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Grant Awarded for 162 Acre Addition to White Clay Creek Preserve
DCNR
Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the department has awarded a
$754,300 grant for a major addition at White Clay Creek Preserve.
"White
Clay Creek Preserve is integral to providing outdoor recreation
opportunities in this community and the region at large, which is why we
are pleased to make today’s grant announcement,” Dunn said.
The acquisition of the Martin tract adds 162 acres to White Clay Creek Preserve for additional recreation space.
The
3,050-acre White Clay Creek Preserve is in southern Chester County,
three miles north of Newark, Delaware, and possess outstanding scenic,
wildlife, recreational, and cultural value. It has been designated by
Congress as a National Wild and Scenic River. Read more…
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Protect Against Tickborne Diseases When Venturing Outdoors
Pennsylvanians
experiencing “spring fever,” that perennial urge to venture outdoors to
hike, hunt, fish, and explore, should plan now to protect themselves
and their families against potentially serious tickborne diseases --
including Lyme disease and the rare, but dangerous, deer tick virus,
which has been found in ticks at high levels for the first time in
multiple locations around the state.
“Pennsylvanians
should learn about the threats posed by tickborne diseases and take
commonsense precautions so they can enjoy our abundant natural resources
-- and the many wonderful physical and mental health benefits of
outdoor recreation -- as safely as possible,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy
Adams Dunn.
At
the locations where the Department of Environmental Protection’s Tick
Surveillance and Testing Program found high levels of deer tick virus,
the infection rate exceeded 80 percent of ticks sampled.
Deer
tick virus has been detected in a total of 15 Pennsylvania counties,
and the statewide infection rate outside of the multiple “hotspot”
locations is currently 0.6 percent of ticks sampled. Read more…
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Importance of Outdoor Recreation Highlighted at Cumberland County Fly Shop
DCNR
Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, Department of Community and Economic
Development Acting Secretary Neil Weaver, and Fish and Boat Commission
Executive Director Tim Schaeffer visited TCO Fly Shop in Boiling
Springs, Cumberland County, to highlight the significance of outdoor
recreation to the economy and to the well-being of all Pennsylvanians.
“We
are fortunate to have a wealth of public lands, waters, and energetic
entrepreneurs that, combined with Pennsylvanians’ love for the outdoors,
have created a great environment for outdoor recreation businesses,”
Dunn said.
Pennsylvania’s
waters provide excellent fishing opportunities. In 2021, more than
920,000 anglers purchased a fishing license, marking a continued
resurgence in the popularity of fishing and boating as affordable,
family-friendly outdoor activities. Read more…
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DCNR Names New Park Manager for Washington Crossing Historic Park
DCNR
Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the appointment of Mike Kuzar to
manage Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County.
“Washington
Crossing is unique because of its historic legacy and the partnerships
it has with the community that go along with the traditional park
operations,” Kuzar said. “This is a great opportunity, and I am grateful
to have the privilege of working in this park and using my past
experience to take on this new challenge.”
Kuzar
will oversee the 500-acre park that preserves the site of George
Washington’s dramatic boat crossing of the Delaware River during the
American Revolution and is a National Historic Landmark. Read more…
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Delaware Canal State Park Towpath Selected as 2022 Trail of The Year
The Delaware Canal State Park Towpath has been named Pennsylvania’s 2022 Trail of the Year.
“We
celebrate the Delaware Canal State Park Towpath and the multitude of
outdoor recreation opportunities it has provided for generations, as it
continues to be a destination for so many people,” DCNR secretary Cindy
Adams Dunn said. “With this honor, I am hopeful that even more people
seek out this gem of a trail and the larger region to which it connects
its users.”
The
Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee designates the Trail of the Year
to help build enthusiasm and support for trails across the state, and
to raise public awareness about the value of the Pennsylvania’s land and
water trail network.
Pennsylvania
continues its tradition of being a leader in trail development by
providing its citizens and visitors with more than 12,000 miles of
trails. Read more…
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Tohickon Creek Whitewater Release Planned for Annual Boating Event
Whitewater
boating enthusiasts once again will converge on Bucks County’s Tohickon
Creek Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20, when DCNR releases water from
Lake Nockamixon into Tohickon Creek.
The
water releases from the Nockamixon State Park dam provide suitable
whitewater boating conditions downstream through Ralph Stover State Park
from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. each day.
Water
releases begin at 4:00 A.M. Several hours later, the release,
consisting of millions of gallons of water moving down the waterway,
will create class 3 and 4 whitewater conditions at Ralph Stover State
Park. Suggested hours for viewing the release and boating activity are
from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. at Ralph Stover. Read more…
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Good Natured Pennsylvanians
Margot
Kaye is a forestry professor at Penn State University who also coaches
for a local youth mountain biking team and is an avid outdoor
recreationist.
Margot
teaches Forest Ecology, Forest Fire Management, and Research Integrity
and Communication in the Ecosystem Science and Management Department.
She
also is the head coach for the youth mountain biking team -- Centre
County Crows -- for kids in sixth to twelfth grade as a part of the
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League.
“Our
goals are to get more kids on bikes in the woods, provide youth
cyclists an inclusive community where they can learn to ride in a safe
and fun environment, and increase diversity and accessibility in
mountain biking,” Margot says. “We have 50 riders on the team and 12
coaches, and the really exciting thing is that our team is nearly 50
percent female -- typically teams are less than 20 percent female.”
