Hemlocks to Hellbenders
Hemlocks to Hellbenders is a podcast hosted by Christian Alexandersen highlighting Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and great outdoors. We speak with park managers, forest rangers, scientists, educators, outdoor recreationists, volunteers, officials and more to learn about the Commonwealth's incredible public land.
Episodes
47 episodes
Hickory Run State Park - Journey through prehistoric geology in the Poconos
Those visiting Hickory Run State Park in the Pocono Mountains should expect to see something they’ve never see before. In the northeast corner of the park, formed by millions of years of glacial movement is the Boulder Field. At 400...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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51:53
Discover the wonderful world of mushrooms with the Philadelphia Mycology Club
There’s just something about mushrooms that so are cool. I can’t really explain it. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, often looking like they belong in a fairy tale or another planet.They transform any landscape with their mys...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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55:54
Breaking trails and building community with the Keystone Trails Association
This episode is sponsored by the Keystone Trails Association.Most people never know how much volunteer work goes into their favorite hiking trail. Countless hours are spent breaking trails, cutting back brush, moving rock...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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59:20
Timber! Harvesting history at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
For thousands of years, the land that would become Pennsylvania was dominated by dense, ancient forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. Towering trees such as white oaks, chestnuts and hemlocks formed a vast green canopy that covere...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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1:17:54
Poe Paddy and Poe Valley State Parks - Uncover rugged wilderness in Happy Valley
The vast majority of Pennsylvania’s state parks are easy to drive to. That’s one of the reasons our parks are so accessible to residents and visitors. They’re located on paved roads and can often be found just a few minutes from a highway. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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31:34
Forbes State Forest - Endless outdoor adventures in the Laurel Highlands
To list all of the features of Forbes State Forest would be pointless. That’s because it has so much to offer so many people. You want trails, it’s got it. You want overlooks, its got it. You want waterfalls, it’s got it. Forbes State Forest ha...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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58:52
Moraine State Park - From ruined to reclaimed in less than 100 years
Standing on the shore of Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park, you’d never think the area was the site of massive deforestation, coal mining and gas drilling practices that scarred the landscape for decades. But it is. In the 1800s, fa...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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35:49
Beltzville State Park - Beach, boating and beyond in the Poconos
There are few sights I enjoy as much as people having fun in Pennsylvania state parks. Children playing tag and hide-and-go-seek. Adults telling stories around a picnic table. Friends catching up while grilling. And never have I see so ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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56:26
How fireflies light up Pennsylvania's night skies with Dr. Sarah Lower
The arrival of fireflies has always represented summer to me. They've meant barbeques. They meant fireworks. They meant being a kid. I’ve heard from so many people about the memories they have connected to lightening bugs. Exploring the...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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37:39
Presque Isle State Park - Pennsylvania's Great Lake Getaway
Last year, nearly four million people visited Presque Isle State Park in Erie- making it the most visited state park in Pennsylvania. And anyone whose ever visited this wonderful park understands why. There’s no other park like Pres...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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48:11
Michaux State Forest - Exploring Pennsylvania’s 'cradle of forestry' in the Appalachian Mountains
Spanning 85,000 acres across three Central Pennsylvania counties, Michaux State Forest is a sanctuary of lush woodlands, crystal-clear streams and a rich tapestry of history and wildlife. Considered Pennsylvania’s “cradle of forestry,” Michaux ...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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22:29
Benjamin Rush State Park - Cultivating community through gardening
The definition of a garden is a small piece of ground used to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs or flowers. But it’s much more than that. It’s a community meeting place. It’s an outdoor classroom. It’s an organic food market. It’s a sustainable hob...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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33:43
Getting hooked on fishing with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
In the soft light of dawn, a lone figure stands by the water's edge, casting a line into the stillness. The morning mist hangs low, obscuring the surface as they patiently wait, listening to the quiet sounds of nature stirring awake.Wit...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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1:19:06
Embracing Leave No Trace principles with Ben Lawhon of Sawtooth Outdoor Education
As Pennsylvanians head outdoors in record numbers, it’s imperative that we all learn how best to protect our environment. From backpackers and hikers to rock climbers and mountain bikers, it’s all our responsibilities to preserve the beauty of ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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59:25
Dude, where’s the sun? Experiencing Pennsylvania’s total solar eclipse
On April 8, 2024 Pennsylvanians will have the opportunity to see something special. Something that’s not been seen in our commonwealth since January 1925. – nearly 100 years ago. From about 3:15 to 3:20 the moon will pass between the Earth and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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26:49
Black Moshannon State Park - Charting a course through wilderness and wetlands
It’s difficult for me to pick what I like most about Black Moshannon State Park. It’s a struggle I face every time I recommend this wonderful park to friends - which is often. I’ll go from talking about the incredible camping and ca...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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30:24
Oil Creek State Park - Much more than the birthplace of the American oil industry
It’s the spring of 1858. Colonel Edwin Drake from New York is hired by the Seneca Oil Company to investigate suspected oil deposits in Titusville, Pennsylvania. While the existence of petroleum oil was known, there no considerable market for th...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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28:34
A beginners guide to birding with Jason Hall of the In Color Birding Club
Whether you’re hiking ancient forests or picnicking in an urban park, birds are all around us. From the common pigeon on a Philly stoop to a bald eagle soaring above the Susquehanna River, the avian world is vast in Pennsylvania.Birding ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:29:29
Preserving paradise with the Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation
When it comes to our parks and forests, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can only do so much. There’s too much trail maintenance, invasive species removal, education programs and other things that must be done t...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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59:42
Delaware Canal State Park - Take a 59-mile towpath through history & nature
Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal region, Delaware Canal State Park stands as a testament to the intertwining of history and nature.Stretching almost 59 miles from Easton to Bristol along the Delaware River, this park is made ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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40:36
Cherry Springs State Park - Spend a night in the stars
Located in Potter County, Cherry Springs State Park is home to some of the darkest night skies on the East Coast. Astronomers and stargazers from all over the country flock to this small park just to look up at the stars.The darkness of...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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41:45
Hemlocks to Hellbenders Season 2 Trailer
We’re building on the success of our first season with even more great guests and great stories for our second season in 2024. This season we’re going to be hearing from park and forest managers, conservationists, biologists, environmental educ...
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Season 2
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1:08
A Conversation with PA DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is a gigantic operation. As the largest public landowner in the Commonwealth, DCNR manages millions of acres of land – including 124 state parks and 20 state forests.But ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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1:13:44
Helping the hungry with Hunters Sharing the Harvest
When a hunter enters a forest with their bow or gun, there’s a good chance they won’t get a deer. So, you would expect those few that are able to successful hunt a deer to keep the meat for themselves. To feed their families and f...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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32:42
Tuscarora & Locust Lake State Parks - Lakeside retreats in the mountains
Throughout this season we’ve featured parks on an individual basis. My thinking has been that every park should have its own episode, letting each park shine on its own. But what if there are parks that are so connected to one another that they...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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31:18