Our Mission
About Friends of Hashawha Bear Branch
Friends of Hashawha Bear Branch (FHBB) was started in 2021. Our mission is to improve the parks and the park experience by supporting the nature center, assisting with programs and offering new events, improving the park through gardening and invasive plant removal, and raising funds to support animal care and other programming needs.
Hashawha Environmental Center
Hashawha Environmental Center is a 320-acre park that includes 5 miles of multi-use trails, raptor mews, fishing at Lake Hashawha, abundant wildlife, and the restored Martin Cabin Homestead.
Hashawha also serves as the home for the Board of Educationโs Outdoor School, where each sixth-grader experiences a week of environmental education on-site. The residential camping facility, complete with food service, is available by reservation on weekends and throughout the summer months. Group tent camping is also available.
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Bear Branch Nature Center
Bear Branch Nature Center has been serving the residents of Carroll County for more than twenty years by providing quality, family-friendly nature programs, festivals, and outdoor activities. Staff members are available year-round to answer questions and lead programs, including field trips for students and other organized groups, public programs for audiences of all ages, scout programs, summer camps, and birthday parties for children. The nature center is open five days a week and contains hands-on educational exhibits; live animals; a Discovery Room with games, puzzles, and puppets for young children; a library; an observation beehive, and a planetarium and observatory. The auditorium, meeting room, pavilion, and fire ring are available to rent for private meetings and parties. Volunteer opportunities are available.
What Friends of Hashawha Bear Branch Does
Events run or supported by FHBB include the Maple Festival in early March, Adult Easter Egg Hunt, Monarch Festival in early fall, Run for the Raptors in the fall, and the Duck Hunt (rubber ducks) in late fall. FHBB volunteers also offer additional programming throughout the year. Interested in becoming a volunteer? Go to our Volunteer page.
We do projects that include Adopt a Garden and other gardening work days, and the creation of Carroll Countyโs first public Butterfly House. FHBB partner organization MTBMD, a local mountain biking group, helps maintain safe, clear trails at Hashawha and connected Union Mills.
Funds raised through Events and Donations are used to supplement the cost of care and supplies for animals at the nature center, as well as other projects and exhibits in the park.
** Something about Nature scouts or any other random thing*
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Friends of Hashawha Bear Branch Meetings
FHBB Board meets monthly at Bear Branch Nature Center on the first Thursday of February, March, April, May, August, September, October, and November, with additional meetings added if needed. A link is available to join virtually. Contact FHBB at friendsofhbb@gmail.com for more information. Visit the Meeting Minutes page to see what was discussed.
Find out more about our Board and Lead Volunteer/Coordinators at the Who We Are page.
Friends of Hashawha Bear Branch documents: