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Reflections in Nature: Arrival of March means spring is almost here

Hopefully we all made it through the month of February. Although February is our shortest month, it appeared to me that it would never end and was happy to turn the page on the calendar to the month of March. Although many of us consider March as the start of spring, cold weather and snowstorms can still occur. However we will begin to see signs of spring, such as migrating birds returning home and tinges of color appearing on the hill sides. The weatherman tells us that March is the beginning of the meteorological spring however the date shown on the calendar as the first day of ...

Newest game wardens join their latest ranks

HARRISBURG — Their training now complete, Pennsylvania’s newest State Game Wardens are working in their newly assigned districts. The 36th Class of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Ross Leffler School of Conservation graduated Feb. 1, adding 18 more officers to the ranks. Members of the 36th Class and their assigned districts are: Jonathon R. Boland (McKean County); Travis L. Brown (Schuylkill County); Alex J. Christofaro (Berks County); Alex W. Cook (Montgomery County); Kaitlyn L. Corle (Fulton County); Isaac N. Decker (Delaware County); Madeline M. Delly (Dauphin County); ...

PFBC announces first round of 2025 boating facility grants

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is excited to announce the first round of grants awarded in 2025 through the Boating Facility Grant Program. Through this program, the PFBC provides grants for the planning, acquisition, development, expansion, and rehabilitation of public boating facilities located on the waters of the Commonwealth. The goal of the program is to ensure Pennsylvania’s recreational boaters have convenient and high-quality boating facilities. Funds for this program are derived primarily from boat registration fees and state motorboat fuel ...

Myers of the Sullivan Co. shooting team takes gold at competition

The USA Shooting men’s, women’s and junior’s National Trap Teams have been named, bringing the 2025 Trap Spring Selection Match in West Palm Beach to a close. Among those named to the2025 national junior women’s trap team included a local face in Lucy Myers of the Sullivan County ...

Being present with nature in new ways

Just be present where you are. This sage advice is advised in many current mental and physical health modalities aimed to support relaxation and decreased stress: yoga, tai chi and meditation classes, for example. Increasingly, school teachers teach this skill to help kids learn to settle themselves and to identify their feelings as a component of emotional intelligence. No matter our age, we could all improve that skill. Some of these modalities use nature specifically as a focus for practicing being present. This article explores deeper levels of being present. At a most basic ...

Make sure to watch for short-eared owls this winter

February is an excellent time for seasoned birders and casual nature enthusiasts to watch for one of Pennsylvania’s more delightful raptors: the elusive short-eared owl. Among our state’s winter visitors, these enigmatic owls stand out not only for their beauty but also for their ...