CBEST
@cbestvu.bsky.social
The Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship (CBEST) promotes research in biodiversity and ecosystem science on local and global scales. We are part the College of Liberal Arts at Villanova University. They/Them/We/Us
Increasing biodiversity. Anchoring in greenspace. Solid research, local and global. Graduate/undergraduate world class scholarship. Volunteering in the world. To help support our efforts: tinyurl.com/2s4zxtks type in biodiversity for designations, then click us!
September 29, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Increasing biodiversity. Anchoring in greenspace. Solid research, local and global. Graduate/undergraduate world class scholarship. Volunteering in the world. To help support our efforts: tinyurl.com/2s4zxtks type in biodiversity for designations, then click us!
Blooming now. Anyone near VU have cheapo pots we can use for plant swap? (smooth aster, goldenrod, rudbeckia for interest)
September 28, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Blooming now. Anyone near VU have cheapo pots we can use for plant swap? (smooth aster, goldenrod, rudbeckia for interest)
Sleepy rainy week ahead. Great time to think about all those native plants in your yard that need to be thinned and shared and given a new home. October free plant swap in the works at VU. Spread the love.
September 22, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Sleepy rainy week ahead. Great time to think about all those native plants in your yard that need to be thinned and shared and given a new home. October free plant swap in the works at VU. Spread the love.
Thank goodness. Fat Bear week has arrived. explore.org/fat-bear-week
Fat Bear Week 2026 - Explore.org
Explore.org is the world's leading philanthropic live nature cam network and documentary film channel. Our mission is to champion the selfless acts of others, create a portal into the soul of humanity...
explore.org
September 22, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Thank goodness. Fat Bear week has arrived. explore.org/fat-bear-week
The Academy of Natural Sciences has given countless kids inspiration for a lifetime in science, it has provided an avenue for scientists with research and extensive historical collections, it opens the perceptions of the public in a way no other museum in Philly does.
We have *six days* left until the Academy of Natural Sciences, North America's oldest Natural History museum, is scheduled to close it's doors.
Here are *six reasons* why we cannot - and will not- let that happen.
Here are *six reasons* why we cannot - and will not- let that happen.
September 22, 2026 at 1:15 PM
The Academy of Natural Sciences has given countless kids inspiration for a lifetime in science, it has provided an avenue for scientists with research and extensive historical collections, it opens the perceptions of the public in a way no other museum in Philly does.
Reposted by CBEST
Goooood morning!
The 2026 Snail Facts Calendars are OUT! We've got 24 days of scratchable snail fact goodness, designed by Philly artist Kelly Nichols!
Advent calendars are cute as hell, a delightful tradition, and keep @skypeascientist.bsky.social funded!
Get one at SquidFacts.net
Pls repost ❤️
The 2026 Snail Facts Calendars are OUT! We've got 24 days of scratchable snail fact goodness, designed by Philly artist Kelly Nichols!
Advent calendars are cute as hell, a delightful tradition, and keep @skypeascientist.bsky.social funded!
Get one at SquidFacts.net
Pls repost ❤️
August 21, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Goooood morning!
The 2026 Snail Facts Calendars are OUT! We've got 24 days of scratchable snail fact goodness, designed by Philly artist Kelly Nichols!
Advent calendars are cute as hell, a delightful tradition, and keep @skypeascientist.bsky.social funded!
Get one at SquidFacts.net
Pls repost ❤️
The 2026 Snail Facts Calendars are OUT! We've got 24 days of scratchable snail fact goodness, designed by Philly artist Kelly Nichols!
Advent calendars are cute as hell, a delightful tradition, and keep @skypeascientist.bsky.social funded!