The teams get to go out riding in Rothrock, Bald Eagle, and Moshannon state forests.
Margot
thinks that access to public lands for recreation is essential for
keeping the population engaged in conservation. Central Pennsylvania has
an incredible amount of public lands that can be used for hiking,
biking, hunting, bird watching, horse riding, and more.
“What’s
amazing is that these forests are also providing wildlife habitat, wood
products, and water protection,” she says. “Each person who spends time
in a state park or state forest -- or municipal park or forest -- is
likely to think about stewardship of that land.”
Margot
finds that a bike is an excellent way to explore the outdoors, and that
working with kids on bikes in the woods is a blast.
She
hopes that by taking more kids in to the woods on bikes, they will feel
a deep connection to the outdoors, and contribute to land conservation,
land use, and recreation access.
Know
of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor
recreation and/or conservation that we should feature? Contact us at ra-resource@pa.gov to nominate someone.
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Also in the News |
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Wolf Administration Announces Funding to Protect Lake Erie
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced that six projects received Coastal Zone Grants
totaling more than $250,000. The grants, which are aimed at protecting
and restoring the Lake Erie Coastal Zone, will be used toward projects
that will benefit this critical habitat and ecosystem.
The
funding was announced at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, where the
Regional Science Consortium, a grant recipient of $62,525, invited
Department of Environmental Protection officials to take a firsthand
look at the research being conducted on harmful algal blooms as a result
of receiving their grant.
“Harmful
algal blooms remain a growing concern in Lake Erie,” said Department of
Environmental Protection’s Northwest Regional Director Erin Wells. “The
Regional Science Consortium’s research is vital in helping protect the
thousands of visitors to the shores of Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay.”
Coastal
Zone Grants are awarded to projects related to fisheries, wetlands,
recreation, public education, coastal hazards such as bluff recession,
and other areas.
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Mark your Calendars for Trout Season Opening and Mentored Youth Day
Anglers
from across the state are gearing up to fish their favorite spots at
8:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 2, 2022, which marks the opening day of
trout season.
Since
late February, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has been busy
stocking waterways with a fresh supply of brook, brown, and rainbow
trout.
With
approximately 3.2 million adult trout stocked in lakes and creeks,
along with more than 70 stocked state park waterways and lakes, anglers
will have plenty of opportunities to catch a stocked or wild trout.
Boaters
are reminded they are required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life
jacket while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length
or on any kayak, canoe, or paddleboard. This yearly, mandatory
requirement lasts through Saturday, April 30.
Opening days are:
Anglers are encouraged to stay aware of local and statewide burn bans during spring wildfire season.
Information about fishing opportunities at Pennsylvania state parks and forests is available at the DCNR website. Additional information and trout stocking schedules are available at the Fish and Boat Commission’s website.
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Help Plant Trees This Spring in Pennsylvania
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Pennsylvania Forests Team is looking for volunteers to help plant nearly 5,000 trees
across the commonwealth! Consider attending one of these spring forest
plantings and be a part of restoring Pennsylvania’s lands and waters.
Plantings will begin Thursday, March 31, and take place across Centre, Franklin, Lancaster, Schuylkill, and York counties.
All
plantings begin at 9:00 A.M. Additional information will follow via
email closer to the planting date about parking locations and other
important details.
Please register online for any plantings you wish to attend.
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Grow Native Plants to Thwart Invasive Species
DCNR recently published a blog about how native plants can and should be used in the fight against invasive species.
According
to the blog, if we want to get the upper hand on invasive plants, then
we need to take a page from nature and restore our native seed source
plants to a dominant status in our disturbed landscapes. Doing so will
help to restore a functional ecosystem.
However,
the prospect of outcompeting invasive species by planting natives on a
large-scale basis is not realistic if there is not enough human
participation. Read more…
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Botanical Bullies and Pennsylvania’s Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Law Webinar
PennState
Extension is hosting a free webinar for home gardeners, outdoor
enthusiasts, land owners, farmers, and landscaping professionals to
learn more about invasive species, its impact on the environment, and
how Pennsylvania is attempting to stop their spread through
Pennsylvania’s Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Law.
The
Botanical Bullies and Pennsylvania’s Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed
Law webinar will be held Wednesday, March 23, from 6:00 P.M. until 7:30
P.M.
Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar.
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High
gas prices can have a big effect on the environment as well as our
wallets. Fuel conservation can help drive your cost down as well as
reduce the emissions being released into the atmosphere.
Here are some tips to help reduce fuel use:
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Sap is flowing in many parts of the commonwealth, but maple sugaring season will soon be winding down.
Check out these upcoming events and festivals about this all-natural product produced right here in Pennsylvania’s woods:
Check the DCNR calendar of events regularly for additional events, as they are continually being added.
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Featured Photo |
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Holman Lake at Little Buffalo State Park
is hopping! The ice is nearly all gone and the waterfowl have returned!
As of last week there were approximately 90 tundra swans on the lake,
more than 75 Canada geese, dozens of common mergansers, over two dozen
ring-necked ducks, pintails, wigeons, and more.
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