Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Murrysville's Morosini Reserve will become an 'Enchanted Forest' in May | TribLIVE.com
Murrysville Star

Murrysville's Morosini Reserve will become an 'Enchanted Forest' in May

Patrick Varine
2426965_web1_gtr-UPTtrail-090719
Tribune-Review file
The Universal Pedestrian Trail at the Morosini Reserve in Murrysville will officially open at a Sept. 15, 2019, celebration from noon to 4 at the reserve off Morosini Farm Court.
2426965_web1_GTR-LO-ApplePrune-1-022320
Tribune-Review file
Brothers John Carl, right, of Jeannette and Joe Carl, left, of Irwin, use loppers and pruners to prune branches from one of the apple trees dotting the 183 acres of green space at Morosini Reserve on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020 in Franklin Township near Export. The pair were part of a group of about 16 volunteers who took the day to help rehabilitate the apple trees, which grew from an apple orchard that once existed on the farm property in the 19th century. The volunteer and education event was hosted by the Westmoreland Conservancy, who owns Morosini Reserve.

It might seem a little strange for officials from the Westmoreland Conservancy – which focuses on science-based programming – to host a hunt for fairy houses and troll dens.

“Just like with any myth, there’s a little grain of truth,” said conservancy President Shelly Tichy. “The ‘fairies’ are the insects and the ‘trolls’ could be frogs or toads.”

The conservancy will host a day in “The Enchanted Forest” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. May 30 at its Morosini Reserve in Murrysville. It will introduce the world of local nature and explore ways for children to bring animals into their own backyards.

“The magic of all those childhood fairy tales and the wonder that comes from nature is something we want to explore,” Tichy said. “It’s the enchantment of being out in nature.”

The 183-acre Morosini Reserve was gifted to the Westmoreland Conservancy by Aldean Morosini in November 2015 to honor her husband William’s wishes that the land be preserved for future generations.

Tichy said there is a very strong connection between nature and fantasy, especially for children.

“Nature creates wonderful patterns in the trees,” she said. “Praying mantises look absolutely fictional, and they’re real.”

Tichy purchased a few sets of butterfly wings for conservancy volunteers, and those who attend are welcome to dress as their favorite fairy or creature.

The free afternoon will also include a craft for children to make and take home.

“It’s all about understanding why nature exists,” Tichy said. “There’s nature to see here, and the program will explore how we can make our own backyards a place for nature to live. So showing these ‘fairy houses’ is a way to talk about that.”

While there is no limit to the number of participants, there is a limited number of parking spaces at the reserve, which is at Morosini Farm Court in Murrysville.

To reserve a parking space, call 724-325-5523. Click here to visit the conservancy’s Facebook event page.

Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: Local | Murrysville Star | Westmoreland
Content you may have missed