BSWP 2021 Zoom meetings
View BSWP's May 2022 Zoom meeting.
The Society meets monthly from September through June on every second Monday of the month at 7:15 p.m. For now, our meetings take place via Zoom.
Members who have joined the BSWP e-mail list will be contacted and e-mailed an invitation (link and password) to each monthly meeting.
Directions to in-person meetings, when held
To Ford Mateer Classroom of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History:
The entrance to the parking lot, which is gated, is just past the Museum at the intersection of Forbes and Craig Street. The Ford-Mateer Classroom is reached through the Portal Entry in the rear parking lot area. Once inside the building, the room is located just beyond the Security desk on the left. In addition to the Museum parking lot, which costs $6, there are metered spaces on Forbes Avenue opposite the Museum and along Craig Street that are free after 6 p.m. From there you will cross the street and walk through the right side of the gates to the parking lot. Continue on the sidewalk to the rear of the building where you will see the sign for “Portal Entry” ahead.
If you do not park in the Museum’s lot, from Forbes Avenue, walk along the right side of the parking toll gates to the parking lot. Continue on the sidewalk to the rear of the building where you will see the sign for "Portal Entry" ahead.
Directions to the Carnegie Museum
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/interior.php?pageID=36
Registration for Botanical Society field trips is not required. Everyone is welcome, including non-members. Trips last 3 to 4 hours but one can leave at any time. For questions, contact the field trip leader or Loree Speedy at (724) 518-6022 (cell) or loreespeedy@gmail.com. Add these BSWP field trips to your Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=Ym90c29jd3BhQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 1:00 PM
Park Gate Lineal Park, Beaver County
Leader: Dawn Wehman; cell:
724-544-0978
GPS
coordinates: 40.852774, -80.312353
Google Maps Link
to Park Gate & Railroad
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 12:00 NOON
Otto & Magdalene Ackermann Nature
Preserve
Westmoreland County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; Cell: 724-612-6192
Directions: From Parkway East (I-376), the intersection of US 30 and PA 48 can be reached by driving 7 miles on US 30 east/Ardmore Boulevard from Exit 78A - Forest Hills, or by driving 5 ½ miles south on PA 48 from Exit 84A - Monroeville. At the intersection of PA 48 and US 30, travel east on US 30 for ½ mile to make a left onto Leger Road (Sheetz on the right-hand corner). Turn left onto Leger Road and travel through the countryside for 2 miles, bearing left at forks. At the base of a hill, continue straight onto Ardara Road when Leger Road turns right. At the top of a hill, look for the green Ackermann Nature Preserve sign on the left and park at the end of the grassy strip between two homes. It may look like you are turning into a lawn, but you will see the kiosk at the end of grassy strip.
Restrooms are not available here, so use the ones at Sheetz. Arrive at 11:30 AM for lunch, 12 noon for start of walk.
GPS
coordinates: 40.36107, -79.74418
Google Maps Link
to Ackermann
Friday,April 24, 2026, NOON
Bavington Game Lands
Hillman, Washington
County
Leader: Loree Speedy; 724-518-6022
For Day 2 of the City Nature Challenge, we will visit the rich and the ruderal in Hillman State Park.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, travel US 22 west. About 2 miles after the I-576 junction, continue about 2 miles to the Bavington exit. Turn right at the end of the ramp, then left onto Steubenville Pike, and travel one mile to make a sharp right hand turn onto Kramer Road at the Kramer Greenhouse/Raccoon Creek Winery. (If you pass this turn, cross the highway bridge and turn around at the Bavington Roadhouse/Inn.) Continue on Kramer Road 0.8 miles and bear left at its intersection with Raccoon Creek Road. Continue 1/4 mile to the intersection with Knowlton Hill Road, where we will meet.
GPS
coordinates: 40.43680, -80.36670
Google Maps Link
to Bavington Game Lands
Sunday, April 26, 2026, 1:00 PM
Penn State New Kensington Woodlands
Westmoreland County
Leader: Mason Heberling
Mason Heberling, curator in the Section of Botany at Carnegie Museum, will show us a population of Narrow-leaved Ramps (Allium burdickii), in a rich woodland. Read about these ramps here. This is also day 3 of the 4-day City Nature Challenge, so BSWP iNats can contribute many spring species.
Directions: Penn State New Kensington is along PA 780 in northern Westmoreland County and can be reached from PA 28 North Exit 14, PA 366 to Valley High School, and left onto PA780 for 4 miles. Turn into the Rt. 780 entrance of Penn State New Ken and continue straight along this road about 1000 feet to park by the soccer fields near the Athletic Center.
