Pemberton Park Environmental Educational Programs

Pemberton Historical Park's 262 acres of tidal and fresh water wetlands, fresh water ponds, upland pines, hardwood forests and meadows make it an ideal location for environmental studies only minutes from downtown Salisbury, Maryland and easily accessible.

Pemberton Historical Park can provide educational programs on a variety of environmental topics. Our education programs provide students a fun, hands-on and safe opportunity to learn about the natural world around them and the creatures that live in it. Programs are correlated with Maryland Voluntary Standards Curriculum. The Pemberton Park Naturalist Staff is dedicated to serving your group's needs through 'hands-on' natural history programs utilizing the unqiue natural materials of Pemberton Historical Park and interpretive resources. Teacher workshops will be offered periodically.

While hiking the trails, you will encounter ecosystems and their natural complement of plants and animals that are specific to many different regions of the Eastern Shore. It is rare to find any other place on the Eastern Shore where tidal and fresh water wetlands, fresh water ponds, upland pines, hardwood forests and meadows can all be studied within the same site. This unique feature, when coupled with the historical aspects of Pemberton Park, makes it especially attractive for school studies or a casual hike.

Scouts, 4-H and other youth programs can be developed on a variety of topics. The Naturalist Staff at Pemberton Park has developed a variety of programs to meet your environmental education needs. All of our environmental education programs are available on-site at Pemberton Park or teachers can contact our Naturalist to schedule an educational program in your classroom.

Programs Schedule at Pemberton Park

Education programs are available: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays; 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, or 1 pm

Cost of Education Programs

Environmental Education Programs

• Wicomico County Public Schools – Free
• Private schools, non-Wicomico County public schools, other groups - $3.00 per student

Historical Programs provided by the Pemberton Hall Foundation

• $2.50 per student

Schedule an Environmental Educational Program at Pemberton Park

To schedule your educational program, call 410-860-2447 to speak with one of our Naturalist Staff between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Either you will speak directly with our Naturalist or your message will be forwarded to the Naturalist Staff and you will be contacted within 24 hours depending on staff availability. If you prefer to email, contact Terri Liming to schedule your program.

• All programs must be scheduled by the supervising teacher or group leader
• Programs are approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour in length.
• When scheduling your program, please have a few dates in mind in case the time slot you are interested in is filled.
• Teachers and group leaders are responsible for group.
• Although teachers and group leaders are invited to participate in the program, our Naturalist will conduct the program.
• Please notify our staff immediately if you must cancel or postpone your program.

Specialty Environmental Educational Programs

We can provide your group with an almost unlimited array of natural history experiences, depending upon the time of year and staff availability. Some of the other programs available include; fishing, physical geology, animal classifications, survival skills, backpacking and orienteering. The Naturalist Staff stives to tailor each program to a group's specific needs. We invite the open exchange of ideas and suggestions while planning your program. Please feel free to contract a Naturalist Staff member to discuss any questions or requests you may have.

Current Programs at Pemberton Park

SENSORY AWARENESS
Learn about how we can use all five senses to appreciate Mother Nature more, a delight that can be adapted to all groups and all ages.

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Study the modern day descendants of the animals that ruled the earth 250 million years ago, including physical characteristics, evolution, habits and lifecycles of local reptiles and amphibians. Live animals may be used in this program.

ANIMAL ADAPTIONS
Why do beavers have flat tails? Why are birds and reptiles related? Physical characteristics, habits, evolution and life cycles of selected animal classes will be studied, including camouflage, mimicry, defenses.

INSECTS
We will study the realm of the insect, including insect architects, papermakers, hunters, carpenters, farmers and soldiers, insects with armor and dragons of the sky! We will also study metamorphosis.

SOCIAL INSECTS
Learn about the order in which these socialites behave, different members, different jobs, and different body shapes and sizes. Bees and ants will be talked about. A new observation honey bee hive can be viewed in the Education Center until mid-September, and then again in the Spring.

THE MEADOWS COMMUNITY
Study the meadow as an ecosystem. Discover a forest of grasses and weeds, miniature highways made by meadow critters. Identify the living and non-living components of the meadow community.

THE FOREST COMMUNITY
Study the forest as an ecosystem. Examine life zones in the forest: the canopy, the under-story and the forest floor. Discover animal niches and food caches. Identify the living and non-living components of the forest.

THE MAMMALS OF MARYLAND
Learn to recognize some of the more common fur-bearing animals of this area. How are mammals different from other living things? Are you a mammal? Fact, folklore and peculiar traits of mammals are discussed. Mounted specimens, skeletons and other aids may be used.

GREEN AND GROWING
Examine the plant kingdom…. Bark, flowers, fruit, sprouting seeds and budding twigs, plant diversity, growth reproduction and life cycles. Study the importance of plants to living and non-living things.

THE CHANGING SEASONS
This is an outdoor exploration of signs of the season. Note changes in plant and animal activity. Each season is unique and equally exciting! Environmental factors…. Hear moisture and sunlight.

WEATHER
A series of activities designed to increase understanding of precipitation, wind, storms, and other weather phenomena. Facts, folklore and how weather affects you and the rest of nature.

BIRDS OF PREY
Learn about our local inhabitants. See the different characteristics, what they are used for, and how they are alike and un-like us.

FOOD CHAINS OR FOOD WEBS
Who eats what or who? Learn the strengths and weaknesses of simple and complex food chains. Who is at the top and who is at the bottom. See some of our captive animals in action!

SNAKES ALIVE
This program is exactly as is says. Live specimens will be used in this program. Facts, fiction, folklore, and myths are discussed. What is the real truth about snakes?

MOST DEADLIST ANIMALS OF DELMARVA
This program is not designed to scare anyone but to help us learn about and understand some of the poisonous creatures that live with us. Animals to be talked about are: snakes, insects, amphibians, and spiders.

THE CHEASAPEAKE BAY
What can the students actually do to help save this precious natural resource? Learn about the bay, its health and its inhabitants. What does the actually bay offer us?