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The Making of a Lifelong Nature Keeper

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One of our primary goals in connecting youth to nature is to transform their mindset to viewing themselves as part of the natural world. Through repeated, memorable experiences in nature during their formative years, children learn to understand, respect, and love the earth. This critical foundation inspires lifelong choices to protect the environment, while also providing children with mental focus, emotional stability, physical health, and spiritual resilience. There is no better example than Catherine Oblack, a 16-year old student who has been involved with our youth education programs since she was 8 years old. The following is her story, told through her words.

Catherine Oblack, age 16, at Rushton Farm this summer during the Rushton Nature Keepers Summer Harvest program. Photo by Blake Goll

One day that I will remember forever is the first day I got to go bird banding at Willistown Conservation Trust when I was eight. From the time I started elementary school, I loved nature and was especially obsessed with birds. I enjoyed watching and learning about birds and what is being done to protect them. I wanted to learn more and get involved, so this led to my family finding WCT and signing up for Junior Birders, which was their youth program that has now expanded into Rushton Nature Keepers.

When my dad told me that they had a bird banding session that I could attend I was ecstatic. I had learned about bird banding and how it is used to study and protect birds, but I didn’t know that I could go see it in person. I was also super excited that the target species were warblers, as I had read all about them but did not see them as much on my own. I spent the evening before reading over all the types of birds that they typically banded; I could not wait.

Eight-year-old Catherine seeing a Common Yellowthroat for the first time at the Rushton banding station. October 2016. Photo by Blake Goll

When I arrived in the early morning, I remember how excited I was as I walked through the beautiful trails to the banding station. The autumn woods were just starting to wake up and come to life as the sun rose above the tree line. When I reached the banding station, I was welcomed in along with the other guests. After I had been introduced to Blake and Lisa, they invited me up to watch a Common Yellowthroat warbler being banded. I had arrived hoping to see some birds, but it hadn’t prepared me for experiencing what it was like to be so close to a wild bird. I could see all the markings and traits that had been described in the guidebooks, and I was awestruck by the birds’ beauty.  

Catherine releasing a banded Gray Catbird at her first day at the banding station, October 2016. Photo by Blake Goll

After my first day at the banding station, I continued to go to bird banding before school whenever I could for many years, each season learning more not only about the birds, but also about the conservation efforts at WCT. I also participated in WCT’s other educational activities, like Rushton Nature Keepers, that helped me develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of nature. This program helped grow my love for the natural spaces right around me and also respect for the people that work hard to keep them open. It also reinforced my desire to have a positive impact on our environment.

Catherine nature journaling as a Jr. Birder in 2017
Catherine tasting honey with Jr. Birders at Rushton Farm in 2017.
Catherine harvesting potatoes as a Rushton Nature Keeper in 2018.
Catherine holding a fox pelt as a Jr. Birder in 2017. Photo by Blake Goll

Going into my sophomore year in high school, I knew that I still wanted to be involved with WCT, so I helped Blake with Rushton Nature Keepers over the summer. Rushton Nature Keepers is a youth program that teaches kids (ages 8-11) about not only birds, but also about sustainable farming, our local watersheds, and many other aspects of conservation that allow curious kids like me to grow into young naturalists. It was a full circle moment when I got to help with the program and see other kids having the same experiences that fueled my own love of the natural world. I had so many wonderful and unique experiences in the junior programs at WCT, so it was amazing to help other kids get to experience these same things. Whenever I am at Willistown now, I still experience the same feelings that made me love learning about and experiencing nature firsthand and am inspired to help protect our natural lands and habitats.   

Catherine helping to oversee Rushton Nature Keepers this summer. Photo by Blake Goll

How Willistown Conservation Trust Helped a Young Birder Like Me

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“My name is Sid Ghatta. I am a rising 5th grader of Great Valley School District. I am also a student of Rushton Nature Keepers. Eastern Bluebirds cannot make their nest cavities because of their small beaks. Therefore, they are vulnerable. Hence generous people put up bluebird boxes to help increase their population. In April 2023, WCT put up a bluebird box in our backyard and that started my love for bluebirds.

Sid with his bluebird box and mealworm feeding contraption.

So I do my everyday ritual. I go and get the mealworms from the refrigerator and I blow my whistle to let the bluebirds know their food is ready. Last year, there were four eggs, but unfortunately one egg did not hatch. This year there are five eggs and all of them hatched! Now we installed two more boxes and one was occupied by tree swallows.

