First-Time Campers Beckoned to PA Parks

Four state parks will be holding special programs for Pennsylvania’s third annual “Get Outdoors Day” this Saturday.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokesman Terry Brady says Moraine State Park in Butler County is one of four state parks that will have birds-of-prey exhibits, hiking and biking displays, and tips for first-time campers.

Bald Eagle in Centre County, Parker Dam in Clearfield County, and Pine Grove Furnace in Cumberland County are the other three parks. Brady says the idea is to get new people interested in spending time outdoors.

“It’s a welcome mat, if you will, to be rolled out by the different state parks,” says Brady.

Governor Tom Corbett also proclaimed June as “Great Outdoors Month” in Pennsylvania. In the proclamation, Corbett says he hopes to “reverse the troubling nationwide trends of children spending half as much time outside as they did twenty years ago.”

Brady says Moraine features a scenic lake and is one of the “jewels” of the state parks system. He says it’s been part of “Get Outdoors” since the program’s 2009 founding. Brady says the programs can get crowded, so people should register in advance at the DCNR website.

Permits No Longer Required for Expression in Parks

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has suspended a rule requiring individuals to have permits before the “expression of views” or distribution of literature in state parks.

The suspension was in response to a request from the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU), which recently received several complaints on the subject.

ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak says over the past two weeks, DCNR rangers stopped two Green Party candidates for U.S. Congress from getting petition signatures in Point State Park. He says rangers prevented another man from making balloon art.

Point State Park is the only park in which this is an issue; Walczak says that’s because almost nobody passes out literature in rural parks.

Walczak says the ACLU had been dealing with the Pittsburgh Police on this issue, but when DCNR informed them of the regulation they asked them to stop requiring permits.

“It makes sense to do for a large demonstration that may result in blocking traffic. Then, yes, you can have a permit system, but you can’t have it for what the courts often call ‘the lone pamphleteer.’”

Although the law hasn’t been formally repealed yet, DCNR has stopped enforcing it.

DCNR Grant to Beautify Connellsville Park

The Youghiogheny River Park in Connellsville will get a facelift, as part of a broader attempt to beautify communities in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands region.

The state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will give the City of Connellsville $204,000 for park improvements. Those include a new playground, a building addition, and green spaces. The trailhead at the park will also get new signage, lighting, and landscaping.

DCNR spokeswoman Christine Novak says one of the most important aims of the grant is to connect the Youghiogheny River Park to its namesake. She says they'll achieve that by installing boulders to stabilize the riverbank.

Novak says there are economic benefits, as well.

"It'll make Connellsville a significant midpoint for trail users along the Great Allegheny Passage between Washington and Pittsburgh," says Novak.

The grant is from the Keystone Fund, a DCNR account funded by a portion of the state's realty transfer tax.

Dispute Over Leasing State Lands for Drilling

The tentative budget agreement counts on raising 60 million dollars by leasing out Pennsylvania forest land for natural gas drilling.
Governor Ed Rendell says that can be accomplished with 80,000 acres or less—but environmental advocates are skeptical.
Some House Democrats and environmentalists said last week that they were worried the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources would have to lease up to 200,000 acres of state forests to raise the needed funds, but Governor Rendell says the actual amount of land would be far below that.
Rendell says the commonwealth will use seismic imaging to identify especially lucrative plots of land.

"When we do that we believe we’ll actually be able to lease less acres. But the value of the acres, because of the seismic imaging, will go up. Because the companies will know that there’s a much greater certainty of a return."

That promise isn’t soothing the fears of David Masur, the director of advocacy group PennEnvironment. He says no matter how much land is involved, it’s wrong to force the DCNR to lease off land for activity he calls “potentially destructive” to Pennsylvania’s state forests.

"We would not say, the commonwealth needs to raise an extra hundred million dollars from selling liquor and beer, so the Liquor Control Board better start hitting the pavement and making sure people buy more whiskey and vodka. That’s not how we would do this."

Legislative leaders say DCNR officials would be the ones making final decisions on the leasing, though.

