Hello Willistown Parks & Recreation Friends,

As Willistown's wildflowers cheer us into summer, this edition of Willistown Parks & Recreation Enews is dedicated to these natural wonders. Let's look at a few ways to find out about and see more of these festive florals that add so much to our outdoor experience. 

The US Forest Service's Celebrating Wildflowers site has kids activities, locations of wildflower viewing areas throughout the US including PA's Longhouse Scenic Drive and the National Scenic Byway along State Route 59, and a pollinator page. 

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has and extensive database for plant identification with photos, illustrations, location maps, and more.

The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center has a wonderful wildflower search format that includes sorting by state, bloom time, leaf type, size, etc.

You can be in the know wherever you go with the many free and fee-based wildflower and plant id apps through the app stores on your mobile phones. 

Share your wildflower photos with me for publication, or post with #WillistownWonders, #Willistownparksandrec, 
and #WillistownWildflowers.

Scroll down for virtual sports camp info, property management notes, tick prevention tips, and more.

Please reach out with thoughts and questions, and I'll leave you with this week's joke: If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims. On that note, see you in the preserves!


Yours in the out of doors,

Mary

Although our summer camp programs have been cancelled due to Great Valley School District closing their facilities for the summer, our fall sports camp registration is open: 
Register for Thursday night fall T-Birds T-Ball for 3-5 years-old.
Register for Saturday morning fall Hummingbird Soccer for 3-5.5 years-old.

Willistown Township's Fox Hollow and Duffryn Trails and Okehocking, Serpentine, and Sugartown Preserves remain open. Please abide by our signage! 
Regular use of hand sanitizer is recommended along with avoiding touching your face, eyes and nose; covering your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with a tissue or flexed elbow; and if you are sick, staying at home. (Note: Greentree, Rita Reves, and Mill Parks and playgrounds are closed.) 

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. It's easy to have fun outside and be safe too! 
Follow the Tick Prevention Tips above and find out more from the PA Department of Health. You can receive free basic testing on ticks found on you and your pets from The Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab. 

The invasive Spotted Lanternfly looks like this right now. Please notify Mary of any sightings on Township lands! 
The Spotted Lanternfly has spread throughout Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014. It feeds on the sap of many different plants including grapevines, maples, black walnut, and more. If you see a Spotted Lanternfly on any Willistown trails or in our preserves, please email Mary the location on the property and if you were able to kill the insect. Check out our Stewardship Bulletin for more information including a monthly management calendar. For questions about the lanternfly, info, and to report sightings, contact Penn State Extension at 1-888-422-3359.

BE IN THE KNOW!

The Willistown Township website has loads of info & news about your township!

Township Email Notification System: Register through Notify Me