One more week until Memorial Day and the unofficial start to another summer of outdoor family fun. We kick off PA State Parks and Forests Week on Monday. It's another of those great reasons to get out and enjoy and hashtag to your heart's content. We love to see collected images on social media. #PaStateParksAndForestsWeek

Kudos to photographer Tom Buehl for capturing this image of an indigo bunting at Locust Lake State Park. My eyes are rarely good enough to see them for more than a few seconds and I've never been able to get a photo of one. What a beauty!

Look for Brian and Marci tomorrow at the Taste of Pennsylvania Wine & Music Festival on from noon until 6:00 PM at the York Ice Arena on Vander Avenue in York. Come spin the wheel for a prize, say hello to the new guy, and maybe learn a little bit about why clean water and forested ecosystems mean so much to the wineries, breweries, distilleries, meaderies, and foodies in attendance.

Robots, too, apparently.

With primary voting behind them (and us), the legislature will now turn its collective eyes to the budget. We have placed a new, brief message in the website's Take Action Center to remind them of your support for state parks and forests funding through the American Rescue Plan. This message is brief and will be the first of three (perhaps four) messages we will encourage you to send as the process rolls through June. Your relentless attention to this is critical, and we thank you deeply. This article from yesterday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlights a Thursday visit from Secretary Dunn to Point State Park and some of the needs that could be filled there through additional funding.

May 21^st kicks off National Safe Boating Week (see below). A few pointers for being safe on the water:

• Monitor the weather
• Always wear a PFD or life vest
• Let people know where you are boating or paddling
• Choose water within your boating skills
• Boat with a friend or family member
• Stay hydrated and DON’T boat under the influence

For more safety tips, visit: National Safe Boating Week is May 21-27, 2022 - Safe Boating Campaign

As you read about the moon trees of last week's trivia question, did you (as I) keep hoping that all the trees that were planted for the Bicentennial are thriving? According to NASA, there are seven in Pennsylvania. 

This week, let's have a little fun. Send us a selfie on your bike or wearing your PFD (or wearing your PFD on your bike) and we'll do a random drawing for a NEW Tuscarora State Forest map courtesy of Purple Lizard Maps. 

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.

The first weekend of June, our focus in this week's "plan ahead calendar," includes National Trails Day on Saturday, June 4th. If you are a fan of trails - water, biking, hiking, equestrian - this is the day to focus on them.

Put a bookmark on the PPFF Events calendar and DCNR Calendar of Events so you never miss an announcement.

Blue boxes locate events; green photographs and news.