Potomac Valley Audubon Society

Potomac Valley Audubon Society People dedicated to preserving, restoring, and enjoying the natural world through education & action!
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PVAS offers a wide range of programs and activities that are aimed at promoting greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world for youth, adults, and families such as field trips to natural areas, summer camps, monthly lectures, school programs and many others.

As we head into our school programs season, we are reflecting on the amazing summer that we had with all of our campers!...
09/05/2026

As we head into our school programs season, we are reflecting on the amazing summer that we had with all of our campers! This summer, we served 327 individual campers and 60 counselors-in-training, across both camp locations.

We were also able to offer 11 weeks of summer camp, the longest camp season that we have ever had! We had camp sessions available each week that kids were off of school for summer break.

We are immensely grateful to have been given the opportunity to provide 73 financial aid spots this summer, totaling $16,260 of financial aid awarded to families! It was wonderful to see so many first-time campers this camp season, and we are also grateful to partners like CASA of the Eastern Panhandle for helping to connect us with new campers!

Thanks to everyone who sent their kids to our camps this summer. We can't wait to see you all next summer! Be sure to stay engaged with us through the school year by checking out our calendar for upcoming youth and all-ages programs. https://www.potomacaudubon.org/calendar/

Wee Naturalists is Back! We are excited to bring back Wee Naturalists! This 1.5 hour program is for kids ages 2-5 and an...
09/04/2026

Wee Naturalists is Back!

We are excited to bring back Wee Naturalists! This 1.5 hour program is for kids ages 2-5 and an adult caregiver. We are offering both morning and afternoon sessions at Cool Spring Preserve and Yankauer Nature Preserve. Each class includes circle time, a nature-themed story, a hands-on craft, and a short hike, all around a seasonal nature theme. Our goal is to help kids learn to love the outdoors and inspire confidence and curiosity in the natural world.

Help us spread the word that this fantastic program is back! Click here for more information and to sign up for the first class on September 9 at Cool Spring Preserve: www.potomacaudubon.org/event/wee-naturalists-at-cool-spring-monarch-migration/

THANK YOU! We reached our goal!!!Our Summer Appeal has come to an end, reaching our $40,000 goal by August 31. We are so...
09/04/2026

THANK YOU! We reached our goal!!!

Our Summer Appeal has come to an end, reaching our $40,000 goal by August 31. We are so grateful to our donors for supporting PVAS and the lands we manage. We are responsible for nearly 600 acres across the four preserves - Cool Spring, Eidolon, Stauffer's Marsh, and Yankauer. Thank you for helping us keep these special places safe for people to explore and learn while maintaining healthy habitats for plants, animals, and fungi. Come explore them and enjoy the trails, the quiet, and the inspiration they offer.

Earlier this week, we hosted a monarch tagging at Cool Spring Preserve! It was a great success, and we were able to tag ...
09/03/2026

Earlier this week, we hosted a monarch tagging at Cool Spring Preserve! It was a great success, and we were able to tag two monarch butterflies, a male and a female! We will be submitting our tagging data to the Monarch Watch, who uses it to keep an eye on monarch populations and migration patterns.

Thanks to those who attended this program! If you have photos from the program, or of monarchs in your own backyard/ community, feel free to share them in the comments!

To check out more of our awesome upcoming public programs, check out the calendar of events on our website: https://www.potomacaudubon.org/calendar/

Photos by PVAS Staff Member, Laurel Schwartz and program attendee Flo Wilbik.

This week we are SO EXCITED to welcome Ellie George to our permanent staff team! She joined Potomac Valley Audubon Socie...
09/02/2026

This week we are SO EXCITED to welcome Ellie George to our permanent staff team! She joined Potomac Valley Audubon Society for the first time as an AmeriCorps Environmental Educator for the 2022-2023 school year and summer camp season. After her term expired, she avidly volunteered with PVAS whenever possible, and worked part time for the 2025 summer camp season. This summer, she returned as the Cool Spring Camp Director. Now, she is a Program Specialist! During the school year, Ellie will be overseeing our school programs (other than 4th Grade Watershed) as well as bringing back Outdoor School programming for homeschoolers. During the summer, Ellie will continue to the the camp director at Cool Spring.

