Carnegie Museum of Natural History — Powdermill Nature Reserve

Biological field station in Westmoreland County providing research, monitoring, and environmental education services for the Laurel Highlands region.

Powdermill Nature Reserve is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's field research station, located on 2,200 acres in the Laurel Highlands. The reserve conducts long-term ecological monitoring, hosts visiting researchers, and offers environmental education programs. Its water-quality monitoring program tracks stream health in the Loyalhanna watershed and beyond. Watershed groups can partner with Powdermill on research projects, citizen science initiatives, and educator workshops. The reserve's bird banding station is one of the longest-running in North America. Powdermill also maintains weather and stream-flow data that support regional watershed research.