January 17 Weekly PA Wilds News Digest
January 17, 2025 Weekly Digest: Recent News from the PA Wilds
The PA Wilds Weekly Digest is a roundup of news articles about the PA Wilds, the region’s public lands and its Landscapes and Journeys that have been published over the past week.
Note: some of the news websites may have paywalls that prevent you from reading their content.
Enjoy this week’s PA Wilds News Clips below.
On the PA Wilds visitor-facing blog, it’s the start of a new series with the Lumber Heritage Region! LHR will be publishing one blog a month, highlighting a piece of history from LHR’s “Women and Black History in the Forest Products Industry” study. This week’s is about a family Potter County.
Also on the PA Wilds blog, Brad Wyland from the Waterville Hotel shares some history about the hotel and some inspiration for fun things to do in the Pine Creek Valley and Grand Canyon landscape of the PA Wilds.
On the PA Wilds Center blog, it has been a busy week! The PA Wilds Center is seeking proposals from individuals and/or firms with experience in developing a user adoption playbook and implementation analysis to understand the various types of users and how to engage them for a new mobile technology platform.
There are new sweet treats on the market that carry the iconic Pennsylvania Wilds logo, thanks to a new partnership between Highland Chocolates and the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship. The team at Highland Chocolates has developed two different PA Wilds branded products to date, with one recently hitting the shelves at the PA Wilds Conservation Shop location at Kinzua Bridge State Park, as well as the Highland Chocolates very own shop location.
Also on the PA Wilds Center blog, the PA Wilds Center has released its Annual Report for 2023, detailing some of the regional nonprofit’s top achievements over the calendar year. As the PA Wilds Center celebrated ten years since its founding in 2023, the report features the top highlights, accomplishments, and challenges of a year that marked the incredible anniversary.
OUR BLOGS
PA WILDS
Alma and Jake Swanson: Life as a family in Pennsylvania’s lumber camps – Lumber Heritage Region
The Waterville Hotel: A home base for exploring the PA Wilds! – Brad Wyland
WCO
WCO Member Spotlights
January spotlight – Horner’s Pens: One-of-a-kind quality hand-turned pens
PA WILDS CENTER
PA Wilds Center issues RFP for User Adoption Plan
Highland Chocolates teams up with PA Wilds Center for new trail mix and Bigfoot chocolates
PA Wilds Center releases 2023 Annual Report online
PA WILDS MARKETPLACE
Gifts from the heart for Valentine’s Day from the PA Wilds Marketplace
IN THE NEWS
MENTIONING PA WILDS
Regional Poetry Out Loud Competition to Take Place at PA Wilds Media Lab – GantNews.com
‘Shadowed the entire car’: Thunderbird sightings reported in Pa. – PennLive.com
Getting Sustainability Done: Shapiro Administration Makes Significant Strides in Strengthening Conservation and Climate Resilience Across Pennsylvania – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (“Preservation of the Pennsylvania Wilds: Successfully campaigned for the cancellation of a Low Military Operations Area, preserving the integrity of the iconic Pennsylvania Wilds region.”)
MENTIONING TOWNS IN PA WILDS
Clarion River
10 Most Photogenic Towns In Pennsylvania – WorldAtlas (Bellefonte, Ridgway, DuBois)
MENTIONING PA WILDS PUBLIC LANDS
Parks forests, rivers
Allegheny National Forest
7 Best Wellness Retreats In Pennsylvania – WorldAtlas (Gateway Lodge)
Forest Service accepting public comments on boat-to campground water well decommissioning project – PressReader.com
57 national forests with campgrounds open year-round – The Victoria Advocate
57 national forests with campgrounds open year-round – Caledonian Record
The long and winding evolution of self care – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (“If you really want to veer off the beaten wellness path in the region, options include forest bathing at Allegheny National Forest (you can find information on the Allegheny County Parks website.”)
Allegheny River
City Officials Seek Input on Riverfront Project in Warren – Erie News Now
City to hold riverfront meeting Wednesday – Times Observer
Our opinion: Keeping focus on riverfront – Times Observer
East Brady officials support Allegheny River group – The Courier Express
Bald Eagle State Park
14 Best Eco-Friendly Wellness Resorts for Guilt-Free Zen – Green Matters (The Nature Inn)
Chapman State Park
Lineup for Warren County Winterfest set – Times Observer
Clarion River
10 Most Photogenic Towns In Pennsylvania – WorldAtlas (Bellefonte, Ridgway, DuBois)
Cook Forest State Park
7 Best Wellness Retreats In Pennsylvania – WorldAtlas (Gateway Lodge)
OUT AND ABOUT: Events happening in the Tri-County area – The Courier Express
Hills Creek State Park
Winterfest offers outdoor activities Jan. 18 at Hills Creek State Park – Tioga Publishing
Kinzua Bridge State Park
Project WILD Educator Workshop planned at Kinzua Bridge State Park – Olean Times Herald
Explore Conservation Education at Kinzua Bridge State Park – The Kane Republican
MJ2KB Trail Club seeks Act 13 Greenways Grant for trail signage and map – The Kane Republican
McKean County Planning Commission recommends $21294 for Kinzua Valley trail expansion – The Kane Republican
Moshannon State Forest
10 Most Photogenic Towns In Pennsylvania – WorldAtlas (Bellefonte, Ridgway, DuBois)
Parker Dam State Park
OUT AND ABOUT: Events happening in the Tri-County area – The Courier Express
Susquehannock State Forest
Virtual programs uses tech for outdoor opportunity – Tioga Publishing
Tioga State Forest
Secret swimming holes in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountains: 7 hidden oases for adventure seekers – journee-mondiale.com
Virtual programs uses tech for outdoor opportunity – Tioga Publishing
Landscapes and Journeys
Elk Country
Elk Country Visitor Center programs in January – Clearfield Progress
Pine Creek Valley / PA Grand Canyon / Pine Creek Rail Trail
Secret swimming holes in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountains: 7 hidden oases for adventure seekers – journee-mondiale.com
‘Shadowed the entire car’: Thunderbird sightings reported in Pa. – PennLive.com