Photo by Eve Stahley

Promised Land State Park

Pumpkin spice is everywhere so I guess the marketing world has decided that summer is over. 

Lovely that astronomically speaking August decided to end with a light show. We didn't get completely shut out this time here in the Valley of the Foot of the Turkey. Even though the clouds rolled in throughout the evening, once the moon cleared the mountains, we were able to get a nice view of it. No Saturn though. 

As we usher in Pennsylvania Trails Month, Eve Stahley submitted the masthead shot of the Conservation Trail at Promised Land. She says it's a "[g]reat walk for the over 70 crowd (like me)." Walk on, Eve!

Hot on the heels of this visit to southern Cumberland County, Marci and a group of social media influencers paid a visit to Little Buffalo State Park to talk about Healthy Lands Week, volunteerism, and introducing more people to the outdoors. They took a hike; visited the projects supported by PPFF and Friends of Little Buffalo friends, donors, members, and volunteers; and ended their day relaxing at Zeroday Brewing Company in Harrisburg. New friendships were made over shared experiences. That's one of the joys of the outdoors!

We have another great before and after for you this week. The Friends of Canoe Creek put a grant obtained through PPFF to quick work, replacing two outdated boat launches with assistive ones. While these are not, strictly speaking, ADA launches they nevertheless provide an easier way to get in and out of your boat. Watch this space for an official ribbon-cutting announcement!

Grant funding was made possible through the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (FPW), and is intended to support Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation's work in advancing the quality of our environment. FPW is a nonprofit, grant-making organization supporting water quality needs throughout Pennsylvania.

Corporate/business volunteerism keeps on growing! It's really gratifying to see the number of companies, large and small, who understand the value of giving back to their communities. For all the reasons individual volunteerism is A Good Thing (as Martha Stewart always said), the same can be said for businesses offering their employees ways to pitch in. In the case of Pennsylvania's outdoors, it's often a chance for people who rarely have a chance to see everything that's offered by our state parks and forests to experience is all firsthand. 

Recently employees from Sanofi, a pharmaceuticals company with a facility in Swiftwater, hit the Top of the Mountain at Big Pocono State Park for a great afternoon of cleaning up trails, the Cattell Cabin, and most of the benches in Lot 2. The Friends of Big Pocono - and all of us - thank you!

A little work, a little music!

Just a few extras before National Dog Day is entirely in our rear view!

Welcome virtually to the middle of September!

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

Thanks for checking out the Healthy Lands Week website to find our partners Keep PA Beautiful, PA Recreation & Park Society, We Conserve PA, and of course DCNR. The calendar is about get a little more full as details are finally starting to come together on events for the time period in question (September 23 through October 1) so add it to your book-marked places to look for adventure.

Congratulations to Christi of Harrisburg, our randomly chosen winner for August.

Kicking off September and PA Trails Month, you see that our influential group of influencers capped their day at Zeroday Brewing Company in Harrisburg. That's kind of an odd name, isn't it? What does it mean?

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.

Green boxes are pictures and news; blue boxes are events.

Photo by Stephen Spoonamore
Bald Eagle State Park