Kelly Daly New Executive Director at PEEC
December 1, 2022
PEEC’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Daly as PEEC’s new Executive Director.
Kelly will replace Jeff Rosalsky, who is retiring after 14 years leading PEEC. Chairperson of the PEEC Board, Dr. K. Joy Karnas noted, “We are thrilled that Kelly has taken on the leadership role at PEEC. The Board is confident that Kelly’s experience will complement the environmental and sustainability education work PEEC has been doing for the past 50 years. We want to thank Jeff for all of his dedicated and innovative work at PEEC during his tenure.”
Kelly joins PEEC as its new Executive Director on January 1, 2023. Most recently, she led Camp Speers YMCA in Dingmans Ferry as their Executive Director. Kelly comes to PEEC with over 20 years of operations, recreation and environmental education leadership in nonprofit organizations. Her commitment to connecting people to each other through experiences in the outdoors aligns with PEECs mission to advance appreciation for nature, environmental education and sustainable living.
PEEC is located within the 77,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, along the Delaware River, and is within a short driving distance of New York City & Philadelphia. The mission of PEEC is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with over a half century as the education partner of the National Park Service. Since 1972, over 1 million visitors have come to PEEC at an average of 25,000 per year.
Pocono Television Network Features PEEC’s 50th Anniversary
June 6, 2022
PTN’s Brianna Strunk shares about PEEC’s history, current activities, and plans for the future.
Watch the 4-minute interview here:
Thank you to Kathryne Rubright, Pocono Record, for a wonderful article about PEEC’s 50th Anniversary.
PEEC’s EcoZone! Grand Opening
November 14, 2011
Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA – The transformation is nearly complete! The old indoor pool at the Pocono Environmental Education Center has become the new EcoZone! exploration & discovery room. The EcoZone! will be open to the public for the first time November 20, 2011 from 12:00 to 3:00pm. Everyone is welcome to visit & explore during the grand opening.
Visitors will enter the EcoZone! next to a life-sized Bald Eagle’s nest & a giant eagle mural by Ken Batelman. The mural was supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The eagle’s nest will show visitors what an actual eagle nest looks like and students will be able to climb into the nest to experience the world of the eaglets (baby eagles) after they hatch.
Another prominent exhibit is the bat cave. Visitors to the bat cave will crawl through the serpentine tunnel and enter the “decorated” big room. The big room is decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and rimstone. Visitors can explore the cave exhibit and learn about cave ecology and troglobites (cave dwelling animals).
The black bear skeleton display is a “puzzle”. Kids and adults will be able to see and understand the difference between bear & human skeletons as they manipulate the 75 magnetized bones to complete the skeleton of what was a 450 pound bear. Visitors will be able to examine the large teeth and claws, but the relatively small skull and students will be able to see how the shape of the skeleton helps bears to adapt & survive in their environment.
Other exhibits include a beaver lodge, an aquaponics display, a fossil pit, a recycling display, a watershed display, “The Lab”, a “Skins & Skulls” display, and the “Critter Corner”.
PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
PEEC has Bats in the Belfry … I Mean the EcoZone
October 31, 2011
Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA – Stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and rimstone?? These are all features of the Pocono Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC’s) new bat cave. The bat cave is only one of the exhibits at the soon-to-open EcoZone! – a hands-on discovery room where visitors can experience & learn about the natural world.
Visitors to the bat cave will crawl through the serpentine tunnel and enter the “decorated” big room. The big room is decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and rimstone. Visitors can explore the cave exhibit and learn about cave ecology and troglobites (cave dwelling animals).
The EcoZone, with its varied display exhibits, will officially open Sunday, November 20, 2011. Everyone is welcome to explore the EcoZone from 12 to 3pm.
PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8 along Route 209, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
The Eagle has Landed… at PEEC
October 11, 2011
Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA – A life-sized Bald Eagle’s nest is one of the new exhibits located in The Pocono Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC’s) soon to open EcoZone! The Bald Eagle’s nest is located next to a giant eagle mural by Ken Batelman. The mural was supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The nest will show visitors what an actual eagle nest looks like. Students will even be able to climb into the nest to experience the world of the eaglets (baby eagles) after they hatch.
The nests of the Bald Eagle are typically 5 feet in diameter, though some can reach 9 feet. The nests can be 12 feet deep & weigh up to 2 tons. Even though PEEC’s nest seems extremely large, it is actually very close in size to one that would be found in nature. Since most people never get to see a real Bald Eagle’s nest, PEEC added one to the EcoZone! as a component of the discovery room.
