South Mountain Partnership

09/06/2026

Have you heard about Strawberry Hill Foundation’s Free Hike Friday series? Enjoy a free Naturalist-led hike through one of their various-level trails and take in the serenity of a seasonal forest.

Sign up for one or multiple! This series is open to all levels of hikers.

Fall schedule:
Friday, September 18th - 10am-12pm - Mt. Hope Trail (3 miles)
Friday, October 16th - 10-11am - Orange Trail (1 mile)
Friday, November 20th - 10am-12pm - Pink Trail (2 miles)
Friday, December 18th - 10am-12pm - Mt. Hope Trail (3 miles)

Learn more about this and other upcoming events in the South Mountain region at southmountainpartnership.org/events

09/04/2026

Tune in Saturday morning at 10am!

This Saturday morning (9/5) at 10:00am, NBC Entertainment will debut The Great American Journey, hosted by Kelsey Grammer. The first episode will be about the and features an interview with Jennifer Pharr Davis (pictured here), a close look at the Appalachian Trail Museum, and a short cameo by AT Museum Board Member Mills Kelly. Be sure to check it out!

09/04/2026

We’re excited to share another SMP Mini-Grant Success Story! The Social Enterprise Group was awarded $8,900 last year to help assess stream corridors within Caledonia State Park. Recommendations were developed to guide effective, long-term restoration of the park’s aquatic resources.

Read more here: southmountainpartnership.org/smp-mini-grant-success-story-stream-corridor-assessment/

09/03/2026

We're officially less than a month away from our Annual “Power of the Partnership” Celebration!

Join us on Friday, Oct. 2 at 11am at The Barn Resort in Gettysburg as we celebrate partnership accomplishments from the past year, present Mini-Grant Awards, unveil the Spirit of South Mountain awardee, and review planned work and events for the coming year.

2026 will be an extra special year as we honor 20 years of the South Mountain Partnership with special agenda and awards!

Register by September 18:
southmountainpartnership.org/events/16th-annual-power-of-the-partnership-celebration

09/02/2026

Looking to share information about careers or volunteer opportunities within your organization?

The PA Outdoor Corps is hosting a Career Fair for their young adult Corps, ages 18-25, on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 1-4pm at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant.

The Corp’s cultural resources crew employs individuals interested in a cultural resource career, many of which already have or are pursuing higher education in related fields. The crew completes projects including: curation, collection, and cataloging work, test unit excavation, Phase I and II archaeological surveys, research and digitization, cemetery and building preservation.

Meet these hard-working individuals and find potential candidates for job openings! Note that you do not need to be currently hiring to attend.

Email [email protected] to RSVP.

Find more information about this and other upcoming events in the South Mountain region at southmountainpartnership.org/events

09/01/2026

REMINDER that PA DCNR has moved to a new Conservation Volunteer System!

If you have volunteered in the past, your account from the old system didn't transfer over. This means that many people are no longer receiving volunteer opportunities.

Be sure to check or create a new account so you don't miss upcoming volunteer events at Michaux State Forest and our local state parks!

Find more information here: dcnrvolunteers.pa.gov

09/01/2026

📋Cumberland County Residents: If you have been following the PAX-1 project in Middlesex Township, there is a meeting tomorrow night at CV High School. Details follow:

Notice: The September 2nd BOS meeting will be held at the CV High School Performing Arts Center. Check out the new township website for more information including the agenda and PAX-1 developer agreements: https://middlesextwp.com/board-of-supervisors-meeting-september-2-2026-6pm-cv-high-school-performing-arts-center-pac-6746-carlisle-pike-mechanicsburg-17050-2/

08/31/2026

LAST CHANCE to nominate a project, person or partner for our Special 20th Anniversary "Spirit of South Mountain Award"!

We’re celebrating 20 years of the South Mountain Partnership working as a collaborative force for good across the region with a Special 20th Anniversary "Spirit of South Mountain Award"!

Help us recognize the incredible people and organizations that make our home special as we celebrate 20 years of the South Mountain Partnership working as a collaborative force for good across the region. Rather than one single award, we are taking nominations and plan to award in up to five categories. These categories represent the landscape resources we seek to protect and preserve as a collaborative.

The Spirit of South Mountain award will be presented at the Annual “Power of the Partnership” Celebration held on Oct. 2.

Submissions are due by this Wednesday, Sept. 2. Learn more here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/d938d9d4c53e416bafac64edfae94455

08/30/2026

Mark your calendar! On September 20 from 2-4pm, join DCNR Bureau of Forestry staff Amy Shull and Marc Kaiser from Michaux State Forest, as they discuss forests and forest fires.

They will cover everything from wildfires and their prevention, to the benefits of prescribed fire and how it can be utilized to improve forest and ecosystem health.

The event is free and will be held at Craighead House, 318 E. Old York Rd, Carlisle, PA.

Learn more and register at https://www.craigheadhouse.org/events

08/28/2026

Katie Hess, Director of Pennsylvania Landscape Conservation and Director of the South Mountain Partnership, is headed out on a new adventure!

Katie has accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as Director of the Conservation Landscape Program. Her final day with the South Mountain Partnership and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will be September 4.

During her tenure, Katie...
- led the development and implementation of three strategic plans
- oversaw two staff and 40+ committee members
- managed the coordination of triannual partnership convenings
- led the development of initiatives such as the Research Corps & Science Summit, Cultural Landscape Assessment for Michaux State Forest
- supported the formation of the South Mountain Trolley Greenway Rail-Trail
- and supported the Appalachian National Scenic Trail scenic assessment.

She proactively garnered interagency support as well as funding from federal, state, local, and private sources to best serve programs and partner needs.

Recently, she led the development of the State of the Region project, for which the SMP won a 2026 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Please join us in thanking Katie for her incredible impact over the last 11 years!

If you would like to wish her well in person, consider attending an informal meet-up at Big Hill Cider on Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 PM. You can also join us at our annual Power of the Partnership Celebration on Oct. 2 in Gettysburg!