GPS coordinates: 40.54990, -79.69644 Google Maps Link to Penn State New Ken Athletic Ctr
Thursday, April 30, 2026, 1:15 PM
Special Tour of “To Make a Prairie: Pollination and Human Understanding”
Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County
Leader: Carrie Roy, Senior Curator of Art & Research Scholar
In January 2025, Carrie Roy presented a preview of this program at our monthly meeting. Please join us for a special tour (for BSWP members only) of the To Make a Prairie exhibit, which explores how humanity came to understand one of nature's most essential relationships: the intricate partnership between plants and their pollinators..
Directions: The Hunt Institute is located on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University, on the 5th floor of the Hunt Library. Public parking is available at East Campus Garage at 5040 Forbes Ave. Street parking is available on Frew Street and Margaret Morrison Street, but is often limited.
Please arrive at the 5th Floor of Hunt Library at 1:15 PM for our tour. Contact Loree at 724-518-6022 for further information.
GPS coordinates to East Campus Garage: 40.4438, -79.9391 Google Maps Link to East Campus Garage Entrance
GPS coordinates to Hunt Institute: 40.44098, -79.944282 Google Maps Link to Hunt Library on Frew St
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 1:00 PM
Buttermilk Falls off the Cowanshannock Trail
Armstrong County
Leader: Loree Speedy; 724-518-6022
We will meet at the Bernard C. Snyder picnic area, located just off of State Route 1033 and McMillen Road north of Kittanning. A newly completed 1¼ mile crushed limestone trail leads to a secret Buttermilk Falls!
Directions: Travel PA 28 North to the exit for PA-28N/US 422/ Kittanning. Continue straight onto PA28N/PA66N/New Bethlehem. In 3 miles, turn left onto Iron Bridge Road. After ¾ mile, make the first right onto McMillen Road. Continue 2 miles to trailhead parking on the right.
GPS
coordinates: 40.85066, -79.50721
Google Maps Link
to McMillen Rd Trail Parking
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 1:00 PM
Trolley Line Trail, Erie National Wildlife Refuge, Crawford County
Leader: Yianni Laskaris; wildlife biologist at Erie National Wildlife Refuge.
Trolley Line Trail is a 1.9-mile one-way trail in the Seneca Division of Erie National Wildlife Refuge. Wildflowers and historic bridge foundations are highlights of the primitive trail, which follows an old railroad track. There are some short inclines with rope railings, but otherwise much of the trail is a wooded old rail bed which makes for easy walking.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-79 north to Exit 154 Saegerstown/Conneautville/PA 198. Turn right (east) on PA Rte 198 for 2.9 miles. Turn left on US Rte 19/6 north for 8 miles to Cambridge Springs. Pick up PA Rte 408 and travel east about 5 miles to the corner of Rte. 408 and Swamp Road, the trailhead for the Trolley Line Trail.
GPS
coordinates: 41.77182, -79.97396
Trolley Line TH
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM (Day 1 of 2!)
Dolly Sods Natural Area
Tucker County, West
Virginia
Leader: Mary Ann Pike; Mary Ann
Pike;
cell: 412.855-8239; mapike@earthlink.net and
Loree Speedy: 724-518-6022; loreespeedy@gmail.com
Canaan Valley is approximately 140 miles from Pittsburgh. The Dolly Sods Area ranges in elevation from 2500 to 4700 feet above sea level. Cold temperatures and fog can occur anytime of the year. Please dress for the weather! Also, wear sturdy foot gear! Our second day itinerary is tentative as we will be scouting the area Thursday and Friday. Please feel free to join us Thursday/Friday May 14-15 as we scout the area.
Plan to attend the field trip for one day or both days. For information on accommodations (from resorts to camping) in Canaan Valley and the Davis, WV area, visit GetTuckered. Some suggestions: Canaan Valley Resort; The Inn at Canaan; Milo's Guesthouse.
We will meet at 10:00 AM in the lobby of the Canaan Valley Resort to caravan and carpool (if desired) to Dolly Sods. Bring a bag lunch; we will stop for lunch along the trails.
Directions: From the intersection of US 40, US 219 south and I-68 in Keysers Ridge, MD, take US 219 south to Thomas, WV. In Thomas, take Route 32 to Davis. Continue on Route 32; about 9-10 miles south of Davis, turn right into Canaan Valley Resort (a well-marked resort of Canaan Valley State Park).
Meet in the lobby; enter the doors and proceed straight to tables at the end of the lobby.
GPS
coordinates: 39.0240, -79.46577
Google Maps Link
to Canaan Valley Resort
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:00 AM (Day 2 of 2)
Idleman’s Run Trail & Canaan Loop
Road
Tucker County, West Virginia
We will meet at 10:00 AM in the lobby of the Canaan Valley Resort.
GPS
coordinates: 39.0240, -79.46577
Google Maps Link
to Canaan Valley Resort