We hope this Earth Day has dawned warm and sunny in your little corner of the world. And that you are reading this either after you've come home from a day of volunteering or in anticipation of a volunteer event tomorrow. 

There are plenty of opportunities to be found on the PPFF events calendar or DCNR calendar of events. 

The happy masthead banner was created in 2020 for global sustainability consultants at Leadership & Sustainability What a happy image!

What are your Earth Day plans? Will you be visiting a PA park or forest? Giving back by planting trees or participating in a clean-up?Help us kick off PPFF's #GetMovingPA campaign this #EarthDay and throughout #RothrockWeek by sharing video footage of your outdoor adventures and volunteerism in PA's parks and forests!PA's 121 state parks and 2.2 million acres of forest are wonderful resources available for all to enjoy. Join in the fun by sharing your video footage and positive messages about why PA's parks and forests are so important to you! Thank you!

See paparksandforests.org/news/getmovingpa/.  #GetInMotionPA #Paparksandforests #ProtectOurParksandforests #GetOutdoorsPA #volunteers

Spring gobbler season begins tomorrow (bearded bird only) with a special junior/mentored hunter day for those 16 and under. The regular season runs April 30-May 31 with legal hunting hours one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 16-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

What are microplastics?  

Logically, "micro" correctly suggests they are extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. Microplastic pollution has been detected in human blood for the first time, with scientists finding the tiny particles in almost 80% of the people tested.

This article from WebMD says that we essentially eat a plastic credit card each week. 

On a much happier subject, PPFF recently commissioned a poll to examine voter attitudes towards investing American Rescue Plan funds into park and forests maintenance. What percentage of Pennsylvanians support this investment?

Enter each week to increase your chances of a fabulous prize at the end of the month when I'll draw one entry from all correct answers received during the month.

Looking ahead now into May for our fun and volunteerism and learning. Things will be picking up steam for sure now. 

Here's a special statewide opportunity - competition among 18 different state parks from May 7 through May 15. Help "your" park garner the largest list of bird species in the 2022 Spring Migration Round-Up. Get ready for a fun week!

Blue boxes locate events; green photographs.

As Rothrock Week gets underway, read more about him on the PAConservationHeritage.org website.