us or dedicating a tree to a loved one. More details launching our Plant-a-Tree Program coming soon!

50 Actions in Service of Nature

Challenge yourself to live every day like Earth Day with this list of simple actions!

Stay tuned for the official launch of this service challenge in March 2024!

Adopt-a-Bee

Support your local pollinators this summer! Details coming soon...

Support local pollinators and come visit The Nature Place's own hive of honey bees this summer! Details to participate in the Adopt-a-Bee Program coming soon!

Get Outside and Celebrate with Us!

The Nature All Around Us is an immersive, hands-on exhibit created by the Natural History Museum of Utah and modified for tour by the Science Museum for Minnesota designed to challenge our notion that urban and natural environments are separate from each other by showcasing the many inextricable links between these worlds. From your own backyard to your local main street, Nature All Around Us reveals the hidden worlds and rich ecosystems within our daily lives.

Nature All Around Us comes to Reading in 2024! The public is invited to explore Nature All Around Us from January 25 through May 12. The exhibit’s modules will be split between The Nature Place and the Reading Public Museum so be sure to visit both sites to enjoy the full experience.

While the exhibit will be open to the public during The Nature Place’s normal business hours, Berks Nature invites you to experience this special exhibit to its fullest on Saturdays and during our extended hours every Wednesday this spring!

Play and explore your way through the Nature All Around Us exhibit and enjoy special programming led by Berks Nature’s educators on select dates.
Register for Programs Here!
Reserve your Ticket!

News in Nature

Current events and updates from Berks Nature

Conservation as Community

| Community Outreach, Maiden Creek Watershed, Tree Planting, Volunteers | No Comments
Often, all it takes is one project to rally a community together and create a lasting impact. Back in 2009, a 63-acre farm outside of Kempton near the village of…

Safekeeping Soil

| Conservation, Farming | No Comments
Leon Burkholder extends his left hand, palm down, and holds out his right hand, palm up, a couple inches below it. “Planting depth is here,” he says, explaining his no-till…

Nature is All Around Us in Reading

| Education, Events and Programs, The Nature Place, Volunteers, Watershed Health | No Comments
We often think of nature as a place untouched by humans, but nature is thriving right under our noses in cities and towns across the nation! In fact, our human…

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Berks Nature Fall 2024 Internship

(March 18, 2024)

We strive to offer our interns a well-rounded learning experience. An interest in the environment and stewardship is a must, and there is often work to do outdoors. Berks Nature also manages a nature preschool and hosts numerous field trips and events. Working with children and the public is a priority.

Good writing skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and a genuine appreciation for working with diverse audiences are all necessary.

As a charitable organization we are unable to provide compensation for an intern’s time. In some cases, students can receive school credits.

Click here to read the full position description.

Applications are due July 20, 2024.

Application Instructions:

To apply, please click here and send your resume and letter of interest to Beckey Seel at Beckey.seel@berksnature.org.

NOW HIRING: Delaware River Watershed Fellowship

(February 21, 2024)

The Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 23 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows participate in training sessions to prepare them for a summer of connecting people with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 13 million people living in the region. 

Berks Nature, a member of the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE), is seeking to hire a Fellow from Reading PA., to advance their organizational mission of protecting the Delaware River watershed and its waterways through stewardship and community outreach.  

Click here to read the full position description.

Applications are due April 6, 2024.

Fellows are paid $16.25/hr, 35-40 hours a week over the summer, with a possible 120hour extension for September 2024 until April 2024.

The Berks Nature Fellow will specifically: 
  • Help with community outreach in the Greater Reading Area 
  • Develop and lead educational programming in the City of Reading by setting up an interactive table at sites outside of The Nature Place during fairs, community days, and at other outreach opportunities.    
  • Assist seasonal staff with learning activities and games during the summer Eco-Camp. 
  • Help produce content for conservation education programs. 
  • Receive training on water quality monitoring and help with water quality studies. 
  • Lead students through interactive learning stations during field trips at The Nature Place. 
  • Be provided opportunities to help connect people to nature, communicate routinely with a public audience, and interact with children of all ages. 

Application Instructions:

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to Allison Mackley at allison.mackley@berksnature.org.

TRAIL ALERT: Construction on Neversink Mountain Preserve

(September 15, 2023)

Please be advised: There will be construction work on Neversink Mountain Preserve in the vicinity of the McIlvane Pavilion beginning on September 18, 2023. Please stay clear of construction activities while enjoying the public trails of Neversink Mountain until this work is completed.

Thank you so much for having the 7th grade students of Kutztown visit the Burkholder farm. This opportunity was an incredibly eye opening experience for all involved. Teaching about farming practices, sustainability, clean water and buying locally is one thing, but actually seeing it in action is what changes the mind frame.

Kutztown Middle School teacher about their farm tour with Berks Nature

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