The EcoZone will officially open on Sunday, November 20, 2011 and all are welcome to explore its wonders from 12 to 3pm.
PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
New Lodging in PEEC EcoZone
October 3, 2011
The beavers have completed work on the beaver lodge in the Pocono Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC’s) new EcoZone Discovery Room. Three thousand two hundred seventy three sticks were individually gnawed as raw material and 2.29 tons of pond muck were tail slapped in the creation of the lodge in the deep end of the old indoor pool. The beavers were paid at full prevailing wage in white birch trees and high bush blueberries and had full dental benefits.
Although the beavers refused to be interviewed on the record, one was heard to say, “Yeah, it was a “dam” solid project, but why anyone would want one of these lodges inside was a mystery to us. With these environmental types, you never know what drives them.” The beavers’ safety record was admirable, but the legs of several picnic tables were slightly chewed up one evening after a rousing rendition of “I’m a beaver and I’m OK.”
The EcoZone will officially open on Sunday November 20, 2011 and all are welcome to explore its wonders from 12 to 3pm.
Bear Bones in the EcoZone?
September 26, 2011
Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA – The bear skull is connected to the first vertebra (the Atlas). The Atlas is connected to the Axis, and the Axis is connected to the…you get the picture. In the Pocono Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC’s) new EcoZone, you will get to do the assembly.
The black bear skeleton is a “puzzle” that visitors to the nearly completed EcoZone will be able to put together. Kids and adults will be able to see and understand the difference between bear & human skeletons as they manipulate the 75 magnetized bones to complete the skeleton of what was a 450 pound bear.
Visitors will be able to examine the large teeth and claws, but the relatively small skull. Students will be able to see how the shape of the skeleton helps bears to adapt & survive in their environment.
Please note that no bears where harmed in the creation of this exhibit; this bear died of natural causes in the wild. After staff& volunteers transferred the bear to PEEC over a year ago, the bones were cleaned by dermestid beetles, then sealed & preserved. Now, the bones are being arranged into a hands-on exhibit.
You can see photos of the work in progress on PEEC’s Facebook page or visit PEEC to hike our trails and check on the EcoZone! The windows into the room have been uncovered & visitors to PEEC can observe the daily progress. The grand opening of the EcoZone is planned for late November 2011.
PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
PEEC Ecozone Opening Soon!
September 13, 2011
Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA – Did you ever want to go inside a Beaver Lodge or a Bat Cave? The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is in the process of transforming its indoor pool into an EcoZone! – a hands-on, discovery room. The new interactive exhibit room at PEEC will open this November and will include a bat cave, beaver lodge, eagle’s nest, fossil pit, and much more. The displays will be hands-on and interactive; visitors will crawl through the bat cave, walk through the beaver lodge, and dig for fossils.
PEEC’s old indoor pool has been closed for some time due to the high cost of maintenance & repairs. In an effort to make use of the large space in a way that would complement PEEC’s mission, Executive Director Jeff Rosalsky visualized a room where the thousands of children that visit PEEC each year could learn about nature in a fun, hands-on setting. Through the efforts of PEEC staff & volunteers, and with many generous donations of funds, time, and materials, the room is nearing completion.
You can see photos of the work in progress on PEEC’s Facebook page or visit PEEC to hike our trails and check on the EcoZone! The windows into the room have been uncovered & visitors to PEEC can observe the daily progress.
PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park. PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
Women Making Waves: PEEC Creates River Trip Program for Young Philadelphia Females
June 24th, 2010
Lehman Township, PA – This past week, 11 young women from the Philadelphia area spent time at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) to prepare for their upcoming Delaware River trip. Women on the Water (WOW) is a program created by PEEC and funded by a grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF) in which the participants will learn about and deepen their experiences with the natural world.
July 10th through the 16th, 2010, the girls will head to the river guided by Kittatinny Canoes. They will spend 4 days rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and camping along the Delaware. Throughout the trip, the girls will be blogging about their adventures on the water. You can meet the participants and learn about their recent trip to PEEC, as well as follow their adventure at http://womenonthewater.blogspot.com.
