Fox Run Environmental Education Center

If you have grown fennel before you may know that their are two main types. Florence fennel or finocchio like this one make a bulb and is used as a vegetable. Regular fennel is an herb grown primarily for its leaves and seeds. It is also a great pollinating plant and medicinal herb.

Perennial onions are great because they need little care and are great for flavoring dishes. This article will teach you how to grow and use Egyptian Walking Onions.

Many herbs add flavor to food. but thats not all. Herbs have natural compounds that have antioxidant, anti inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. All those cool things that benefit our health and help us fight off germs.

Another health benefits of culinary herbs is that they help add flavor without relying heavily on salt, sugar, or processed sauces.

In this article we look at the health benefits of 7 common cooking herbs, how to use them medicinally, and growing tips.

Easter Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) are one of the more common venomous snakes in America and are responsible for the most snakebites from any venomous snake in the country. The beautiful although a bit menacing-looking copperhead has a distinctive hourglass pattern.

Angel wing aka airplane wing is a deformity that affects the carpal or wrist joint of growing waterfowl like ducks and geese, causing the wing feathers to stick out sideways instead of lying flat against the body. This can also affect domestic fowl but this article focuses more on wild species.

Winter is a tough season for birds. Food is scarce, temperatures drop, and daylight hours shrink. Yet many birds stay right where they are and survive just fine. They do this through a mix of physical adaptations and behavior changes.

The spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer, a tiny chorus frog, lives throughout the eastern United States and Canada. They are one of the first signs that winter is ending. On warm evenings in late winter and early spring, wetlands come alive with high-pitched peeping that can carry for long distance.

The northern saw whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a tiny bird that ranges over much of North America, so your chances are good that one might live near you. Their breeding range includes southern Alaska, most of Canada, and areas of the northern and western United States.

Saw-whet owls are curious birds, allowing humans to come quite close before flying away. Today we are talking all about the saw whet owl, tips for finding them in nature and ways you can help them.

Wood Ducks are unique because they nest in trees. They are one of the few North American ducks that regularly use tree cavities for nesting. Their scientific name, Aix sponsa, means “water bird in wedding dress,” a good description of the drake in spring.

The Wood Duck is one of the most beautiful native ducks in North America. They can be easy to spot in spring because they prefer smaller shallow ponds. In this article we will talk about their behavior, how to spot them , and what you can do to encourage their nesting.

Birding is one of the easiest ways for families to spend time outside and learn about wildlife. You do not need expensive gear or special training. Birds live in cities, suburbs, and rural areas, so most families can start right in their own backyard or neighborhood.

Cemeteries are fabulous places to explore nature and learn about an ecosystem. Because they are protected from development and relatively undisturbed they have a wide variety of plants and animals.

There’s nothing quite like the magic of a forest to spark a young child’s imagination. The dappled sunlight, chirping birds, earthy smells, and crunchy leaves create a natural classroom that invites exploration.

For preschoolers and early elementary-aged children, a forest sensory walk is a wonderful way to learn about the environment. Full of things to hear, see, smell, taste, and touch. Plan to take a walk in the forest and use your senses to explore.

Creeks and streams provide a place for children to explore nature. Around creeks, kids can see various animals and plants that make up a complex food web. Everything is connected, and the survival of one animal is often dependent upon the survival of another.