If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online
*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
FOR TWENTY YEARS
Our Mission: Inspire Stewardship of Pennsylvania's State Parks and Forests
Best Seat in the House - RB Winter State Park
fotography by felicia
I had a lovely time yesterday with Friends of Canoe Creek's trail crew, friends from REI's Bedford Distribution Center, and the crack CCSP staff (and their really nice digger machine). We placed 12 trees in various places around the park - nice sized service berries, maples, oaks, and crabapples. Who knew the temperatures were going to climb into the 80s? Word is that as you're reading this today it will barely make 45.
Still the weekend may provide "best color" over much of the commonwealth, with you lucky folks in the southeast still barely changed according to the Fall Foliage Report.
Sadly my attempts to get any dazzling photographs this week fell far short of expectations with too many cloudy days. But we did also get a bit of rain so no complaints here. Fortunately, fotography by felicia came through with a beautiful masthead from R.B. Winter, one of my favorite parks.
Pam Metzger
Membership Coordinator
Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation
News of Note
Bill would call these next couple of items the condiments section. Where we
"catch up" on some things that have trickled in over the past weeks.
First up is the Indiana County EcoTour from the Evergreen Conservancy combining a little learning with a little fun. The Indiana County GeoTrail is a big part of the project, beckoning geocachers out and about in the county to 20 different sites of ecological significance. The trail has been up and running since 2017 but we are ... catching up!
The second item is a wonderful little historical artifact shared by Bill Saylor who recently participated in the annual CCC tour of Laurel Hill State Park arranged by our good friend John Eastlake, CCC historian. Bill noted that when he and his family were renovating their cabin near Dyer Farm Camp S-135 (near North Bend in Potter County) they found that the CCC boys used old Stegmaier Beer cans (of Wilkes-Barre) for flashing. Here are two of the flattened cans that were removed from the roof complete with nail holes and tar.
Item third is a documentary series on PBS called America's Forests with Chuck Leavell. Whether your local station has picked up the series or not, it is available (four episodes thus far) to watch on the website. The first episode (filmed in 2018) centers on Oregon which, in light of the recent fires in the state, makes the perspective of Chuck and his guests on forests and fires that much more poignant. Later episodes focus on California, Carolina (South), and Colorado.
DCNR has put out the call for three at-large members of the Trails Advisory Committee, as well as a representative for snowmobile users and one for people with disabilities. Check the press release for requirements, deadlines, and additional information.
Breaking News!
The winners of the annual Parks & Forests Through the Seasons photo contest HAVE BEEN POSTED.
Check out the gallery on our website to see the winners. (How interesting that both the judges and regular folk chose bird photos as best in show.)
People's Choice Best in Show - Jean Palmer. Gifford Pinchot State Park.
Judges' Choice Best in Show - Bruce Walkovich. Prince Gallitzin State Park.
Pictures of the Week
My eye was caught by "before and after" this week.
I had intended to use Ethan Field's September photo of Fog in the Grand Canyon from Colton Point State Park in last week's edition but the brain cells didn't quite engage enough to remember.
And just so you might see how things have changed since Ethan's photo, here is a shot from Erin Greaves/Flexible Living Nutrition & Yoga from kind of the same vantage point taken this week.
Along those same lines, here's Chapman State Park as taken by Maggie McNaughton at the beginning of the month ... and
Patricia Anderson visited the same spot last weekend and found quite a different view. All by way of saying, it's time to get out there!
At Work and Play in the Parks and Forests
Hiking, volunteering, education. Lots still happening!
Looking ahead through the calendar you'll find empty spaces in the next few months as the seasonal educators transition into their off time. The next potential big event will be First Day Hikes. We'll talk more about them as time goes on and we have some clarity on crowd control in an age of COVID.
These and other fun events and fulfilling volunteer opportunities can be found on the PPFF events calendar and DCNR Calendar of Events. Bookmark them and you'll never miss the boat (or hike or pedal).
Take Five for Trivia
Congratulations to all who knew that the very special Pennsylvanian who turned 376 years old on Wednesday is in fact the original Pennsylvanian - William Penn himself. He was a conservationist ahead of his time, understanding the importance of trees to the colony he and the others were establishing.
Reader EHH related growing up on a farm in Northampton County that was purchased from a family who had purchased it from the Penn family. Ties like these to our past are amazing - it reminded me of the news story this week that President John Tyler's grandson died at the age of 95. Tyler, you'll recall, was the 10th President who left office in 175 years ago. The late Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Jr. was a son of Tyler and his second wife; his own father was also the son of a second wife. Oh, and one more grandson still lives!
Thus do we learn that "history" is not so far removed from us as we might think.
You will notice in our Best in Show cardinal photo that it is the male feeding the youngster. Is he the norm for the species or just a Sensitive New Age Guy?
Send your answer to me and I'll enter you into the month's random drawing for a goodie from the prize closet if you answer correctly. Enter each week for more chances to win.
Where Are We?
Places boxed in red are from photos and calendar listings. Click it to see it bigger. Spot Canoe Creek State Park which I neglected to box at all!
Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization - contributions to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. The official registration and financial information of PPFF may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll-free within Pennsylvania, to 800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Item third is a documentary series on PBS called 
