Lehigh's Campus Comes Alive: Nature on South Mountain

Look a little closer, and campus comes alive in unexpected ways. From vibrant flowers in bloom to the intricate beauty of insects and native plant life, it’s the small details that make spring on South Mountain feel so alive.

“It's been a joy to have the opportunity to highlight Bethlehem's biodiversity,” says Ray Kennedy ’26. “Whenever I lead BioBlitz trips — whether up South Mountain to look for eastern red-backs or to collect insects — people always marvel at how much life lives in the 'backyard' of Lehigh University. You can spend an hour within a 5-by 5-foot square, flipping over every rock, shuffling through all the leaf litter, and searching between every tree branch.”

Lehigh’s BioBlitz club encourages students and community members to get outside and engage with nature through citizen science. Using the iNaturalist app, participants document and catalog the region's biodiversity, creating observations that spark curiosity about the natural world while also contributing to ecological research.

“It's my hope that as our club gains more traction, Lehigh can place greater emphasis on local wildlife conservation efforts, South Mountain trails, and even field-based courses in biology,” says Kennedy. “We’re so lucky that we get to live within walking distance to so much nature, and it's critical that we, as Bethlehem residents, ensure South Mountain Forest is protected.”

“The campus and forest of South Mountain are tremendous natural resources for the Lehigh community and provide vital support for the region’s biodiversity,” says Robert Booth, professor of earth and environmental sciences. “Over 900 species have been documented on South Mountain by citizen scientists — with the majority of those observations made by Lehigh students as part of the efforts of the BioBlitz club.”

Explore the gallery below for a closer look at the nature thriving around campus.