Wednesday, August 31, 2016

New PennDOT Vehicle License Plates Help Fund Bicycle Safety Efforts

The new “Share the Road” special fund registration plate designed to help fund bicycle safety is now in stock and being shipped to interested vehicle owners, PennDOT announced Wednesday.
The new plates were authorized by Act 36, referred to as the David (Dave) Bachman Act, which was enacted in June in memory of a PennDOT employee who served as the Department’s first Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator.  
All proceeds from the sale of the new plate fund PennDOT’s bicycle and pedestrian safety efforts, as well as highway infrastructure signage for bicyclists with the purpose of wayfinding and/or safety.
The “Share the Road” plate uses the same colors as standard plates -- blue, white and yellow, with addition of an image of the shared lane marking including two chevrons, a bicycle silhouette and the words “Allow 4 Feet to Pass.” The bottom of the plate reads “Share the Road.”
Applicants may order a plate by completing Form MV-917, “Application for Share the Road Registration Plate.”  The cost of the plate is $40.  This plate may also be personalized for a fee of $100 in addition to the $40 plate cost.
Customers may also place an order for this plate or learn more about a wide variety of license plates, including other special fund registration plates, by visiting PennDOT’s Special Fund Registration Plates webpage.
The plates normally take two to four weeks for delivery. For personalized plates, allow eight to 10 weeks for delivery.

Game Commission To Hold 6 Game Lands Open Houses To Gather Public Comments

Whether you hike miles along a mountain ridge for a get-away-from-it-all hunt, or you have disabilities that limit how far away or where you can pursue whitetails or other game, the Game Commission wants to hear from you.
The Game Commission is hosting a series of six comment sessions – one in each of the Game Commission’s six geographical regions – to collect input from hunters and trappers about access to state game lands.
The comment sessions will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on:
-- Southcentral Region: September 6, Game Commission Southcentral Region Office, 8627 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon, PA 16652
-- Northcentral Region: September 8,  Game Commission Northcentral Region Office, 1566 South Route 44 Highway, Jersey Shore, PA 17740
-- Northwest Region: September 12,  Game Commission Northwest Region Office, 1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin, PA 16323
-- Southwest Region: September 20, Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711, Bolivar, PA 15923
-- Northeast Region: September 22, Game Commission Northeast Region Office, 3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas, PA 18612
-- Southeast Region: September 27, Game Commission Southeast Region Office, 253 Snyder Road, Reading, PA 19605
Peter F. Sussenbach, the director of the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, said the sessions provide hunters and trappers with a forum to share their opinions on improving access into the interiors of game lands, including for those with physical limitations that affect their mobility.
Game Commission staff will be on hand to accept written comments from hunters and trappers, answer questions about existing vehicular access on game lands, and provide an update on the Game Commission’s self-assessment of existing infrastructure, including roads and trails.
All comments are welcome, whether they be general in nature or focus on hunters or trappers with mobility issues.
In addition to the sessions, comments about game-lands access also are being accepted by email sent to: SGLAccess@pa.gov through October 15.
Sussenbach said the comments will measure hunters’ and trappers’ opinions on access and help guide the Game Commission on where access might be improved.
“We appreciate the opportunity to better serve the hunting and trapping community, and we value everyone’s comments on this matter,” Sussenbach said. “Please join us at one of our sessions, or take the time to share your comments by email. Your input will help us to make our system of state game lands the best it can be.”
The Game Commission owns and manages nearly 1.5 million acres of state game lands throughout the Commonwealth.
The primary purpose of these lands is the management of habitat for wildlife and provide opportunities for lawful hunting and trapping. Secondary recreational uses are permitted in accordance with the Game Commission’s regulations.
For more information, visit the Game Commission’s State Game Lands webpage.  Click Here to watch a Game Commission video on the history of state game lands.

