WildOnes
Upcoming events/projects
Pawpaw Pathways for Zebra Swallowtail Trails (Blair County and surrounding counties)
Did you know that the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly relies on a single tree for its entire existence? In a remarkable ecological partnership, the Pawpaw is the exclusive host plant for this species. The caterpillar form depends entirely on Pawpaw leaves for nourishment, even absorbing natural toxins from the tree that protect them from predators throughout their lives.
Join us in this workshop, where expert Gabrielle Marsden will guide us through the fascinating biology of this bond, explaining why the presence of native Pawpaws is the essential key to the Zebra Swallowtail’s survival in Pennsylvania. To see Gabrielle's work in action before the event, visit her video series at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znMYriSN3Ow&list=PLISKL21_b6P6-6LfN2gGro8xSOaz3-DRe
In this two-part event, we’ll have hands-on conservation learning by planting Pawpaw trees together at Duncansville Memorial Park. After establishing these initial host sites, we will break into smaller groups at 3:00 PM to plant additional groves at nearby locations. By expanding these native habitats, we are directly ensuring that the Zebra Swallowtail has the resources it needs to flourish in our community for generations to come.
Check out where we have planted Pawpaws in Blair county so far:
Get involved: If you have a permitted location within a 1/2 mile of a waterway where a group of Pawpaw trees can be planted please fill out this form below.
Tapping for Maple Water (Reciprocity Community Food Forest)
Join us for the first workshop of the year at Reciprocity Community Food Forest! We will be giving a how-to presentation on tapping a large Maple Tree at our Food Forest by tapping it together. For refreshments we will have taste samples of Sugar Maple Water that we plan to tap a week before our workshop. Along with the Sugar Maple Water samples we will also have White Pine Soda samples so if you would like to try, please bring your own cup! While enjoying the refreshments we will talk about the benefits of drinking Maple Water seasonally and respecting the tree by only taking what is needed & giving back by planting more trees with Reciprocity. Maple Water contains more manganese, calcium, sodium, and almost as much potassium as Coconut Water. For gatorade fans, Maple Water is an all natural sports drink! For maple syrup fans it would take 50 gallons of Sugar Maple Water to get 1 gallon of Maple Syrup. So although we love Maple Syrup as a treat, this workshop is to show the value of an absolute necessity, clean mineral rich, free, Water that revitalizes our body with minerals we are lacking in a season when we need it the most. (Event is subject to being rescheduled to Sunday February 22nd depending on weather.)
2nd Annual Duncansville Pawpaw Festival 2025
Last year we entertained over 1,000 attendees and hosted 40 vendors. With experience under our belt, we are planning for an even better Pawpaw Fest.
In addition to 50+ vendors, our 2nd annual festival will be filled with multiple ecology based educational speakers & local musicians. Join us to celebrate, taste & learn about North America’s largest native fruit - The PawPaw. We hope to inspire our community to restore native plant habitat and learn to live in harmony with the seasons of our Ecosystem.
Rain Garden Native Wildflower Planting with Wildones Non-profit
Rain Garden Planting at Reciprocity Community Food Forest
Native Plant Sale
Our first Native plant sale will be the week before Mother's Day in May at the Bellwood-Antis Public Library
We will have a variety of around 50 different species of Native Perennial Wildflowers to choose from. Those that visit the Library around this time will get to see the Memorial Pollinator Garden we plan to plant there in Early May! All Flower plugs will be $5 each or $4 each if bought in different Habitat Kits of 18 or mixed and matched. Grateful for the Library and Community support as we have not managed to get a Plant Nursery up this Spring that is visitable by the public. With every flower sold, $1 will go to our partnering Wildones PA Ridge&Valley Non-profit bank account so we can continue tending and enhancing our Community plantings at publicly accessible Rain Gardens/Pollinator Gardens/Food Gardens/Medicinal Gardens & Food Forests in Bellwood and throughout Blair County.
Native Tree/Shrub Planting
We will be gathering at our 1.4 acre Community Food Forest with many Native Trees/Shrubs species to plant such as - Black Raspberries, Arrowwood Viburnums, Buttonbush, Sweet-Bay Magnolias, Highbush Cranberries, Red Mulberries, Hawthorns, Sweet Crab Apples, Lindens, Red Cedars, Winterberries, Sunchokes, and American Chestnuts!
Living Willow Dome/Tunnel -planting/weaving
Living Willow Dome/Tunnel - planting/weaving workshop with Wildones Non-Profit at Reciprocity Community Food Forest. Session 2 of 2 for 2025 season.