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Volunteer Cleanup planned for May 17 at Hyner Run State Park

HYNER — On Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m., join some of the park staff for a “Spring Cleanup” at Hyner Run State Park. The projects will mainly revolve around tidying up the main day use area of the park, and will include, but will not be limited to, mulching, adding sand to the horseshoe pits, staining and placing new boards on picnic tables. Gloves and tools will be provided. Please be sure to arrive at least a half an hour before 10 a.m. to fill out volunteer forms and get instruction. Also, make sure to wear work shoes or work boots and dress appropriately ...

Pennsylvania’s triumvirate of songbird mimics

With one of the largest shares of Appalachian Mountains among all the eastern states, Pennsylvania is home to many dozens of songbirds that fill our forestlands each summer. These voracious insectivores not only protect forest trees from overgrazing by insects, but also produce a rich array ...

Big bears among those harvested in 2024

They don’t grow them this big everywhere, but Pennsylvania has its share of giant bears. Released today by the Game Commission, the 2024 bear harvest totals prove that yet again. Consider the Venango County bear Heath Bromley, of Titusville, got with a crossbow in October. It weighed in ...

Penn State Master Gardeners plant seeds for gardening success

UNIVERSITY PARK — For Sue Hynicker, leaving a legacy means helping to put fresh food on her community’s tables. A Penn State Extension Master Gardener volunteer in Lancaster County, Hynicker helped pilot “Adopt a Pantry,” a collaboration between the Master Gardener program and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. The initiative addresses food insecurity in Lancaster County by donating excess produce from community gardens to local food pantries. “I’m 71,” she said. “I was a nurse all my life. If I can get this off the ground and these gardens can contribute fruit and ...

Penns Valley Shooting Team places first in Harrisburg

PHOTO PROVIDED The Penns Valley Shooting Team placed first at the 2025 Pennsylvania State BB Gun Championship Match in Harrisburg recently. The team will be heading to Rogers, Ark., in June for the National BB Gun Match. The team consists of Jeramiah Shaffer, Andrew Royer, Nate Watson, Owen ...

‘Plants in the Park’ series to run from April to November

UNIVERSITY PARK — Interested in learning about plants while exploring the natural world? Penn State Extension will offer “Plants in the Park: Plant Identification Walk” on multiple dates and locations from March to November. Led by Cathryn Pugh, forestry and wildlife extension educator, each session will feature a leisurely walk through a state park, where participants will discover common plants and learn the basics of plant identification. The workshop will cover botany terminology, plant identification of common species and wildlife uses of plants. Walks will be up to 0.5 ...