Brodhead Watershed Assn Honors Craig Todd, Monroe Planning Commission Sept. 30

The Brodhead Watershed Association will honor Craig Todd, retiring Executive Director of the Monroe County Conservation District, and the Monroe County Planning Commission at its annual Members & Friends Celebration on September 30.
This year, it’s all about how BWA’ s work in the local watershed affects the Brodhead and beyond, touting the theme, “We’re part of something bigger!”
That far-reaching influence will be showcased from 6 to 9 p.m. at Northampton Community College’s Pocono Hall in Tannersville, as BWA honors those who have proven their dedication to protecting our water quality.
The guest of honor will be Craig Todd, who has shown exceptional commitment to maintaining a healthy environment for future generations. He is retiring after 34 years as manager of Monroe County Conservation District.
BWA will also honor Monroe County Planning Commission as a valuable partner on BWA's Green Infrastructure Project, an effort to spread “green” places and procedures throughout Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg and Stroud Township.
Andy Johnson, Director of the Watershed Protection Program at the William Penn Foundation, will be keynote speaker, talking about the Foundation’s Delaware River Watershed Initiative and how the BWA fits into that bigger picture.   
The party continues with the ever-popular silent auction as well as multi-chef display cooking, hearty hot and cold appetizers, gourmet desserts, wine and local beer.
More celebration sponsors, as well as donors of items or services for the silent auction, are welcome! They will be gratefully acknowledged in event publications. To donate, please see the website or contact information listed above. Your contribution is tax-deductible!
Cost is $35 for BWA members, $40 for nonmembers. Tables of eight may be reserved for $500.
To register by September 15, visit BWA’s Members & Friends Celebration webpage, send an email to: info@brodheadwatershed.org or call 570-839-1120.
For more information on programs, initiatives and other upcoming events, visit the Brodhead Watershed Association website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Association.

Next Get Outdoors Poconos Hike Sept. 24 On Sherwood Forest Road In Monroe County

The Brodhead Watershed Association invites the public to enjoy another in its series of Get Outdoors Poconos hikes, this time on the Sherwood Forest Road in Jackson Township, Monroe County on September 24 starting at 10:00 a.m.
For nine years, 175 acres of open space on Sherwood Forest Road in Jackson Township have remained unmapped and mostly unexplored – until now.
Saylorsburg teen Ambrose Cavalier has scoped out a trail network by linking overgrown roads using satellite images, Google Maps, GPS, and other mapping tools.
Once a farm and then a proposed site for housing development (an idea abandoned after a few access roads were cut), the land became part of the Monroe County Open Space program in 2007. Since then, Mother Nature has reclaimed her own.
A woods walk – mostly beech, with oaks, maple, and some white pine and hemlocks, too – leads past a sturdy stone row and uphill through a leafy, dark green tunnel of arching beech saplings.
At the summit – 1,125 feet up – participants get their reward: views of Delaware Water Gap to the left, Wind Gap to the right, a glimpse of Palmerton Gap and long vistas of Camelback and state game lands.
Carol Hillestad will lead a moderate 90-minute hike of about 1.5 miles.
Meet at the parking area on the south side of Sherwood Forest Road in Jackson Township. Take Route 715 South past Jackson Township Fire Co. and Municipal Building, to the four corners stop. Go left on Neola Road. Take Neola Road 2.2 miles to Sherwood Forest Road. Go right. The parking area is half a mile on the left.
Trails may be wet and rocky. Wear sturdy footwear.
The hike is free, but registration is required.  Call 570-839-1120 or 570-629-2727 or send email to: info@brodheadwatershed.org.
For information about this and other hikes in the free series, go to BWA’s Get Outdoors Poconos webpage. The hike series is administered by Brodhead Watershed Association and supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
Related Stories:
Brodhead Watershed Assn. Hosts Green Infrastructure Workshops In Stroudsburg Area

Keep PA Beautiful Invites Schools To Participate In Litter Free School Zone Program

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful invites all elementary and secondary schools in Pennsylvania to participate in the Litter Free School Zone Program, a comprehensive program designed to teach lessons around recycling, litter awareness, and community stewardship.
The Program is intended to encourage students in grades K – 12 to keep their school grounds litter-free and to raise public awareness regarding litter via a Litter Free School Zone sign to be displayed outside the school.
“Students, clubs, classes, and even entire school districts can participate in the Litter Free School Zone program,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Keeping their school litter-free is an easy and fun way for students to work together, learn valuable community leadership and responsibility skills, while gaining a respect for the environment and the world around them. It is also an opportunity to develop a school-wide stewardship ethic and set a community example.”
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful also offers Tools for Schools, online tools and resources for educators and students regarding litter prevention, cleanups and recycling related activities to support the program.
The Litter Free School Zone Program is sponsored by the Department of Environment Protection.
To learn more, visit KPB’s Litter Free School Zone Program webpage or contact Stephanie Larson at 877-772-3673.
For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.
Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s new Electronics Waste website.

