Join us for the second Kittatinny Science Summit on February 27

Wednesday, February 27, 2013  9:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m.

Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Slatington, PA ~ RSVP

Please join us for the second Kittatinny Science and Research Summit to be held at Lehigh Gap Nature Center, 8844 Paint Mill Road, Slatington, PA on February 27.

This year’s summit will focus on “Closing the Gaps.” We will learn about ongoing research and monitoring projects that are gathering information that is important to conservation of the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor. And we will have several breakout sessions to help us plan new initiatives for research and monitoring that gather critical information for conservation.  Learn more about last year's Summit.

Diane Husic of Moravian College and Lehigh Gap Nature Center will moderate the Summit. Presenters will include:

• Kim McKee, Appalachian Trail Conservancy
• Marian Orlouski, Appalachian Trail Conservancy
• Elizabeth Crisfield, Penn State University
• Terry Master, East Stroudsburg University
• Dave Mitchell, PA Game Commission

In addition, there will be several breakout sessions including:

• Planning for an all Kittatinny Ridge breeding bird survey
• Addressing threats and planning for habitat quality assessment along the ridge and corridor

These sessions will focus on concrete ways to gather information to fill in data gaps in our knowledge of the Ridge to inform our conservation work.

We will conclude with ideas for moving forward with monitoring and filling in the data gaps, plus concrete methods for addressing some of the threats, such as right-of-way management.

Lunch will be provided to summit participants. A final, detailed agenda will be sent to participants prior to the summit. Registration will be at 9:30 a.m with the Summit beginning at 9:45.

The Summit is part of the work of the Kittatinny Coalition (http://kittatinnyridge.org/) and is funded in part by PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Lehigh Valley Greenway, Conservation Landscape Initiative.

For directions to Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s Osprey House, see http://lgnc.org/maps-directions.

PLEASE RSVP TO danlgnc@ptd.net BY FEBRUARY 20. THANKS.

"Schuylkill on the Move" posts 2013 Hike and Walk Schedule

Schuylkillon the Move has posted its 2013 guided hike and walk schedule with activities taking place across the public lands and trails of Schuylkill County.  Events such as the Swatara Soiree (Sept. 14th) and Pinnacle Trek (Oct. 19th) feature popular recreation and scenic viewing areas along the Kittatinny Ridge and Appalachian Trail.  Mark your calendars to explore the Kittatinny with knowledgable hike guides in 2013!  Or use this list to inspire and plan your next foray into the outdoors.  The Kittatinny Coalition web site also features a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities across the Ridge on the Recreation page.

Schuylkill on the Move encourages people to take positive steps toward good health and advocates for more walkable communities. SOM is a project of Schuylkill County’s VISION in partnership with the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau. The SchuylkillConservation District partners with SOM as it promotes connections with our environment. Info: “Porcupine Pat”: porcupinepat@yahoo.com or 570.622.4124 x 113

Blue Mountain High: Winter Hike on the Kittatinny near Lehigh Gap

Winter can afford some beautiful views from the Ridge-top.  A recent 5.3 mile hike along a section of the Appalachian Trail from Little Gap (Blue Mountain Rd.) to Lehigh Gap brought breathtaking vistas north into Carbon County and south into Northampton County, interesting information about the Palmerton Zinc Pile Restoration efforts and of course.. a work-out.  Have you been up on the Ridge in this section?  Parking is available at Little Gap just south of the Blue Mountain Ski Area entrance and at Lehigh Gap on both sides of the river.  Philadelphia Trail Club volunteers maintain this section of the Appalachian Trail.  Check out some of the scenes below!

Trailhead at Little Gap, near Danielsville, PA

Marker for Boundary of State Game Lands along Appalachian Trail

"Resource Island" area along Appalachian Trail, part of Palmerton Zinc Pile Restoration efforts

Looking north over Palmerton Borough from the Kittatinny Ridge

A bird traveling the famous migratory fly-way

Approaching the descent into Lehigh Gap, looking west to Lehigh Gap Wildlife Refuge

2012 a record Saw-whet Owl year at Little Gap!

As a follow-up to last week's post on the Saw-whet Owl project, Rick Wiltraut of DCNR's Jacobsburg Environment Education Center reports that they banded 435 Northern Saw-whet Owl's this fall up at Little Gap on the Ridge near Danielsville, PA.  This marks their best year yet!  

Learn more about the Center's Environmental Educational programming and be sure to keep tabs on construction of their new state-of-the-art facility.  

Lehigh Valley Wild reports record number of Golden Eagles at Bake Oven Knob

Lehigh Valley Wild is a blog about outdoor recreation in the Lehigh Valley region, covering activities and updates across hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, geocacheing, bird and everything in between.  Guest blogger, Gary Bl0ckus, reported that hawkwatchers recently counted a record number of migrating Golden Eagles along the Kittatinny Ridge at Bake Oven Knob in Lehigh County.  Experts point to Hurricane Sandy as the likely cause of the migration phenomenon, but visit the Lehigh Valley Wild blog post to learn more!

Record number of Golden Eagles at Bake Oven Knob

Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Marathon and Half-Marathon, Nov. 4: Register for one of the most scenic races in eastern PA!

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor made history last year by staging a successful first running of the Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Marathon/Half Marathon. Scheduled for Sunday, November 4th on the D&L Trail and two local spur trails, the 2012 races will take runners through some of the prettiest scenery in eastern Pennsylvania, enhanced on race day by autumn's annual show of colors.  

The marathon and half-marathon routes on the D&L pass right through Lehigh Gap at the base of the Kittatinny adjacent to the Lehigh Gap Nature Center.  To register by November 1st, download the Race Brochure or visit D&L's web site. 

Migration Fest coming up at Lehigh Gap Nature Center

The weekend of September 28-29th be sure to make it over to Lehigh Gap Nature Center at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge in Slatington, PA for Migration Fest 2012!   This weekend-long festival is a celebration of the autumn migration and Appalachian ecology of the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor.

Outdoor and environmental education activities for the whole family range from grassland hikes to hawk identification programs to live amphibians and reptiles on display and much more.   Events kick off on Saturday, September 29th at 9:00am.   Visit the Lehigh Gap Nature Center web site for more information or click here to download the Migration Fest Flyer.

Scouting volunteers help create habitat for butterflies at Lehigh Gap

Scouting volunteers from Bangor and Breiningsville recently assisted with a planting event on the Kittatinny Ridge in early May, helping to restore habitat for regal fritillaries at Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Slatington, PA.

Read more in Greater Hazleton's Standard Speaker's coverage of the event: Scouting volunteers attempt to create habitat for rare butterfly 

Lehigh Gap Nature Center staff and Audubon PA reps were on hand to assist and educate the scouts as they planted, seven species of flowers useful to many other species of butterflies and other insects, not just the regal fritillary. Slideshow below!