Ecology

Strawberry Hill’s Animal Ambassador Program

Claire Doll
MSMU Class of 2024

(1/2023) Strawberry Hill is an environmental foundation located in south-central Pennsylvania, promoting nature education through community outreach and hands-on, outdoor learning. As Adams County’s only nonprofit environmental education center, Strawberry Hill, just near the Blue Ridge Mountains, provides access to different hikes, trails, and nature venues. Its mission statement says the program vows to "inspire stewardship of our natural world by connecting the community with educational opportunities."

One of the most exciting educational opportunities that exists within Strawberry Hill is the beloved Animal Ambassador program. Through this program, animal ambassadors—which are literally different animals native to the Pennsylvania area—from Strawberry Hill visit local libraries and community events to teach children about animal roles in the environment. Programs can be held at Strawberry Hill, located in Fairfield, or brought to a specific site. The current animal ambassadors include a variety of native turtles, amphibians, a skunk, and a barred owl. Upon visiting an animal ambassador, you will meet Strawberry Hill’s trained naturalist-handlers that will bring enriching "biofacts" for the group to see, touch, smell, and hear. The handlers work with the animals one on one to get them comfortable interacting with other people. Although the animals aren’t allowed to be petted or held, they are still considered wild and must be under human care. The role of the trainers are to build a bond between the handler and animals as representatives to ensure comfort on both ends.

The four most popular animals in this program are Strix, Ollie, Shelly, and Bob.

Strix is a barred owl. "People love to see an owl up close—getting to see their feathers and the way they move is pretty amazing," says Anne, an environmental education manager at Strawberry Hill. Strix is pretty shy for short periods of time, but still a fan favorite.

Ollie is the striped skunk, and Anne’s favorite animal in the program. "He tends to be very popular because most people don’t want to encounter skunks in the wild because they spray," she says. Never having lived in the wild, Ollie is from an exotic pet trade and was born in human care. "There’s almost like a mystery about them," she says. "He is very boisterous because he’s a skunk. The handler has to very calmly pick him up." He loves snacks, including peanuts and other small treats.

Shelly is a spotted turtle, a species which is becoming less and less common in the wild due to habitat loss. The spotted turtle is rare to find in the wild, so featuring Shelly in the program is a key way to advocate for the environment and ecological education.

Finally, Bob is a boxed turtle, a species which is relatively common in this area. In fact, boxed turtles can live 60+ years old. Bob was estimated to be born in the 1960s. He was born with a disability, and is in fact the program’s disability advocate.

Strawberry Hill recently allowed community members to sponsor an Animal Ambassador for Giving Tuesday, which would help fund and support the ambassadors of Strawberry Hill, whether it be "Ollie our striped skunk, Strix our barred owl, or even Shelly (spotted turtle), Bob (Eastern box turtle), or Nelson (our American toad)" as stated by the foundation. Upon sponsoring an animal ambassador for Giving Tuesday, sponsors will receive a thank-you packet with information and a photo of the sponsored animal. All animals are provided with their own enrichment to ensure that they are treated with the best care. Ollie, the foundation’s very own striped skunk, teaches children that skunks are essential to the ecosystem. Although it takes a lot of time and resources to care for the ambassadors, their contributions to nature education are entirely worth it.

Strawberry Hill promotes community outreach and engagement through this program. Schools, homeschooled students, camps, and scout groups often visit Strawberry Hill on field trips to embark on guided trail hikes, stream studies, and forest explorations. High school and college students take advantage of the program’s promotion of stewardship, while younger students might explore macro-invertebrates or other outdoor features. The Animal Ambassadors program, however, can be scheduled in-school and enjoyed by all.

Field trips are not the only way to engage with the program. Strawberry Hill’s animal ambassadors will also visit local facilities, such as libraries, to reach out to the community. Libraries surrounding the community including Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library and Adams County Public Libraries.

Typical Animal Ambassador programs are 45 minutes to one hour long. To schedule a visit with one of Strawberry Hill’s ambassadors, call 717-642-5840 or email info@strawberryhill.org to register. Animal Ambassador programs are $10/participant with a minimum of $100. For assemblies—groups over 30 people—Animal Ambassador programs are $200. Travel fees, if applicable, are $25 for locations between 30-60 minutes of Strawberry Hill, and $50 for locations between 60-90 minutes of Strawberry Hill. There are no travel fees for locations within 30 minutes of Strawberry Hill. A minimum deposit of $100 must be paid two weeks in advance, with the balance due the day of the scheduled program. Checks made payable to Strawberry Hill can be mailed to 1537 Mount Hope Road, Fairfield, PA 17320, or you can pay with credit card over the phone. Registration is confirmed through a notice and invoice via email as well as a receipt that is available upon payment if requested. The Animal Ambassadors programs are held in all weather conditions, and cancellations will provide refunds depending on the time a visit is cancelled.

"The mission is to spread appreciation and awareness for local ecosystems through the connection of animals directly," says Anne. "When someone gets to see an animal up close—like a striped skunk or a barred owl—that they would never encounter, it gives them an appreciation of their role in the ecosystems and how to protect it." Visit their website at www.strawberryhill.org or call 717-642-5840 to schedule a visit with an animal ambassador today, or to inquire for more information about this exciting educational opportunity.

 Strawberry Hill inspires stewardship of our natural world by
connecting the community with educational opportunities.
 Learn more by visiting StrawberryHill.org.