Read

Fires, floods and record heat: This is the summer of compounding disasters (CNN, July 20, 2026)

Anti-illegal dumping group launches crowdsourced map of Philadelphia’s worst sites (WHYY, July 24, 2026)

Fly up the Delaware on a tour of the river’s most intriguing islands [Virtual tour] (Philadelphia Inquirer, July 2026)

City Limits (Pennsylvania Gazette, June 19, 2026)

In case you missed it, we posted a new library of Resources to our website. Explore to find more interactive maps, informational tools, communities for volunteer service and continued education, and more.

Do

Hike and Book Discussion – Summer Theme
Tuesday, July 28 from 7:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Forbidden Drive, 200 W Northwestern Ave
Join Trail Ambassadors Lisa Kleiman, Jean McWilliams, and Pat Jacona for an early morning meadow hike and book discussion. Taking inspiration from the season, let’s read books with a Summer theme.

O’er the Land & Bestiary
Wednesday, July 29 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Moore College of Art & Design, 1916 Race St
A meditation on the milieu of elevated threat addressing national identity, gun culture, wilderness, consumption, patriotism and the possibility of personal transcendence.

Seeds (2025)
Thursday, July 30 from 6:30 – 10:50 p.m.
Freedom Greens and Garden, 5200 Pine Street
Using lyrical black and white imagery, Seeds examines the decline of generational black farmers and the significance of owning land. Pre-screening conversation by presented by Black Earth Agriculture Hub and Get Fresh Daily.

Wild at the Lake: Bats!
Saturday, August 1 at 7:45
FDR Park boathouse
Come out to learn about bats that make FDR Park their home.

Submit

Art & Connect: Open Call for Submissions
Natural Lands’ NextGen Council invites artists (18+) of all backgrounds and mediums to submit their work for Art & Connect, a juried exhibition to be held this November with our partners at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia. Deadline: August 1.

Campfire Stories: Tales from America’s National Parks
We’re seeking stories that capture the essence of our national parks and reignite our imagination about the wild. Writers and storytellers can submit existing stories, express interest in writing a new story, or apply to receive a travel stipend to write about one of the national parks that will be celebrated in Volume 3. Deadline: August 31.

Philadelphia Stories
Philadelphia Stories is a free print magazine that strives to publish the finest fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art written by authors living in, or originally from, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey. Deadline: September 1.

Plan ahead 

Second Saturday: Fair Amount Food Forest Tour & Workshop
Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. – noon

Discover Trees at the Discovery Center
Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. – noon

Intro to Soil Testing with Penn State Extension
Sunday, August 9 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

In Honor of Edna Lewis: A Blackberry Jelly and Canning Workshop
Sunday, August 9 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.