BSWP Meetings
Members who have joined the BSWP e-mail list will be contacted and e-mailed an invitation (link and password) to each monthly meeting.
Members are also given access to video recordings of previous Zoom meetings on BSWP's You Tube channel. The earliest recorded meetings begin in September 2020 and continue through the present. Again, there are no meetings June through August.
Directions to in-person meetings
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
BSWP Field Trips www.botsocwpa.org
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
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 11:30 PM
Hays Woods Walk, City of Pittsburgh
Allegheny County
Leader: Meg Scanlon; Cell: 724-612-6192
Starting at 12 pm at the West Agnew Road Trailhead, Join us for a pleasant fall exploration of Pittsburgh's newest public park. entrance: 40.398300, -79.963417
(Excerpt from "Friends of Hays Woods" website (https://friendsofhayswoods.com))."Hays Woods is a unique urban forest located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Flanking the Monongahela River between the neighborhoods of Baldwin, South Side and Hays. Its 626 acres consist of interior forest, wetlands, open streams, meadows, waterfalls and steep wooded slopes. Its acreage supports diverse wildlife and plant communities and provides critical habitat for migrating neotropical birds. Six interior forest patches also provide valuable nesting habitat that is exceptional in an urban setting. The forest is home to two species of Special Concern: nesting Bald Eagles and Red-fruited Hawthorn trees."
Dress well for the weather and protect yourself against ticks. Need a ride from North Park or have questions? Contact Meg Scanlon at 724-612-6192.
GPS Coordinates: 40.39830, -79.96341
Google Maps
Link to Agnew Rd Trailhead
Sunday, October 25, 2026, 10:00 AM–12:30 PM
Mysterious Mosses at Presque Isle State Park
Erie
County
Leader: Andrew Sipple; Environmental Education Specialist at Presque Isle/Erie Bluffs State Parks
This trip is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Presque Isle and Erie Bluffs State Park.
Member Andrew Sipple invites BSWP members to upcoming programs called "Mysterious Mosses” . Hit the trails with a park naturalist Andrew to explore the amazing realm of mosses and discover their biology in a field setting. We will hike about 2 miles through several different habitats to explore a diversity of bryophytes. Bring snacks/water. Limited to 25 participants.
Register at Sun Oct 25 Mysterious Mosses Registration. Register ASAP as this trip is limited to 25 participants. Registration is required by October 22 for the walk on the 25th.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 1:00 PM
Hells Hollow Trail, McConnells Mill State Park,
Lawrence County
The half-mile trail leading to a waterfall is easy hiking. Those who wish to continue should wear sturdy shoes.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take I-79 north to Exit 96 – Portersville. Turn left to travel PA-488 about 4 miles to Heinz Camp Road. Turn right onto Heinz Camp Road and continue about 2 miles to a T. Turn right and cross the Armstrong Bridge. Continue up the hill about 2 1/2 miles and make a right onto Shaffer Road. The Hell’s Hollow Trailhead parking lot is on the right about 100 yards after the turn, just before a one-lane bridge.
GPS coordinates: 40.93140, -80.24010
Google Maps Link to Hells Hollow