December 20, 2024 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. 

Please note: The PA Wilds Center will be closed December 21, 2024, through January 1, 2025.  Correspondence received during that period will be returned after our team returns to the office on January 2, 2025. There will not be a news digest on Friday, December 27. Enjoy your holidays and best wishes for the new year!

On the PA Wilds visitor-facing blog, snowmobile trails are open for the winter season in the Allegheny National Forest. Susquehanna Greenway Partnership takes readers back in time to explore some bridges along the Susquehanna River Greenway in the PA Wilds region. Chris Firestone writes a seasonal Forest Fridays update, telling the history behind Yule logs and Yule cakes as we approach Yule or the winter solstice.

On the PA Wilds Marketplace blog, a reminder that the Shop the PA Wilds Digital Gift Card can make the perfect last-minute gift. The Marketplace also reflects on 2024 and how many new products and sellers were added to the Marketplace over the year.

 

OUR BLOGS

PA WILDS

ANF snowmobile trails open for the winter season – USDA-Allegheny National Forest

Susquehanna bridges, then and now – Suquehanna Greenway Partnership

Forest Fridays: Yule logs and Yule cakes – Chris Firestone

 

WCO

WCO Member Spotlights

December spotlight – Community Education Center for Elk & Cameron Counties: Promoting a vibrant and educationally diversified region

 

PA WILDS CENTER

PA Wilds Center honored with WCCBI’s 2024 Investment in the Community Award

 

PA WILDS MARKETPLACE

The PA Wilds Digital Gift Card that can be used around the region

2024 in Review and New Year Wishes

 

IN THE NEWS

 

MENTIONING PA WILDS

 

DCNR invests in rural outdoor recreation, tourism – The Bradford Era

Local C2P2 grant recipients – The Bradford Era

 

Jingle All the Way to Pennsylvania: Holiday Magic Awaits! – PennWatch

 

Shapiro Administration Celebrates $10 Million Investment in Trails, Highlights Work to Extend Susquehanna River Walk – Pennsylvania Pressroom

Boosting Trails, Building Futures: $649900 Investment to Transform Lycoming County and Beyond! – MyChesCo

Bridging the trail gap: Funding kicks off Susquehanna River Walk extension project – NorthcentralPA.com

 

DCNR secretary, staff tour Penn College – Pennsylvania College of Technology

 

12 Adorable Small Pennsylvania Towns – WorldAtlas (Ridgway, Wellsboro, DuBois listed)

 

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

MENTIONING TA ENOS

DCNR invests in rural outdoor recreation, tourism – The Bradford Era

 

MENTIONING PA WILDS PUBLIC LANDS

Parks, forests, rivers

Allegheny National Forest

ANF North Country Trail Association shares activities update – The Bradford Era

12 Adorable Small Pennsylvania Towns – WorldAtlas (Ridgway, Wellsboro, DuBois listed)

Trail Association details 2024 work, talks 2025 plans – Times Observer

Beetles released to combat invasive insect; biocontrol for hemlock woolly adelgid in ANF – The Bradford Era

USDA releases more beetles to combat invasive insect – Times Observer

Beetles released to combat invasive insect – The Derrick

Snowmobile Season to Begin on Monday – exploreClarion

Snowmobile season technically underway – The Bradford Era

Snowmobiling begins in Allegheny National Forest – Times Observer

 

Allegheny River

Federal agency proposes listing of eastern hellbender as endangered – Olean Times Herald

No ice required for winter fishing: Backwoods Extreme by David Orlowski – Tioga Publishing

 

Bald Eagle State Park

25 Things I Can’t Wait to Do in Pennsylvania in 2025 – Only In Your State (Groundhog Day, PA Grand Canyon, Slice of the 80s in Bradford, Farmer’s Inn in Sigel,  and Nature Inn listed)

CU-Lock Haven Criminal Justice Club partners with area police and fire departments to host Shop with a Cop event – Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Black Moshannon State Park

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Chapman State Park

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Cherry Springs State Park

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Community Calendar – Tioga Publishing

 

Clarion River

Romantic Getaways For Valentine’s Day and Beyond – Pittsburgh Magazine

 

Cook Forest State Park

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Romantic Getaways For Valentine’s Day and Beyond – Pittsburgh Magazine

 

Elk State Forest

Sightseeing in Elk State Forest – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Hills Creek State Park

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Kinzua Bridge State Park

MOUNT JEWETT: First Day Hike set – The Bradford Era

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

‘First Day Hike’ taking place at Kinzua Bridge State Park Jan. 1 – The Courier Express

 

Lyman Run State Park

Community Calendar – Tioga Publishing

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Parker Dam State Park

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Ravensburg State Park

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Sinnemahoning State Park

DCNR Names New Park Manager for Tobyhanna State Park Complex in Monroe and Wayne Counties – Pennsylvania Pressroom (Justin Waid comes to Tobyhanna from Sinnemahoning State Park in Cameron and Potter counties.)

Community Calendar – Tioga Publishing

Spend New Years Day on one of dozens of First Day Hikes in PA and across the country – Tri-State Alert

DCNR Encourages Pennsylvanians to Trek into 2025 During First Day Hikes – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Sproul State Forest

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

 

Susquehanna State Park

Boosting Trails, Building Futures: $649900 Investment to Transform Lycoming County and Beyond! – MyChesCo

Bridging the trail gap: Funding kicks off Susquehanna River Walk extension project – NorthcentralPA.com

 

Tiadaghton State Forest

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Advisories for Tiadaghton State Forest – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Mountain Biking in Tiadaghton State Forest – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Landscapes and Journeys

Elk Country

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Sightseeing in Elk State Forest – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Pine Creek Valley / PA Grand Canyon / Pine Creek Rail Trail

Boosting Trails, Building Futures: $649900 Investment to Transform Lycoming County and Beyond! – MyChesCo

Bridging the trail gap: Funding kicks off Susquehanna River Walk extension project – NorthcentralPA.com

12 Adorable Small Pennsylvania Towns – WorldAtlas (Ridgway, Wellsboro, DuBois listed)

25 Things I Can’t Wait to Do in Pennsylvania in 2025 – Only In Your State (Groundhog Day, PA Grand Canyon, Slice of the 80s in Bradford, Farmer’s Inn in Sigel,  and Nature Inn listed)

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Mountain Biking in Tiadaghton State Forest – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Scenic Route 6

Nearby Attractions to Bald Eagle State Park – Commonwealth of Pennsylvania