Point Park Makeover Continues

The next phase of renovations at Point State Park has begun, and subsequently many of the riverside areas have been closed to the public. Specifically, the wharf areas and walkways along the rivers, restrooms, the fountain, woodland areas, and boat tie-ups will be blocked to pedestrians.

Visitors can still access the city-side lawn, the Portal Bridge, the Great Lawn, the North and South Shore walkways, and both the Fort Pitt Blockhouse and Museum.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokeswoman Christina Novak says the iconic fountain will be closed for improvements and maintenance. Although the jet will be shut off for a year or more, it will make appearances during special city events, like the G20 summit and the Steelers’ season kickoff. Alcoa, Riverlife, and DCNR will fund this temporary fix.

When completed, improvements will include historical interpretations throughout the park, more shrubbery in the woodland area, and new pedestrian walkways and promenades. The $30 million renovation began in 2006 and is funded by a combination of state and private investments.

Fountain May Shoot High for the G20

As the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural resources works to upgrade the electrical system and make other mechanical improvements to the fountain at Point State Park the water feature has been reduced to just the peacock sprays. Many have voiced concern that Pittsburgh cannot put its best foot forward for the G20 summit if the center column of water is not shooting into the air. Department spokesperson Chris Novak says they are exploring ways to make sure the fountain is at its best while the world’s media is in town. She says one possibility may be to bring in generators to power the pumps. Novak says it is probable not possible to have the center portion working the entire time the summit media circus is in town but she says they are working with G20 planners to find the most important times to have it up and running. She says the Department understands the iconic nature of the fountain and the desire to have it operational for the world to see. The DCNR may get a chance for a dress rehearsal. The American Football watching public will be focused on Pittsburgh September 10th when the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers open the NFL season by hosting the Tennessee Titans.

Pennsylvanians to "Get Outdoors"

Pennsylvania will be holding its second annual "Get Outdoors Day" Saturday, June 13, as part of a nationwide celebration of June as Great Outdoors Month. Six of the state's 117 state parks will be hosting special, daylong events. Presque Isle Park in Erie County, Moraine Park in Butler County, and Keystone Park in Westmoreland County will all offer a slew of water activities for those in the Pittsburgh region. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokesman Terry Brady says the children of today spend half as much time outdoors as kids did 20 years ago, and events like this try to change that. "They'd be more comfortable playing with their computer as opposed to maybe getting in a kayak or trying their hand at fishing," says Brady. "The whole attempt is just to gear both parents and their offspring to what's out there." Brady says no registration is necessary for any of the parks, and the events will proceed no matter the weather. More information can be found at the day's national website.

Point Great Lawn Open

The Great Lawn at Point State Park has been reopened. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has completed the second phase of its multi-year renovation of the park. Work on the Great Lawn included re-grading and reseeding the lawn, adding LED lights to the outline of the original Fort Duquesne and restoration of the medallion and paving stones marking the location of the fort. Along with the renovation of the Great Lawn, Phase II included work in the Woodlands areas on both sides of the grass. That work included removing hazardous and dead trees, raising the planting beds, resetting the field stone edge, adding irrigation and planting more than 54,000 native plants. The DCNR says those plantings are representative of the types of plants that would have been found at the point in the mid-1700s. Visitors will have to stay out of those plantings until they have time to become better established. Phase III will launch next summer with work set for the wharf areas and walkways along the rivers. Point State Park is where the French Fort Duquesne was built in 1754. The French abandoned the fort in November 1758 when the British arrived to claim the Point for Great Britain.

Hiking Week Strikes Its Course

The eighth annual Hiking Week is currently taking place in Pennsylvania. 100 different planned trails are available to hikers at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website. Spokeswoman Chris Novak says the hikes vary in length and difficulty. She says there are also specialized hikes that include pet walks, night hikes, geology and wildlife walks, and so on. Novak says DCNR started this effort 8 years ago with the Keystone Trails Association to get Pennsylvanians more active and involved with nature.

DCNR could close 35 state parks

A state Senate proposal is to make deeper cuts into the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources funds, an insult to injury after Governor Rendell's budget cuts earlier this year. If the plan is enacted, the additional $19 million in fund withdrawal from the DCNR is devastating enough to close 35 of 117 state parks. DCNR Spokeswoman Chris Novak says this was not a loss they had been expecting, unlike Governor Rendell's belt tightening. She says those adjustments were maybe taking a pavilion out of service or cutting the grass less often, but such an enormous loss cannot go without dire consequences. It is estimated that nearly 3 million visitors would be turned away and $57 million in locally-generated revenue would be lost.