PEEC’s mission is to enhance environmental awareness, knowledge and appreciation through hands-on experience in a natural outdoor classroom. It provides unique year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts and nature enthusiasts of all ages. PEEC is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
Innovative Conservation Program Teaches Urban Youth About Restoring Native Habitats
April 8th, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC (April, 19th 2010) – Area youth from the East Stroudsburg, Middle Smithfield and Bushkill areas will be planting a garden of native plant species in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA) on April 24th, 2010 as part of the National Park Foundation’s First Bloom program and as a part of the Pocono Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC) Earth Day Celebration that day.
First Bloom gives students firsthand experience in national parks, and teaches them about native and invasive plant species. “The young people that have been part of First Bloom at our park have learned and grown tremendously,” said Molly Check, PEEC’s Naturalist and Public Program Manager. Heidi C. Normand, PEEC’s Associate Director of Education stated “The park and our center have really valued their enthusiasm and their hard work as we have designed and planned this native garden, which will restore this area of land to its natural beauty and give the thousands of visitors that come to PEEC each year a chance to learn about native plants and wetland ecology.”
“One of the most important things anyone can do for the environment is to connect young people to parks,” said Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “Kids, who are forging connections with the national parks today, are likely to have lasting relationships with the parks and the outdoors for their whole lives.”
First Bloom connects kids between 4th and 6th grades to national parks and natural environments. The nationwide program is currently taking place in 26 national parks in partnership with 31 youth groups across the country. Most First Bloom kids meet with park rangers monthly over one program year, approximately September 2009 to June 2010 to engage in outdoor, hands-on activities and learn to love the outdoors and their national parks. PEEC’s program is different in that their First Bloom participants meet with PEEC’s environmental educators and partake in 2 overnight program experiences at PEEC’s 38 acre residential environmental education center located in the park. Toward the end of the program, youth involved plant a native landscape at a national park. That landscape is a lasting connection for those youth, a transferable experience, and a feature that all future visitors to the park will enjoy. In addition, the PEEC / DWGNRA First Bloomers are also helping to start the planting of an “outdoor” wetland ecology “natural” classroom adjacent to their garden. This parcel of land was designed to manage storm water runoff from pavement on the PEEC Campus. Basic Pennsylvania wetland plant species will be planted in the area and interpretive signage installed to help educate the public about native wetland ecology.
To learn more about the First Bloom program, visit www.first-bloom.org. First Bloom programs around the nation were generously supported by the UPS Foundation, ARAMARK Parks and Recreation, and gifts from private donors and foundations.
ABOUT DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
The recreation area encompasses 67,000 acres of mountain ridge, forest, and floodplain on both sides of the Delaware River in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Among the more surprising species of animals in the park are black bear, timber rattlesnakes, bald eagles, and, recently, nesting peregrine falcons. Ecosystems include hemlock ravines with bountiful rhodendron and ridge tops with prickly pear cactus.
Forty miles of the Middle Delaware River are within the park, as well as trout streams, lakes, ponds, and some of the highest waterfalls of either state. Water quality is exceptional in this section of the valley. The river’s path through the mountains includes the S-curves of Walpack Bend and the Delaware Water Gap.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
You are the part-owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites — all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to help connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow. Join us – This is Your Land. www.nationalparks.org
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/goparks
PEEC Named Innovative Green Building by Women’s Day Magazine
July 25th, 2009
“It’s true that structures that incorporate “green” design elements are inherently inventive, since they often utilize state-of-the-art technologies in order to have minimum impact on the environment. However, there are some buildings that go above and beyond even green conventions in order to meet Gold- or even Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) building certification standards…” Read more by visiting WomensDay.com
PEEC’s Award Winning VAC Building
July 29th, 2009
The VAC building at PEEC has been recognized for its unique architecture and environmentally friendly design.
2009 Green GOOD DESIGN Award
The European Center for Architecture and the Chicago Athenaeum
2009 Award of Excellence, Educational Facility Design Award
AIA Committee on Architecture for Education
As part of the Green GOOD DESIGN awards, the VAC and 3 other BCJ projects are part of an exhibition of international award winners in green design currently on display in Athens, Greece.
Jeff Rosalsky Named New CEO for PEEC!
June 2nd, 2009
The Board of Trustees for the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Pike County resident, Jeff Rosalsky as the new CEO for PEEC effective June 1, 2009. PEEC Chairperson Dr. Barbara Brummer stated: “We are extremely pleased and honored to have Jeff’s strong leadership skills to guide PEEC into the next generation. PEEC’s influence on program participants will help to educate and produce our next environmental advocates.”