Recently a camp parent emailed about her experience with Ellie this summer. She wrote “I wanted to thank you again for running such a fantastic camp this summer. I was particularly impressed with how kind and gracious you were with her when she had issues at camp… I do know that she felt more comfortable, included and accepted at your camp than she has at any others we have tried.”

This is but one of MANY reasons we are so thrilled to have Ellie as part of our permanent team! Join us in welcoming Ellie and learn more about her here! https://www.potomacaudubon.org/team/ellie-george/

Fall is one of the best times to plant, and we’ve got plenty of beautiful native plants to add color, texture, and wildl...
09/02/2026

Fall is one of the best times to plant, and we’ve got plenty of beautiful native plants to add color, texture, and wildlife value to your garden! Join us Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sunny Meadows Garden Center for our Fall Native Plant Sale.

We’ll have beautiful asters, goldenrod, and milkweed for Monarchs, plus new-to-us plants like Meehan’s Mint—a lovely native groundcover with fragrant foliage and delicate flowers that’s perfect for shady gardens.

Come early to hear Ann Aldrich and Bob Schwartz share their infinite plant knowledge and help you choose the perfect plants for your garden!

This is an in-person-only sale, so mark your calendar and bring your plant-loving friends!

Come celebrate 10 years of nature, community, and memories at Cool Spring Preserve!Since the generous donation of the pr...
09/02/2026

Come celebrate 10 years of nature, community, and memories at Cool Spring Preserve!

Since the generous donation of the preserve and nature center in 2016 by Linda Case and the Craftworks Board of Directors, Cool Spring has become a true home for the Potomac Valley Audubon Society—bringing people together through guided walks, nature workshops, field trips, and our Nature Playspace.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, September 30

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Special presentation at 6:00 PM near the back deck)

Location: 1469 Lloyd Road, Charles Town, WV

Cost: FREE & open to all ages (youth must be accompanied by an adult)

Pack a picnic for your family or friends, and we’ll provide the ice cream! Enjoy fun activities throughout the evening as we celebrate this special sanctuary where wildlife conservation and community connections grow together.

No registration required—just show up!

Happy Tuesday! Time for some naturalist trivia!In honor of our monarch tagging program this evening, we have a question ...
09/01/2026

Happy Tuesday! Time for some naturalist trivia!

In honor of our monarch tagging program this evening, we have a question about monarch migration. Non-migrating monarchs live only two to six weeks on average. How long is the lifespan of a migrating monarch butterfly? Is it...

A. 3 months
B. 4-6 months
C. 8-9 months
D. 12 months

Photos by PVAS staff.

Migrating with Monarchs 🐛🦋🪻☀️Monarch butterflies make one of nature’s most remarkable journeys. Through the month of Aug...
08/31/2026

Migrating with Monarchs 🐛🦋🪻☀️

Monarch butterflies make one of nature’s most remarkable journeys. Through the month of August we’ve touched on so many different facts that make this species special. In this last segment, we will discuss how monarch butterflies have different tools to help them navigate during migration.

Monarchs have specialized cells in their antennae as well as their eyes that help them detect information about the time of day by the position of the sun. The butterflies are able to adjust their flight direction and maintain a generally southwestward course during the fall migration, even as the sun moves across the sky. This ability is very precise!

Research has also found that monarchs are able to detect Earth's magnetic field. They have a built-in magnetic sense that relies on exposure and on ultraviolet light. This allows them to have a navigation system even on cloudy days during their migration.

Monarch butterflies depend on healthy habitats throughout their lifecycle, so evaluating their populations over the years can provide scientists with clues about what is happening in the environment. Their need for milkweed, nectar-producing flowers, and suitable breeding habitat brings together several different ecosystems across our continent. Protecting these butterflies and all the resources they need is extremely important for multiple reasons. This beautiful species reminds us of the lesson that protecting one species can help and inspire us to protect the interconnected ecosystems.

Photo by Randy Hope

Address

PO Box 578
Shepherdstown, WV
25443

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16812521387

Website

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