Every river starts somewhere…

Every river, even the most mighty, starts as a little trickle. Two of the County’s largest rivers start on Welsh Mountain: the Conestoga and Pequea. Join Naturalists Mary Ann Schlegel and Keith Williams on this exploration of the geology, hydrology, flora, and fauna of this Welsh Mountain headwater area.

About the Presenters

Mary Ann Schlegel is a Naturalist with the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation and an Adjunct Instructor in Earth Science at Millersville University. With graduate degrees in geology and oceanography and a lifetime fascination with the natural world, her special areas of interest include the spring wildflowers, the relationship between local flora and geology, and local and migratory waterfowl. In her free time, Mary Ann hikes, gardens, kayaks, and observes waterfowl, often in New Jersey. She enjoys vacationing further afield with her daughter Hyla and sister Tina.

Keith Williams is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Lancaster Conservancy. He is an outdoor educator, naturalist, writer and photographer who especially enjoys exploring the often overlooked parts of our natural world. He has a BS in Environmental Biology from Kutztown University and MS in Ecological Teaching and Learning from the Lesley University Audubon Expedition Institute.

Participant Safety

This event is being limited to a maximum of 20 participants. Participants are required to wear masks/face coverings and maintain a social distance of 6 feet from other participants, but it should be noted that the Lancaster Conservancy and its partners are not responsible for the behavior of participants regarding those requirements.

Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all time.

All participants will be required to sign a waiver when they arrive at the event.

What to Expect

Explorers should wear comfortable closed toed shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather as we’ll be outside the entire time and will hike approximately 2 miles.

Parking is located at the large gated parking area on Gault Road. Look for the large preserve signs. There is no restroom on site.

Weather Policy

This event will take place rain or shine! Should there be a forecast of weather conditions that would make the event unsafe, participants will be notified of a cancellation 24 hours prior to the event.