Jeff, his wife Gail and their three children have been residents of Pike County for eleven years and have been associated with PEEC since they arrived. Jeff first visited PEEC as a neighbor, then as a parent of summer campers, a hiker, volunteer, Board of Trustees member and most recently as Chairman of the Board. Jeff noted that when the opportunity arose to take over the Chief Executive role however, it was one that he could thoroughly embrace.
Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to PEEC. He spent fifteen years as an investment banker in New York, London and Hong Kong, co-founded a venture capital backed internet database marketing company and acted as its COO and was also CEO of a property development company. Jeff has served as a Director of various non-profit companies in Pike County. He was graduated from Princeton University with an A.B. in English. “We are looking forward to working with Jeff to expand PEEC programs and grow our community engagement,” said Dr. Brummer
In a recent interview, Jeff reiterated his commitment to PEEC and its mission to promote environmental education for this and future generations. “…each time I see the PEEC campus overflowing with children and adults I know that we are doing a vital job as educators and one that is valued by both the local and regional communities. First and foremost PEEC is a place for educating.
Jeff’s vision for PEEC is to be a place that continues to spark curiosity, innovation and inspiration.
PEEC’s mission is to enhance environmental awareness, knowledge and appreciation through hands-on experience in a natural outdoor classroom. It provides unique year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts and nature enthusiasts of all ages. PEEC is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
PEEC Receives NCAC Annual Community Award
Lehman Township, PA – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit & Community Assistance Community (NCAC) honored the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) with an award during the 2008 Community Awards Program in June.
The Center received first place in the Environment & Animal Welfare category for the Green construction of its new dining hall. The community award highlighted the new building’s sustainable design and the benefits of this Green design on the Earth. Aside from its positive effect on the environment, the dining hall is also used as a learning tool for the 24,000 students, teachers, families and individuals who visit PEEC annually.
PEEC’s Executive Director/CEO Jim Rienhardt accepted the award, “Through over $7 million of Congressional, State, County and private funding sources, PEEC has made improvements to its facilities that will benefit our guests and the environment. We are very honored to receive this award and to be recognized by NCAC and NEPA for our efforts.”
The community awards highlight local nonprofit organizations that make an extraordinary impact within NCAC’s seven-county region, which includes Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne counties. For more information on NCAC or the NEPA Alliance call (570) 655-5581.
PEEC’s mission is to enhance environmental awareness, knowledge and appreciation through hands-on experience in a natural outdoor classroom. It provides unique year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts and nature enthusiasts of all ages. PEEC is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!
PEEC’s Dining Hall Receives National Architectural Award
Lehman Township, PA – The Pocono Environmental Education Center’s dining hall has once again won an award for its sustainable design. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment and PEEC’s building was on the list!
Projects for the awards were selected because they highlight both the design innovations and sustainable strategies, along with the metrics achieved in terms of reduced carbon emissions, reduced energy consumption and improved building functionality. These projects also have a positive effect on their community, improve comfort for visitors and utilize sustainable design to reduce its impact on the environment.
The Wilkes Barre based architect firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) designed PEEC’s award winning building that opened in 2006. The building was designed to reinforce PEEC’s mission to enhance environmental awareness, knowledge and appreciation through hands-on experience in a natural outdoor classroom. Through a great deal of research, material selection and analysis, BCJ focused on the principles of sustainable design for the multi-purpose dining hall which is also used for lectures, conferences and special events. As part of the site design, native grasses were also planted to provide a landscape that is low maintenance and integrates the project into its natural surroundings.
AIA Judge Susan Rodriguez commented on various aspects of the building and was especially impressed with the use of discarded tires to cover the north wall of the new building. The re-used tires have been cut into strips and converted into exterior shingles, providing a waterproof seal that is long lasting and maintenance free. These tires are especially important to PEEC and the Park Service because the majority of the tires used were fished out of the Delaware River during river clean-up days.
PEEC’s Executive Director/CEO Jim Rienhardt commented on the award, “We were very fortunate to have such a talented firm as Bohlin Cywinski Jackson design our building. PEEC is very proud of our Green dining hall and it is good to see other organization’s acknowledging this amazing building and highlighting the importance of Green architecture.”
The building also won an AIA Architectural Honor Award in 2006 for its unique design. The projects will be honored this May at the AIA 2008 National Convention and Design Exposition in Boston. For more information on PEEC’s award winning/Green dining hall call (570) 828-2319.