Get one at SquidFacts.net
Pls repost ❤️
Villanova friends! This biodiversity hotspot is right here on west campus and will be part of a Villanova walking trail soon? We're working on signage, and Grounds will help with beefing up the path! Remember: goldenrod is not the cause of your allergies: Breathe the fresh air.... #VillanovaMeadow
September 15, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Villanova friends! This biodiversity hotspot is right here on west campus and will be part of a Villanova walking trail soon? We're working on signage, and Grounds will help with beefing up the path! Remember: goldenrod is not the cause of your allergies: Breathe the fresh air.... #VillanovaMeadow
Hey Locals! Into fungi? (and who isn't?) Head on over to Swarthmore's Fungi-fest! Starting Sept 28th and running for the week! tinyurl.com/fungifest26
September 8, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Hey Locals! Into fungi? (and who isn't?) Head on over to Swarthmore's Fungi-fest! Starting Sept 28th and running for the week! tinyurl.com/fungifest26
Reposted by CBEST
I feel like I’m going to throw up
September 1, 2026 at 4:47 PM
I feel like I’m going to throw up
Moment of Tuesday afternoon Zen: the Mountain Mint is alive with pollinators today. At least 10 spp. of critters (some in abundance) were making this clump of Pycanthemum their own. #biodiversity #plantnative #ifyouplantittheywillcome
August 25, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Moment of Tuesday afternoon Zen: the Mountain Mint is alive with pollinators today. At least 10 spp. of critters (some in abundance) were making this clump of Pycanthemum their own. #biodiversity #plantnative #ifyouplantittheywillcome
How great is a #nativeplant garden? Not only surviving this summer without any human intervention, but thriving. no less than 17 spp in bloom currently #nowateringnecessary
July 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM
How great is a #nativeplant garden? Not only surviving this summer without any human intervention, but thriving. no less than 17 spp in bloom currently #nowateringnecessary
Moment of Pollinator-Garden-Zen. Anyone else in SE PA seeing fewer pollinators? That April heat followed by hard freeze really did a number on our critters.... and bonus: the birds are so desperate for fruit this year, no chance of any of us beating them to the blueberries on campus...
July 6, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Moment of Pollinator-Garden-Zen. Anyone else in SE PA seeing fewer pollinators? That April heat followed by hard freeze really did a number on our critters.... and bonus: the birds are so desperate for fruit this year, no chance of any of us beating them to the blueberries on campus...
Reposted by CBEST
June 15, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by CBEST
Interested in #macroevolution, #macroecology, and mountain biodiversity?
I'm recruiting a #postdoc for an NSF-funded project at Yale, in collaboration with Martha Muñoz (Yale) and Maya Stokes (Florida State University).
I'll be at #Evol2026 and happy to chat!
Link below
I'm recruiting a #postdoc for an NSF-funded project at Yale, in collaboration with Martha Muñoz (Yale) and Maya Stokes (Florida State University).
I'll be at #Evol2026 and happy to chat!
Link below
June 11, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Interested in #macroevolution, #macroecology, and mountain biodiversity?
I'm recruiting a #postdoc for an NSF-funded project at Yale, in collaboration with Martha Muñoz (Yale) and Maya Stokes (Florida State University).
I'll be at #Evol2026 and happy to chat!
Link below
I'm recruiting a #postdoc for an NSF-funded project at Yale, in collaboration with Martha Muñoz (Yale) and Maya Stokes (Florida State University).
I'll be at #Evol2026 and happy to chat!
Link below
To celebrate World Peatland Day, 2026, enjoy this #peatlandcomplex as experienced from a research helicopter in the wilds of Alberta. Ombrotrophic, sporophyte, sphagnum, monoecious, serotinous, sequestration, muskeg, flark. Not just beautiful: the importance of these ecosystems is boundless.
June 2, 2026 at 4:06 PM
To celebrate World Peatland Day, 2026, enjoy this #peatlandcomplex as experienced from a research helicopter in the wilds of Alberta. Ombrotrophic, sporophyte, sphagnum, monoecious, serotinous, sequestration, muskeg, flark. Not just beautiful: the importance of these ecosystems is boundless.
Hey hey - save the date - June 9 at 7 pm hybrid talk out of Radnor EAC promoting increasing range of natives through the lens of climate change to increase biodiversity in your backyard! Good stuff.
temple.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
temple.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Radnor Township EAC Lecture Series -- "Assisted Plant Migration: Expanding Our Native Plant Palette for Climate Change" - with Eva Monheim . After register...
