Girty’s Woods conservation project aiming to protect the expansive woodlands within Reserve Township, adjacent to Shaler and Millvale hit two key milestones last week when the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) awarded a $300,000 grant to Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) for the acquisition of the land and the community raised the full $40,000 for the local read more
Items of Interest
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October
14
October
Wilderness First Responder Course – Jan 2021 at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
SOLO's Wilderness First Responder (WFR) is the recognized industry standard and the perfect course for anyone working in a position of outdoor leadership or who wants a high level of wilderness medical training. This 8 day course is a comprehensive and in-depth look at the standards and skills dealing with: Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Environmental read more
8
October
Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Plan 2020-2024 Educational Webinars
Pennsylvania has a new five-year Outdoor Recreation Plan with five top priorities. The plan – Recreation for All – is a blueprint including 20 recommendations and 70 action steps for meeting the outdoor recreation needs of all Pennsylvanians. Plan developers built the 2020 plan by gathering input on Pennsylvanians’ outdoor recreation needs and wants from recreation read more
7
October
PFBC Now Accepting Applications for Boating Facility Grant Program with Special Emphasis on the Delaware River Watershed
As a growing number of communities realize the positive social and economic impacts of having convenient boating access along their local waterways, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is excited to offer a round of Boating Facility Grants to help communities capitalize on the surge in new boating activity. The PFBC encourages townships, boroughs, municipal and read more
30
September
Conservancy Announces “Nature Heals: Restore, Renew, Reconnect” Photo Contest Winners and Gallery Exhibition
Through summer 2020, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy held its third annual juried photo contest, "Nature Heals: Restore, Renew, Reconnect." The contest invited local photographers to capture striking nature photos from the Upper Delaware River region in five categories: landscape, wildlife, macro, water, and new this year, a youth category for photographers under 18. The read more
11
September
DCNR Announces 2020 Virtual Grant Workshops for Recreation and Conservation Projects
Need funding for a park, trail, or conservation project? The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) – Bureau of Recreation and Conservation is hosting its free, annual grant workshops in November. All workshops will be virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone interested in applying for bureau grants in 2021 is strongly encouraged read more
9
September
Help The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Improve Their Communications
The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation is updating their Communications and Outreach Plan for 2021. As part of that update, they want to hear from YOU about ways they can improve their communications (like this e-news!) to make them as useful and enjoyable as possible. The Bureau has put together a brief, anonymous survey about their outreach efforts and your professional read more
4
September
Parks Use Increases by 135% in Allegheny County
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has announced that parks use in Allegheny County increased 135% during the period of July 12 through August 23, compared to baseline usage data. The increase was reported in the August 23 Pennsylvania COVID-19 Community Mobility Report published by Google, which is calculated using aggregated and anonymized Google user data. “This Labor Day, read more
3
September
ChesLen Chase 2020 a virtual race…all over the place!
Natural Lands’ annual ChesLen Chase for Open Space has gone virtual this year. Registered runners can choose their own race length, pace, and location. Proceeds benefit Natural Lands’ work to save open space, care for nature, and connect people to the outdoors across the region. Dates: Saturday, October 10, through Sunday, October 18 Distances: 2 miles, 5K, 10K, half read more
2
September
Delaware Highlands Conservancy Announces “Conservation Conversations,” Virtual Happy Hour on October 15th
Delaware Highlands Conservancy announces “Conservation Conversations,” a virtual gathering and happy hour on Thursday, October 15th, from 4:30pm-6:00pm via Zoom. Join the Conservancy’s Land Protection Coordinators Trey Talley and Kaylan Hubbard to learn about the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and how we can help you protect your land. Attendees will learn about conservation read more
2
September
Nominations Open: Champions of the Chesapeake
Since 2014, Chesapeake Conservancy has recognized numerous individuals and organizations as Champions of the Chesapeake for their dedication to the conservation and preservation of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, and deemed a national treasure. This year, the Chesapeake Conservancy wants YOU to nominate an individual deserving of this read more
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August
Hawk Mountain to host Fall Native Plant Sale September 12
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary will host its annual Autumn Native Plant Sale on Saturday, September 12 outside of the Visitor Center from 10 am to 3 pm, featuring over 100 species of native trees, grasses, vines, shrubs, and flowering plants. The sale is open to the public, and all proceeds benefit Hawk Mountain's conservation and education programs. Native plants available for read more
7
August
Hawk Mountain Flies into Fall with Annual Autumn Migration Kick-off
Hawk Mountain invites visitors to watch and monitor the annual passage of raptor migrants as they move south during the Autumn Hawk Watch, held daily August 15 through December 15, at the Sanctuary’s famous North Lookout. Trail fees apply for non-members and cost $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. Members are admitted free year-round, and read more
7
August
Land Conservancy of Adams County Art Auction Goes Virtual Beginning Sept. 4
The Land Conservancy of Adams County’s 23rd annual Art Auction will go virtual this year beginning Friday, Sept. 4. The long-running auction, which raises money to support rural land conservation in Adams County, will feature a wide variety of artwork donated by local and regional artists and art collectors—everything from painting and drawing to ceramics, jewelry, and other read more
6
August
Wolf Administration Announces Grants to be Available for Protecting Non-Game Species
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced that its Wild Resource Conservation Program are accepting applications for grants to protect the state’s native biodiversity. Overseen by DCNR, the program safeguards Pennsylvania’s non-game animals, native plants, and their habitat. Grant applications will be accepted in three read more
