The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps youth program offers young people a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in conservation, teamwork, and leadership. Participants work outdoors on meaningful projects such as trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and park beautification—while building valuable job skills. This program is designed to inspire a strong work ethic, environmental stewardship, and personal growth, all within a supportive and engaging team environment.

​Thank you again to the Pagoda Pacers for organizing and hosting the Run for the Ages 2025 at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center. This year's race raised $1,252.90 for the Friends of Nolde Forest. This donation and the support of all involved, from participants to volunteers, help keep Nolde Forest the beautiful place that it is for future generations to enjoy.

The Friends of Nolde Forest were selected as the recipient of the April 2025 Kimberton Whole Foods – Wyomissing round-up beneficiaries. As we continue welcoming hundreds of school students to Nolde Forest, managing our natural resources as thoughtful stewards and good neighbors to those downstream, and offering engaging programs to our community.

We hope you’ll support a local, family-owned grocery store, while also helping us do our good work. April is also the month of Earth Day and springtime!

Only 30 copies left of Francie’s book "She Looked to the Sky", available at the  Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center. All proceeds support The Friends of Nolde Forest.

Learn more about Nolde Forest and the family whose foresight helped preserve the forest for future generations, like us, by visiting her website: www.FrancieNoldeBooks.com. ​

​The book makes a wonderful gift for strong women in your family, and all those who hold a special place in their hearts for Nolde Forest

​Once materials were delivered, including sand earlier in the week, and they spent several hours clearing rock and dirt from the worksite to make the area accessible.

They have made significant progress—stacking a wall section more than seven-feet high and four-feet wide, effectively tying it into what was an unsupported stone wall. They will allow their work to cure before intentionally tearing down sections of wall on both sides of today’s work to make strong again.

Dave continues to express how urgent this work is, as it was only a matter of time that far more stone, timbers, and roof would have come down.

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​Once the stone masonry work is complete they will move onto replacing numerous timbers. We’ve identified a half dozen 16-foot long timbers that have been safely stored in the rafters of the barn. The challenge will be getting them out.

If we rent the appropriate lift, Dave and his crew can operate it and retrieve the timbers in a day or two. The final item on the contract includes some minor exterior masonry work—which they will save for last.

​Dave has a keen eye and has additionally suggested minor drainage work around the barn to minimize continued foundation deterioration. 

If you have a passion for working outdoors and want to help keep Nolde Forest looking its best for our visitors, apply below! 

Application closes February 13 at 11:59pm.