09/03/2026
There are moments in time that never leave us. For the Temple Ambler community and our regional neighbors, there will always be “before the September 1, 2021, tornado” and “after the September 1, 2021, tornado.”
Five years later, on Tuesday, September 1, the Temple community, our neighbors and friends gathered together not only to remember, but to also recognize what we all have accomplished since. “Come Back Stronger” wasn’t just a rallying cry, it was a concrete plan, put into action from day one after the storm and acted upon ever since.
From Disturbance to Discovery: A Living Landscape Five Years Later, presented by the Temple Ambler Field Station and the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, was a celebration of perseverance, exploring the work that so many have put into essential recovery tasks while also discovering unique and important opportunities following the storm.
Those efforts include Field Station researchers comprehensively studying disturbance ecology; the Ambler Arboretum planting more than 1,000 trees meant not just to replace what was lost but to build upon what remained and plan for a future on a warming planet; and Upper Dublin Township rebuilding, in many cases from the ground up, all while ensuring the safety and security of their residents.
We’d like to thank everyone who took a moment to spend time with us on this important milestone date. We’d also like to thank everyone who made this program possible, especially our presenters, including Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners Chair Ira S. Tackel; Jillian Harris, Nora Gibson and Danill Zakirzyanov of the Boyer College of Music and Dance - Temple University for their incredible interpretive dance presentation; artist Rebecca Kamen and her reflections on resilience and our “Stories from the Forest” panelists: Dr. Amy Freestone, Former Director of the Temple Ambler Field Station; Joe Imszennik, Temple University Ambler Facilities Manager; Keri Kern, former Temple Ambler Field Station Research Assistant; Stephanie Bross, Ambler Arboretum Gardens Manager; Tim Schuck, Fire Marshal/Fire Services Administrator for the Township of Upper Dublin; Darren Nyce, Investigative Lieutenant for the Upper Dublin Township Police Department; Tammy Echevarria, Assistant Director of the Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation Department; and Derek Dureka, Director of Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation.
“The tornado is part of our history. But the way we responded to it, and what we continue to build from that response, is what makes us who we are.” — Dr. Mariana Bonfim, Managing Director, Temple Ambler Field Station.
