Learn about Eastern White Pine Trees in an Outdoor Classroom Beneath the Pines

by Emily Marino, Friends of the Chemung River Watershed Executive Director.

Do you want to learn about the pine trees that helped America win the Revolutionary War, while sitting outside in the shade of those very pines?

If so, you are invited to a new and unique nature education program from 7:00PM to 8:30PM on Monday, May 17 at the Big Flats Community Park at the corner of Winters Road and State Route 352.

Chemung River Friends Volunteer, Jim Pfiffer, will present an entertaining and interesting program about Eastern White Pines beneath a stand of Eastern White Pines in the park.

“The trees provide a perfect place for an outdoor education program with enough space to for social distancing amid the shade, fragrance and quiet of scores of tall and majestic White Pines,” said Pfiffer, who has taught environmental education programs for more than a decade, and was the previous executive director of the River Friends. “You sit in a lawn chair or on a blanket on a bed of pine needles where you can see, touch and enjoy the fragrance of the trees.”

Eastern White Pine trees helped Colonial America thrive and their value played a role in the cause of the Revolutionary War.

The program features a PowerPoint presentation, lecture, and a Q&A all for only $10 for members ($20 for non-members). You can register and buy tickets on our Website, or through the Eventbrite link here. You can also visit our Facebook page for more information, and donate on our website to become a member.

Please bring a lawn chair or blanket. Due to Covid-19 restrictions no refreshments will be served, but participants are welcome to bring their own food and drink.

Knowledge Under the Pines is a continuation of the pre-pandemic River Friends public presentations held at the Finger Lakes House in Elmira, and it made possible by a grant from the Anderson Foundation.

These programs will be held throughout the Spring and Summer on select Monday evenings from 7-8:30PM. Topics will include local wildlife, plants, rivers and other nature-related topics. For more information, check out our Community Events section of the Website.

Our programs are sponsored in part by our Lead Supporters – The Anderson Foundation, Casella Waste Systems, The Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, The Hilliard Corporation & Foundation, and Young’s Tires. We would also like to thank our additional supporting funders, local government partners, first responders, members and donors. Thank you all for your continued support, without which we would cease to exist. Let’s keep paddling together!