WCT taught me to protect bluebirds and I am doing that. Audubon website says the bluebird population is growing and it’s because of bluebird boxes along open countryside. I would like to speak with my new school Principal to install more bluebird boxes to help more bluebirds.”

Sid’s bluebird eggs
Sid’s baby bluebirds
Sid’s bluebird painting

The Willistown Conservation Trust has been running our popular Bird Box Program for twelve years. Under the foresight of Dick Eales, chair of our Bird Conservation Committee, we began the program with the intention of boosting bluebird populations in our area. Threats to Eastern Bluebirds include habitat loss, particularly of standing dead trees (otherwise known as snags) that offer nesting cavities in open fields or grasslands. This loss of nest sites coupled with competition from aggressive alien species (namely the House Sparrow) rendered bluebirds a rare sight in the late 1960’s. It was the advent of well monitored bluebird trails and programs such as ours that enabled these beautiful blue thrushes to make a comeback in Pennsylvania.

To date, we have installed over 400 bluebird boxes for homeowners and preserves throughout our program area (Malvern, Newtown Square, Wayne, and West Chester)! In addition to helping native birds, these nest boxes represent indelible opportunities for people of all ages to connect to nature and wildlife science in their own backyards. The above story was written by Sid Ghatta, a young student who is an avid participant in Rushton Nature Keepers, our award-winning children’s environmental education program. We have a feeling this budding conservationist will do great things for the earth!

Sid thought of his friends at the Willistown Conservation Trust as he visited Yosemite Conservancy this summer on a family vacation.

Rushton Nature Keepers: Inspiring tomorrow’s conservationists

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Rushton Nature Keepers exploring a wetland habitat with Wildlife Biologist Mike McGraw (2021). Photo by Blake Goll

In the midst of today’s chaotic pace and uncertainty, children need more than ever those timeless moments in nature that are so crucial to their creative rejuvenation, problem-solving skills, and emotional development.  Rushton Nature Keepers (RNK) is a membership program seeking to do just that and more. The purpose is to provide area children, ages 8-11, with opportunities for meaningful connections to nature that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.  In so doing, we hope to help build an army of earth conscious adults who will value the land and understand the importance of conservation. 

Established in 2018, RNK is the Willistown Conservation Trust’s multi-disciplinary approach to children’s environmental education. Through a range of transformational experiences offered throughout the summer and fall at Rushton Woods Preserve and other Trust preserves, Nature Keepers develop a close relationship to nature and a comprehensive understanding of conservation.  The unique thematic approach of RNK follows the Trust’s conservation disciplines: birds and wildlife, regenerative farming, watersheds, and healthy habitat.  

From releasing wild birds at the banding station and discovering aquatic insects that live in the stream, to harvesting potatoes on the farm and exploring native wildflower meadows, Nature Keepers grow their sense of wonder while learning that they can seek refuge in nature—healthful traits that will persist through adulthood (see more in Plant a Love of Nature in Your Kids). In return for these rich benefits, the students develop a lifelong conservation ethic that fosters mindful stewardship of our planet.

A few favorite Rushton Nature Keepers activities in 2021. Photos by Blake Goll

Dedicated Nature Keepers who show satisfactory attendance across the varied programs earn their Rushton Jr. Naturalist title at the end of the year.  The Junior Naturalists attend a “graduation ceremony” during which they are tasked with defending Rushton from a barrage of various development scenarios, using the knowledge they have gained throughout the year.  Past Junior Naturalists valiantly spoke for the birds that use Rushton during migration, the wildflowers (and their associated insects) that promote pollination of the crops, and the forest that protects the watershed as they vehemently opposed (imaginary) plans for twenty townhomes, conventionally farmed soybean fields, and parking lots.

“You are the future keeper of our natural world.  It will be up to you to protect it, cherish it, and teach others about it. In our rapidly growing human population, Nature will need all the help she can get,” said Education Programs Manager Blake Goll to the Junior Naturalists.

It’s all about restoring our relationship with nature. One of the pillar objectives of RNK is to learn about the many intricate connections within nature and how humans can play a positive role in conserving its integrity. This type of education is just as paramount for children today as any traditional school subject. For in the end, Earth is the ultimate classroom and Mother Nature the eternal teacher.

