In the middle of the Pennsylvania Highlands region, Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center features woodlands that are over 100 years old, and it will now include 60 additional acres. PA Bureau of State Parks and the federal Highlands Conservation Act funded the acquisition.

Picture: Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, Berks County within the PA Highlands region.

Established as a state park in 1966, the Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center is an important asset in the Highlands region. Notably, the site is under 5 miles from the city of Reading. The urban area of Reading is Pennsylvania’s 5th largest city and home to nearly 88,500 people. Accordingly, Nolde Forest’s proximity to this population center raises the site’s value as a community outdoor recreation resource.  Additionally, the center features 10 miles of wooded trails, tours of the historic  mansion, and outdoor teaching stations for students to learn. Now, this project expanded the park from 665 acres to over 725 acres.

In early 2020, two land trusts collaborated to complete the acquisition. Specifically, PA Highlands Coalition members Natural Lands and Berks Nature worked diligently on the project. Funding from the federal Highlands program, a program of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, preserved the additional 60 acres of mature woodlands. Read the full press release from Natural Lands on the project.

Visit the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website for the Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center.

Check out the history of Nolde Forest on America’s Best History Spotlight, in order to learn more.

Download the Nolde Forest Environmental Center Map pictured below.

The Pennsylvania Highlands features quality drinking water, productive farms and forests, as well as rural community character. Additionally, the network of trails and land in the region provides outstanding opportunities to spend time outdoors. To learn more, visit pahighlands.org.