Fern Hollow Nature Center to be renovated, expanded

When G. Whitney Snyder Sr. donated property to Sewickley Heights borough in 1997, the gift of land created the opportunity for outdoor and educational experiences at the Fern Hollow Nature Center.

“Fern Hollow has committed to preserve the landscape and remains an invaluable educational and environmental resource in the community,” said the nature center’s executive director Sam Capezzuto. “The nature center provides learning about the environment through educational programs and opportunities to discover the natural resources of the Sewickley Valley parks.”

Now, 27 years later, the building — an original Sears and Roebuck prefabricated house — and surrounding space need to be updated. In 2023, Fern Hollow’s board of directors voted to begin a $1.5 million capital campaign to establish a more functional nature center that includes renovating and adding 1,200 square feet to the original structure.

Courtesy of Wildman Chalmers Design (W/C Design)

A rendering of a classroom by Pittsburgh-based Wildman Chalmers Design (W/C Design) for the Fern Hollow Nature Center in Sewickley Heights. A capital campaign is underway to raise money for improvements to the nature center.

Plans created by Wildman Chalmers Design (W/C Design) include two new classrooms with indoor and outdoor access that are more accommodating for everyone and allow for more people. There will also be a meeting room, a rooftop garden and bioswales — landscape features that replace traditional concrete gutters to remove debris.

So far, $633,147 has been raised. A public kickoff event for the capital campaign was held Oct. 18 at Karen and Henry Thorne’s Sewickley Heights historic Fairacres Barn. There, 95 guests enjoyed cocktails followed by a farm-to-table menu with most of the food from Common Plea Catering.

Courtesy of Laura Rembold Photography

Former Sewickley Heights maoyr for 17 years (center), John C. Oliver III gives a brief history of the Fern Hollow Nature Center to guests at the first public kickoff event for a capital campaign to raise money for the Sewickley Heights nature center on Oct. 18 at Fairacres Barn in Sewickley Heights.

Dr. Zoot provided entertainment, as did trumpet player Alex Perez and keyboard player Antonio Croes.

Capezzuto said funds from the evening totaled $91,900.

“A building needs a strong foundation and so does a capital campaign,” said Anne Clark Ronce, capital campaign manager for the project. “The courage of our donors makes the campaign real and not just a wish.”

Ronce is hopeful additional funding will come through grants.

Fern Hollow Nature Center staff and volunteers operate the non-profit organization, which is funded mostly by membership and donation dollars, Capezzuto said. The nature center serves more than 10,000 visitors each year with a variety of programs for all ages, nature walks and community events, as well as educational programming for local schools specifically aligned with their curricula, Capezzuto said.

It encompasses nearly 33 acres and the grounds are open to the public from dawn to dusk.

A groundbreaking is planned for late summer or early fall 2025 with a ribbon cutting in the spring of 2026.

“This nature center is near and dear to my heart,” Capezzuto said. “Our building is showing its age and this is a long time coming. We want to create a better space. We want this to be sustainable. To be a local leader in nature education and outdoor experiences there needs to be some upgrades, which is why we have the capital campaign.”

Courtesy of Laura Rembold Photography

With renderings in the background for the Fern Hollow Nature Center in Sewickley Heights, guests attend the first public kickoff event for a capital campaign to raise money for the Sewickley Heights nature center on Oct. 18 at Fairacres Barn in Sewickley Heights.

Capezzuto said the project is essential to transform an outdated facility into one that “has the capacity to support various programs for exploration and learning.”

“It will be an environment where everyone in our community can connect with nature — and each other,” said Capezzuto, who has been executive director for 20 years. “The Fern Hollow Nature Center is a dynamic entrance to the outdoor world. This is a natural resource to Sewickley Valley … and part of our commitment is taking care of the gift Whitney gave us so many years ago.”