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Hemlocks to Hellbenders is a podcast hosted by Christian Alexandersen highlighting Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and great outdoors.
37 Episodes
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Send us a Text Message.Spanning 85,000 acres across three Central Pennsylvania counties, Michaux State Forest is a sanctuary of lush woodlands, crystal-clear streams and a rich tapestry of history and wildlife. Considered Pennsylvania’s “cradle of forestry,” Michaux State Forest is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, giving visitors a bevy of settings to explore all year long. Whether you’re an avid hiker, a history buff, or simply someone who finds solace in the serenity of nature, Michaux...
Send us a Text Message.The definition of a garden is a small piece of ground used to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs or flowers. But it’s much more than that. It’s a community meeting place. It’s an outdoor classroom. It’s an organic food market. It’s a sustainable hobby. And it’s a place to make lifelong friendships. Ask anyone whose spent time in a community garden and they will tell you how important they are. For themselves. Their families. Their neighbors. And their communities.As th...
Send us a Text Message.In the soft light of dawn, a lone figure stands by the water's edge, casting a line into the stillness. The morning mist hangs low, obscuring the surface as they patiently wait, listening to the quiet sounds of nature stirring awake.With a steady hand, they feel the tug of a Pennsylvania brook trout beneath the surface. Engaging in a brief but furious struggle, the angler emerges victorious.After having won the match, the fisherman releases the trout back into the cold ...
Send us a Text Message.As Pennsylvanians head outdoors in record numbers, it’s imperative that we all learn how best to protect our environment. From backpackers and hikers to rock climbers and mountain bikers, it’s all our responsibilities to preserve the beauty of our natural spaces in and outside of the Commonwealth.And, there’s no better guide, no better set of principles and no better philosophy that every adventurer should embrace than Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace is more than just a ...
Send us a Text Message.On April 8, 2024 Pennsylvanians will have the opportunity to see something special. Something that’s not been seen in our commonwealth since January 1925. – nearly 100 years ago. From about 3:15 to 3:20 the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light.A total solar eclipse. This eclipse will cross 15 states in North America – including Pennsylvania - from the Southwest to the Northeast. While this awe-inspiring event will be visible in much of...
Send us a Text Message.It’s difficult for me to pick what I like most about Black Moshannon State Park. It’s a struggle I face every time I recommend this wonderful park to friends - which is often. I’ll go from talking about the incredible camping and cabin opportunities to swooning about the park’s lake and bog. Then I get going about the abundance of wildlife. And then the hiking trails. And then the hunting and fishing. Then I realize 30 minutes have gone by and the person I’ve been ...
Send us a Text Message.It’s the spring of 1858. Colonel Edwin Drake from New York is hired by the Seneca Oil Company to investigate suspected oil deposits in Titusville, Pennsylvania. While the existence of petroleum oil was known, there no considerable market for the material. After months of work, Drake had little to show for his efforts. Undeterred, Drake took out a $500 loan to continue his operation. Then, on August 27th 1859, Drake changed the world. While drilling on an island in ...
Send us a Text Message.Whether you’re hiking ancient forests or picnicking in an urban park, birds are all around us. From the common pigeon on a Philly stoop to a bald eagle soaring above the Susquehanna River, the avian world is vast in Pennsylvania.Birding is the observation of birds in their natural habitats. Often seen as a hobby for old fogies, the activity has gotten a boost of interest and young blood as a result of the pandemic. When we were required to self-isolate and avoid travel,...
Send us a Text Message.When it comes to our parks and forests, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can only do so much. There’s too much trail maintenance, invasive species removal, education programs and other things that must be done to complete it allThat’s where the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation steps in. Since 1999, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation has acted as the official non-profit partner of the Commonwealth’s state parks and for...
Send us a Text Message.Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal region, Delaware Canal State Park stands as a testament to the intertwining of history and nature.Stretching almost 59 miles from Easton to Bristol along the Delaware River, this park is made up of a tapestry of landscapes that begs to be explored by foot, bike and boat. You can spend a lifetime exploring this unique park, and still discover something new every day. On this episode, I speak with Gabie Lent. Gabie is the E...
Send us a Text Message.Located in Potter County, Cherry Springs State Park is home to some of the darkest night skies on the East Coast. Astronomers and stargazers from all over the country flock to this small park just to look up at the stars.The darkness of the area and the clarity found in the sky makes Chery Springs perhaps the last best refuge of the natural night sky. Like any other resource, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has worked hard to preserve t...
Send us a Text Message.We’re building on the success of our first season with even more great guests and great stories for our second season in 2024. This season we’re going to be hearing from park and forest managers, conservationists, biologists, environmental educators, volunteers and lots more. Experts in their fields will be speaking to us about our public lands, conservation efforts, wildlife management, outdoor recreation and lots more. The aim of the podcast is to shine a spotlig...
Send us a Text Message.The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is a gigantic operation. As the largest public landowner in the Commonwealth, DCNR manages millions of acres of land – including 124 state parks and 20 state forests.But it doesn’t end there. DCNR also manages everything on those millions of acres. There’s the buildings, education centers, campgrounds, museums, playgrounds, cabins, yurts, pools, lakes and parking lots. And then there’s the hiking trails, ...
Send us a Text Message.When a hunter enters a forest with their bow or gun, there’s a good chance they won’t get a deer. So, you would expect those few that are able to successful hunt a deer to keep the meat for themselves. To feed their families and fill their freezers with the venison they harvested. But that’s not the case.Every year, hundreds of thousands of pounds of venison are donated to Hunters Sharing the Harvest. This nonprofit processes and distributes donated deer meat from...
Send us a Text Message.Throughout this season we’ve featured parks on an individual basis. My thinking has been that every park should have its own episode, letting each park shine on its own. But what if there are parks that are so connected to one another that they shouldn’t be separated?That brings us to Tuscarora and Locust Lake State Parks. They are both managed by the same park manager. They are both supported by the same volunteer group. And, they’re located in the same county, less th...
Send us a Text Message.Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is not what you would call a bucket list park. It doesn’t have the activities like Ohiopyle, or the waterfalls like Ricketts Glen or the scenic vistas like Leonard Harrison or Colton Point. Those are the parks you have to make reservations months in advance for. They are tourist destinations. Jacobsburg is not. And that’s the best part. It is a quiet, unassuming park that has beautiful features and an interesting histo...
Send us a Text Message.Created in 2007, the Old Growth Forest Network works to identify and protect one forest in each county of the United States.As of the recording of this episode, the Old Growth Forest Network has worked with local, state and federal agencies to identify and protect 28 ancient forests in Pennsylvania with more on the way. They can be found in parks, forests, natural areas, wildlife preserves and nature reserves. While the Old Growth Forest Network is working hard to ...
Send us a Text Message.Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote that “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house." I get it, Nate. There’s nothing I look forward to quite as much as fall. It’s sweater weather. It’s apple picking. It’s campfires and smores. It’s pumpkin spiced lattes. And it is, without a doubt, the most beautiful season. And what makes the fall so damn beautiful? The colors. Beginning in late September, green forests become a me...
Send us a Text Message.Every year, the distinctive sound of elk bugling can be heard in the Elk State Forest. That high-pitched sound comes from male elk that bugle during the breeding season to attract potential mates and to establish dominance. It’s the sound of these bugles and the sight of these majestic creatures that brings more than half a million visitors to northcentral Pennsylvania every year. Specifically, to Elk State Forest.And while Elk State Forest is a secluded area...
Send us a Text Message.“What does it mean to have a diverse outdoors community?” It’s a question outdoor companies, organizations and groups are asking themselves in an effort to make nature more inclusive for people from all backgrounds, genders, abilities and ethnicities. But while they’re trying to find an answer, America’s Black and Brown communities are exploring the outdoors. On hiking trails, rock walls, waterways and bike paths, they are discovering and --often times – rediscover...
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