Whether we know it or not, plant migration has been happening since humans and animals have walked the face of the earth. But now more than ever we need to be more conscious as to what we are moving a...
temple.zoom.us
May 26, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Hey hey - save the date - June 9 at 7 pm hybrid talk out of Radnor EAC promoting increasing range of natives through the lens of climate change to increase biodiversity in your backyard! Good stuff.
temple.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
temple.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Great day to grab a plant at the VU greenhouse!! storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c514...
CBEST Native Plant Event/FEST 2026
Thursday, May 7th, 10am-2:00pm: Biology Greenhouse. Thank you for coming out and supporting us!
storymaps.arcgis.com
May 7, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Great day to grab a plant at the VU greenhouse!! storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c514...
Come support our #biodiversity on campus initiatives by donating at our Native and Garden Plant Fest this Thursday, May 7th. 10-2. Bring your own bags, take away some plants! VU greenhouse near the train station. #justplantit arcg.is/fvWPK
CBEST Native Plant Event/FEST 2026
Thursday, May 7th, 10am-2:00pm: Biology Greenhouse. Thank you for coming out and supporting us!
arcg.is
May 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Come support our #biodiversity on campus initiatives by donating at our Native and Garden Plant Fest this Thursday, May 7th. 10-2. Bring your own bags, take away some plants! VU greenhouse near the train station. #justplantit arcg.is/fvWPK
Big thank you to our awesome grad students Jessie Roncevic and Skylar Livengood for manning the table at Narberth EarthDay Festivities. Made friends and gave away awesome natives and seeds!
May 3, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Big thank you to our awesome grad students Jessie Roncevic and Skylar Livengood for manning the table at Narberth EarthDay Festivities. Made friends and gave away awesome natives and seeds!
Earth. Yep. We've got your back. Every every every day.
April 22, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Earth. Yep. We've got your back. Every every every day.
#BioBlitz tomorrow in West Campus Meadow here at VU. Don't miss it!! 1 pm All part of #EarthWeek fun here with CBEST. www.inaturalist.org/projects/vil... @villanovagev.bsky.social @inaturalist.bsky.social Come out and be a part of #citizenscience #biodiversity
Villanova Meadow Biodiversity
We share Villanova's campus with many cool plants, birds, insects and other organisms. The meadow is especially diverse and used by Villanova Biology and GEV courses such as Global change Ecology,...
www.inaturalist.org
April 20, 2026 at 1:57 PM
#BioBlitz tomorrow in West Campus Meadow here at VU. Don't miss it!! 1 pm All part of #EarthWeek fun here with CBEST. www.inaturalist.org/projects/vil... @villanovagev.bsky.social @inaturalist.bsky.social Come out and be a part of #citizenscience #biodiversity
Anyone have any awesome kids Backyard Biodiversity coloring sheets out there?
April 16, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Anyone have any awesome kids Backyard Biodiversity coloring sheets out there?
Thanks to all great people who came out to West Campus and helped remove invasive plants! So cool to work with Grounds Dept to make 🌎 a better place! Until next time Elaeagnus angustifolia. Make way for natives. @villanovagev.bsky.social
April 15, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Thanks to all great people who came out to West Campus and helped remove invasive plants! So cool to work with Grounds Dept to make 🌎 a better place! Until next time Elaeagnus angustifolia. Make way for natives. @villanovagev.bsky.social
Monday April 13, 2026 7:30, Aaron Bauer #herpetology scientist extraordinaire will give a talk in person at DCIS in Media. "How Geckos Rule the Night: From Ancient Amber to Modern Stowaways." Or, catch it live-streamed on delco science Facebook. Doors open at 7! www.facebook.com/delcoscience
Facebook
www.facebook.com
April 10, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Monday April 13, 2026 7:30, Aaron Bauer #herpetology scientist extraordinaire will give a talk in person at DCIS in Media. "How Geckos Rule the Night: From Ancient Amber to Modern Stowaways." Or, catch it live-streamed on delco science Facebook. Doors open at 7! www.facebook.com/delcoscience
Love the synergy!
Today students in GEV 4001, Advanced Sustainability Studies, spent time with Dr. Samantha Chapman from Villanova’s Dept. of Biology and the co-director of @cbestvu.bsky.social. Dr Chapman shared insights on the Center’s development, goals and projects...
April 9, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Love the synergy!