Learning about the watersheds around us is a life long process. At early ages, learning is about experiencing and interacting directly with nature.  For children in school, interpretive instruction brings the natural world into better focus, highlighting the complex web of interactions between flora and fauna.  For teens and older, the process of learning about our watersheds can incorporate knowledge from any of an array of sciences.

Welkinweir

The former estate of Everett and Grace Rodebaugh, founding members of Green Valleys Watershed Association, is now the headquarters and educational center for the organization. The 226-acre nature sanctuary and arboretum is located along a tributary to the Beaver Run, which itself is an Exceptional Value (EV) tributary of the French Creek.

Welkinweir is a wonderful property for environmental education!

This is why in 1997 Green Valleys left our Meeting House in Birchrunville to return to Welkinweir.  With 224 acres of highly diverse habitat and an abundance of native plants and animals,  Welkinweir is ideal for connecting people of all ages directly to nature during our various programs.

In support of these programs, Green Valleys’ has steadily invested in our facilities, as well as adding parcels to the core estate lands of 194 acres.

Welkinweir serves as a living laboratory where people of all ages can observe, appreciate, and learn more about its various ecosystems. We serve as an educational resource for teachers, students, and people of all levels of environmental and scientific learning.