Annual Meeting

fieldtrips2010

Field Trips

Field Trips

View this year's workshops.

Late Devonian Vertebrates from the Catskill Formation in North Central Pennsylvania
Friday, October 8 through Saturday, October 9
This field trip will give meeting attendees a glimpse of past and current research on Late Devonian fossil vertebrates from North Central Pennsylvania. Participants will gain a better understanding of Late Devonian paleoenvironments, flora and fauna of the Catskill Formation.

Begins: 8 a.m. on Friday, October 8 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh
Ends: 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 9 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh

Cost: $200/person (double occupancy)

Cost Includes: Transportation provided in several vans. Pick-up and return times as indicated above. Overnight stay on October 8, lunch and dinner on October 8, breakfast and lunch on October 9 included. Field trip guide will be provided. Limited collecting tools available.

What to Wear or Bring With You: Dress appropriately for fieldwork on roadside outcrops during chilly weather. Boots suggested.

Minimum Number of Participants: 16
Maximum Number of Participants: 22

Leader:
Ted Daeschler
Academy of Natural Sciences, USA
Daeschler@ansp.org

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Classic Quaternary Cave Sites in Maryland and Pennsylvania
Saturday, October 9
Caves from Maryland and Pennsylvania have played an important part in understanding the evolution and paleoenvironments of Quaternary mammals in the eastern U.S. Cave deposits from these areas range in age from Irvingtonian and Rancholabrean to Holocene. In the nineteenth century, E. D. Cope excavated fossils from Port Kennedy Cave near Philadelphia. It is now part of the Valley Forge National Historic Park. In the early twentieth century, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the U.S. National Museum at the Smithsonian Institution excavated cave deposits in Frankstown, PA, and Cumberland Cave, MD, respectively. Both of these caves yielded abundant and diverse fossil remains. By the mid-nineteenth century, paleontologists realized the vast potential for reconstructing time-series events from single cave deposits and new excavation techniques provided for detailed, fine-scale reconstructions. John Guilday's study of New Paris No. 4 remains a classic in these types of studies. Hollidaysburg Fissure is a similar cave deposit that was carefully excavated by paleontologists from Pennsylvania State University.

This trip will visit the following caves: Cumberland Cave (MD), New Paris No.4 (PA), Hollidaysburg Fissure (PA) and the Frankstown Cave area (cave was destroyed by quarrying). Deposits have been excavated or removed from all of these caves except the Hollidaysburg Fissure. Participants will be able to view the nature of the caves and the physiographic setting and discuss the significance of the cave faunas. In addition, more recent work on these sites will all be presented. There will be poster presentations at the Guilday Hall stop at New Paris with more general discussion of other cave sites (Port Kennedy, Hosterman's Pit, etc.) known from Pennsylvania as well.

Begins: 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 9 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh
Ends: before 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 9 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh

Cost: $90.00

Cost Includes: Lunch provided at John E. Guilday Hall, Bedford Co., PA and Guide Book

Minimum Number of Participants: 10
Maximum Number of Participants: 30

Physical Capabilities: Must be able to walk on trails for about half a mile. Caving gear is not needed.

Leaders:

Russell Graham
Penn State University, USA
rgraham@ems.psu.edu

 Anthony Barnosky
University of California, Berkeley, USA
barnosky@berkeley.edu

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Phil Fraley Productions: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Museum Exhibit Fabrication
Saturday, October 9
Phil Fraley Productions, Inc. is opening their Pittsburgh studio to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how they approach the fabrication of natural history exhibits. Since PFP completed a large portion of the mount making work for Dinosaurs in Their Time at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, as well as work for the nearby State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, this studio tour will be an informal and informative way for the SVP community to see aspects of processes and to talk with staff members about the work they do in regards to mount making, as well as fossil preparation, mold making / casting and the fabrication of diorama elements. Light refreshments will be provided.

Phil Fraley Productions, Inc.'s Pittsburgh Studio location:
614 Braddock Ave.
Turtle Creek, PA 15145

Begins: 3 p.m. on October 9 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh
Ends: 7 p.m. on October 9 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh

Cost: $0

Cost Includes: Light refreshments. Transportation to and from Phil Fraley Productions. The shuttle service will depart from and return to the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh.

Minimum Number of Participants: 9
Maximum Number of Participants: 50

Leader:
Stephanie Brea
Phil Fraley Productions, USA
breas@fraleymail.com

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A Tour of Two Frank Lloyd Wright Houses and the Natural and Cultural Beauty of Western Pennsylvania
Monday October 11
This convenient coach tour gives visitors a chance to explore two designs of internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the stunning setting of Pennsylvania's autumn colored forests. Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob are hailed as outstanding examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's work, integrating structures with their natural surroundings of the forested beauty of the Laurel Highlands. Well-informed docents will conduct one-hour tours. We begin at Fallingwater, which also boasts a small café and gift shop. The tour will continue with a scenic drive through Bear Run National Preserve, briefly stopping for a photo opportunity at Ohiopyle, a natural waterfall and one of the premier nature activity spots in Western Pennsylvania. Afterwards, Kentuck Knob showcases the architect's use of hexagons and local materials in his groundbreaking designs.

Begins: 9 a.m. on Monday, October 11 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh
Ends: 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 11 at the Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh

Cost: $60

Cost includes: Transport by motor coach and admission

Cost does NOT include: Lunch

Facilities: Fallingwater has a small café and Ohiopyle has venues for lunch

Minimum Number of Participants: 30
Maximum Number of Participants: 45

Leader:
Ilona Weyers
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, USA
weyersi@CarnegieMNH.org

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