A Rushton Nature Keeper enjoying a quiet solo spot meditation in the forest (2021). Photo by Blake Goll

What past RNK members are saying:

“There are a lot of people who really care about conservation and the approach you have taken at Rushton Nature Keepers has really been powerful to our family….not to mention the beautiful land and resources you share with us each time we gather”.  ~ Patty Neeb (parent of two Rushton Jr. Naturalists)

“Rushton Nature Keepers is such a gift for the people who can be open to it.  You gave us a chance to be on a farm, which is something I think we all have a deep yearning for.  There’s empowerment that comes from understanding farming.  It’s a self-sustaining environment. Being able to produce your own food…there’s power in that.”  ~Patty Neeb

“All my children have enjoyed your programs and I appreciate the chance to get them involved in nature and conservation. While my daughter is only 10 years old, I believe the activities at Rushton will encourage her to follow her passion for nature, birds and science throughout her life.” ~ Steve Oblack (parent of three Rushton Nature Keepers and one Rushton Jr. Naturalist)

“I can’t begin to express the deep appreciation we have for RNK. The tremendous passion, expertise, time, and care you put into the program is extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary! Thank you for the important educational work you do and for the countless gifts you’ve imparted to our family.  What a privilege it’s been for our young people to experience! Thank you for making the world a better and more beautiful place for all.” ~Lizzie Rumbaugh (parent of three Rushton Jr. Naturalists)

To learn more about Rushton Nature Keepers, see the schedule of events, or register for membership, click here! (RNK events begin on June 21, 2022)

Also, check out the video below of last year’s Rushton Nature Keepers highlights!

A Rushton Nature Keeper “Graduate” Restores Historic Bluebird Trail to Willistown

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By Education Programs Manager Blake Goll

Photos by Blake Goll

Almost ten years ago, a little girl named Siana Christaldi and her brother began religiously attending the Trust’s nature programs that were then part of the nascent Junior Birding Club. Siana especially loved the adventures in which she and her family enthusiastically participated: watching the dazzling courtship flights of the American Woodcocks at Rushton Farm in early spring, exploring a local vernal pool for spotted salamanders one rainy night in early April with Education Programs Manager Blake Goll, and even lending an eager hand for local stream cleanups at the Trust’s nature preserves.

Siana’s passion for nature flourished over the years as she continued to participate in Rushton Nature Keepers program that was established in 2018 as the Trust’s holistic approach to environmental education, encompassing major conservation themes of healthy habitat, birds and wildlife, watersheds, and regenerative farming. In 2019, Siana and her family also dove wholeheartedly into the Trust’s Homeowner Bird Box Program—receiving their own bluebird box to monitor in their yard. A bluebird family quickly took up residence, and Siana was hooked. Naming the dad Blueberry and the mom Muffin, she bravely inspected the nest regularly despite having her hair tousled by the chastising dives of the parents.

Siana and her brother Daniel at a Rushton Nature Keeper program in 2018

It was this personal connection to the bluebird box in her backyard that inspired her to build bluebird boxes for her Girl Scout Silver Award project last winter. Siana (now 14 years old) first met with local bluebird box builder, Ken Leister, better known as The Bluebird Keeper; he has built close to 1,000 boxes in the past ten years for homes, schools, golf courses, local businesses, and nonprofits like Willistown Conservation Trust. And his boxes are crème de la crème if you are a bluebird; they are equipped with thoughtful features that many commercial boxes lack, such as an extra-large roof and ample ventilation to help prevent the chicks from overheating during hot summer days.

After collecting free scrap wood from a local fencing company, Siana worked with Ken to learn the dimensions and to cut all the parts for ten bluebird boxes. She took these parts back to her building team of two friends and instructed them on how to assemble a “Ken Leister bluebird box.” Siana reflects, “We all had fun learning and building these boxes, and the whole experience felt like a special gift during the Covid-19 quarantine.”

In early spring, Siana worked with Blake to install the ten boxes at a private property in Willistown. This was significant because the farm’s current owner is keen on reestablishing the bluebird box trail that her grandfather, Hardie Scott, had lovingly established in the 60’s. In those days, concern was growing over the declining bluebird populations; threats included non-native competing species like House Sparrows, widespread pesticide use, and habitat loss from development. With the help of compassionate citizens establishing nest box campaigns and well monitored bluebird trails beginning in the 60’s and 70’s, Pennsylvania is once again home to healthy populations of these stunning backyard birds.

Siana helped monitor the bluebird trail this summer with Blake and found that the boxes were also being enjoyed by Tree Swallows, native birds that hunt insects on the wing. Since bluebirds hunt insects by diving into the grass from a hunting perch, they are not a direct competitive threat to Tree Swallows. Consequently, a swallow will generally allow a nearby bird box to be occupied by bluebirds but not by other swallows. As such, the boxes were cleverly paired at a private farm in Willistown to hopefully allow Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows to live and breed harmoniously.

The new bluebird trail now lies vacant under the crisp autumn sunshine in the wide-open rolling hills, wild meadows, and fields of Willistown. The boxes hold the promise of many more broods of baby birds in the spring to come. When the Tree Swallows return to somersault through the honeysuckle-scented air and the bluebirds’ sweet songs bubble forth from the new leaves, Siana’s boxes will again come to life.

  • Siana and her brother Daniel monitoring the bluebird trail this summer. BHG
  • Tree Swallow nest lined with goose feathers

Blake Goll | she/her | Education Programs Manager | Blake plays a big role in the Trust’s Bird Conservation Program, as well as the outreach and educational initiatives as the coordinator for the Rushton Nature Keepers program.

Nature Escapes for Kids: Create Your Own Headdress

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Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff
A Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer during Discover Rushton Mini Camp. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

One of my childhood memories that has not faded throughout the years is from “Outdoor School,” which was basically a week-long field trip to a local nature center.  Simply reporting to a nature preserve instead of school everyday with my classmates was enchanting on its own.  One of the lessons, however, really got my attention: role-playing the Native American way of life.  I remember the instructor telling us about how connected they were to the land and how even when they walked it was with respect to the earth.  Following her lead, I picked my way delicately among the leaves —rolling my foot from the heal through the outside edge and then finally the ball and toe. This was, she explained, how Native Americans could stealthily walk through the woods without making a sound during hunting trips.

Role playing is such a wonderful way for children to mentally escape and be transported to a different time and place.  Making nature headdresses is one such activity that fully engages a child’s creativity and focus while exercising fine motor skills and communication.  I got this activity from a marvelous little book called Play the Forest School Way by Peter Houghton and Jane Worroll.  The book is full of great ideas for outdoor play and is an essential resource for parents, especially during this time.

A Rushton Nature Keeper wearing his nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll

Start with introducing the concept of a headdress to your child.  For example, in England a king or queen wore a crown with jewels to represent nobility, or a Native American chief may have been awarded a feather in his headdresses for an act of courage.  Then explain to your child that they will be creating their own headdress and embellishing it with items found in nature; these items can be chosen to personally represent themselves and/or transform themselves into a mythical deity, woodland fairy, or other character of their imagination.

A Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll

All you will need prepared ahead of time is a long strip of sturdy plain white paper or posterboard.  It should be 3-4 inches wide and long enough to go around the child’s head.  You can help the child with fitting the strip to their head and cutting it to the right length; be sure to mark on the strip where the ends will overlap with tape so the child knows not to decorate that little section.  Put a piece of double-sided tape along the length of the strip, onto which the child will stick bits of grass, seeds, flowers, twigs, feathers, and whatever else they find.  (You will also need regular tape to put over top of the embellishments to secure them in place, and to tape the ends of the strip together once they are finished decorating—a stapler will also work.)

Decorating nature headdresses. Photo by Blake Goll
Making nature headdresses. Photo by Blake Goll

When you set the child loose to look for their embellishments (whether in your yard, a woodland, or nature preserve), I found it is easiest to have them gather their items and then bring them back to a work space rather than bring the paper strip with them during the foraging.  It is easier for them to focus on foraging first and designing and sticking things to their headdress second.  And boy do they design!  You will be amazed at the beautiful works of art that your child will create. 

Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll
Rushton Nature Keeper wearing his nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll
Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll

Be sure to have your child explain their creative decision process when they are finished.  What does each decoration symbolize?  Why did he/she choose that item?  What was the role of that decoration in the natural world?  Who have they become with the headdress on?  How does it make them feel?  Are there animals in nature that create works of art or use decorations? Can you think of animals with headdresses of sorts?

Last but not least, don’t forget to take a picture of your child wearing the headdress since unfortunately these do not last in their original form for very long.  They are, however, guaranteed to last a lifetime in your child’s memory.

Rushton Nature Keeper wearing her nature headdress last summer. Photo by Blake Goll

Rushton Nature Keepers

Blake manages our Rushton Nature Keepers (RNK) club for children ages 7-11. Through year-round programs covering four conservation themes (birds and wildlife, regenerative farming, healthy habitat, and watersheds), RNK provides children with unique opportunities to develop a meaningful life-long relationship with nature. Although things are subject to change regarding Covid-19, we plan to resume children’s activities on May 2nd.  Click here for the schedule of RNK programs and membership information.