Updated: Bucks County West Nile Virus Mosquito Spraying Sept. 6, Sept. 8, Sept. 12

The Bucks County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile Virus on September 6 in parts of Middletown Township and Penndel Borough.
The treatments will be administered via truck-mounted equipment, spraying residential and recreational mosquito habitat. The equipment dispenses Duet Dual-Action Adulticide at a rate of 0.75 ounces per acre.
Weather conditions and other unexpected events could delay or cancel this spray operation. If conditions do not allow application on September 6, the following evening will serve as the back-up spray date.
September 8
The Bucks County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile Virus on September 8 in parts of Bensalem Township and Morrisville Borough.
The treatments will be administered via truck-mounted equipment, spraying residential and recreational mosquito habitat. The equipment dispenses Duet Dual-Action Adulticide at a rate of 0.75 ounces per acre.
Weather conditions and other unexpected events could delay or cancel this spray operation. If conditions do not allow application on September 8, the following evening will serve as the back-up spray date.
September 12
The Bucks County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile Virus on September 12 in parts of Bristol Township.
The treatments will be administered via truck-mounted equipment, spraying residential and recreational mosquito habitat. The equipment dispenses Duet Dual-Action Adulticide at a rate of 0.75 ounces per acre.
Weather conditions and other unexpected events could delay or cancel this spray operation. If conditions do not allow application on September 12 the following evening will serve as the back-up spray date.
The product is designed to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations. The application material has a very low toxicity profile to mammals and will have negligible impact to non-target insects and the environment.
Background
In 2016, West Nile virus has been detected in the following counties: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Cambria, Centre, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Juniata, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Union, Warren, Westmoreland, and York.
Certain mosquito species carry the West Nile virus, which can cause humans to contract West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Department of Health, all residents in areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis.
Individuals can take a number of precautionary measures around their homes to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas, including:
— Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers that hold water.
— Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most mosquitoes breed.
— Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.
— Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year as the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains.
— Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
— Turn over wheelbarrows and don't let water stagnate in birdbaths.
— Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
— Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on pool covers. If a resident has stagnant pools of water on their property, they can buy BTI products at lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterium kills mosquito larvae, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.
Additionally, these simple precautions can prevent mosquito bites, particularly for people who are most at risk:
— Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.
— Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.
— When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.
— Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer's instructions. An effective repellent will contain DEET, picardin or lemon eucalyptus oil. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician for questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children under the age of two months.
For more information about West Nile virus and the state's surveillance and control program, visit the West Nile Virus website.

Bucks County West Nile Virus Mosquito Spraying Sept. 2

The Bucks County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile Virus on September 2 in parts of Warminster Township.
The treatments will be administered via truck-mounted equipment, spraying residential and recreational mosquito habitat. The equipment dispenses Duet Dual-Action Adulticide at a rate of 0.75 ounces per acre.
Weather conditions and other unexpected events could delay or cancel this spray operation. If conditions do not allow application on September 2, the following evening will serve as the back-up spray date.
The product is designed to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations. The application material has a very low toxicity profile to mammals and will have negligible impact to non-target insects and the environment.
Background
In 2016, West Nile virus has been detected in the following counties: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Cambria, Centre, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Juniata, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Union, Warren, Westmoreland, and York.
Certain mosquito species carry the West Nile virus, which can cause humans to contract West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Department of Health, all residents in areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis.
Individuals can take a number of precautionary measures around their homes to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas, including:
— Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers that hold water.
— Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most mosquitoes breed.
— Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.
— Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year as the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains.
— Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
— Turn over wheelbarrows and don't let water stagnate in birdbaths.
— Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
— Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on pool covers. If a resident has stagnant pools of water on their property, they can buy BTI products at lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterium kills mosquito larvae, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.
Additionally, these simple precautions can prevent mosquito bites, particularly for people who are most at risk:
— Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.
— Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.
— When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.
— Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer's instructions. An effective repellent will contain DEET, picardin or lemon eucalyptus oil. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician for questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children under the age of two months.
For more information about West Nile virus and the state's surveillance and control program, visit the West Nile Virus website.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hosts Fall Native Plant Sale Sept. 17-18

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County will host its annual Autumn Native Plant Sale on September 17-18 outside of the Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring a wide variety 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 purchase include asters, goldenrods, milkweeds, coneflowers, brown-eyed susans, and more. Plant sale volunteers will help make the sale enjoyable, educational, and as convenient as possible; they will carry purchases to buyers' cars, store them until the end of the day's visit, and offer great gardening tips.
Additionally, garden volunteers will be present to help visitors with plant selection and care.
The bookstore also offers a year-round selection of native plant gardening books for those interested in learning more.
The sale also provides a great reason to explore the Sanctuary's trails and scenic overlooks, since the Autumn Hawkwatch will be in full swing and migrating hawks can be seen soaring in increasing numbers.
Mid-September is the peak of broad-winged hawk migration, Hawk Mountain's most numerous migrant, so big flights are possible.
In addition to the sale, staff, volunteers, and trainees will offer the regular weekend programs including the free Raptors Up Close program.
Also, the Autumn Lecture Series will continue that Saturday evening with Sky Literacy presented by Gary Becker.
Upcoming events and details are always available at the Hawk Mountain Events webpage.
For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary or call 610-756-6961.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr, be part of their Google+ Circle and visit their YouTube Channel.

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