"We would really significantly reduce access at a time when families who can't afford to take a vacation because of the tough economy could count on a little rest and relaxation at a nearby state park or forest," Novak says.

New Point Park Partnership Proposed

In March, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) issued a report that suggested closing the Fort Pitt Museum due to budget cuts. In reaction, the Friends of the Fort Pitt Museum (FFPM) are now proposing a new partnership that would merge Point State Park, the Fort Pitt Museum and the historic blockhouse located within the park into one entity. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), FFPM, and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the respective owners of the proposed park's components, would form an administration board that would also include private investors.

FFPM President Donn Neal says the new park would provide a "seamless experience" and is the common sense thing to do. "Restoring the park to its original character at more than $30 million in expense makes no sense at all if the museum explaining the history-changing events of its time is not here too. Without the museum, in fact, there is no point to the Point," says Neal. Neal says hope of funding from the state is "slender," but FFPM is looking at other options, including corporate sponsorship.

For its entire lifespan, the museum has been supported by a $500,000 annual provision from the PHMC, which Neal says allowed it to be lax in garnering money from admissions and private investments. Now that the annual funding is being taken away, FFPM plans on beginning an agressive marketing campaign, led in major part by FFPM member Linda Dickerson, who "specializes in the management of non-profits." Dickerson says receiving support from local businesses may be difficult in these times, but it can still be done. "If you're a business in dowtown Pittsburgh, your origins can be traced back to the place where this building stands," says Dickerson.

The proposed plan also calls for a visitors' center, common to the park and the museum, to be added to the first floor of the current museum building. Neal says this would be ideal for the museum. "People would come in to find out about the park, they'd find out there's a museum, they'd come up, buy a ticket... People think it's a great museum. It's getting them in the door that's the problem."

The plan will be presented to congressman Jim Ferlo, a member of the PHMC, tomorrow. If the idea is not accepted, the Fort Pitt Museum will close on June 30.

Laurel Highlands to Hold Summit on Economy and Environment

Community leaders from throughout the Laurel Highlands will gather this weekend to look for ways to expand the region's economy by capitalizing on its natural and cultural resources. The “Laurel Highlands Summit” is on of seven such regional summits being organized by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative includes all of Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties and parts of Cambria and Bedford counties. There are four sub-landscapes in the region: Laurel Ridge, Chestnut Ridge, the Great Allegheny Passage and the Stonycreek-Quemahoning corridor. DCNR spokesperson Chris Novak says there region has plenty to offer tourists. She says, “The region encompasses the state's highest point and two of its three deepest river gorges in the Allegheny Mountain physical region, where deep-cut hollows and rushing streams with waterfalls are carved between rolling hillsides and picturesque farmlands.” She says many of those gathering this weekend already know each other and are cooperating in various ways but the goal is to refine the focus and bring in new partners.

PA’s DCNR Sec. Steps Down

Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBeradinis is leaving state government to head the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department. DiBerardinis has run the DCNR since 2003. It's a move back to DiBerardinis' roots. He ran the Philadelphia Rec Department from 1992-2000 when Governor Ed Rendell was mayor. Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo disputes the notion that DiBerardinis' departure for another government job is a sign the governor is approaching "lame duck" status, with less than two years left in office. He says DCNR will keep working toward the same goals under a new secretary. “There are lots of capable people in government… to see us through. The direction has been set. Mike DiBerardinis set the direction for the agency. And it's a matter of executing for the rest of the time that we're here.” Says Ardo. DiBerardinis will start the new job April 6th.

DiBerardinis defends Rendell

The head of Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says the job Governor Ed Rendell created for a former Democratic lawmaker is consistent with government cutbacks and hiring freezes. Ever since former Democratic Representative Dan Surra was given a $95-thousand a year job promoting the Pennsylvania Wilds, the newly-created position has been a rallying point for Republicans who say Rendell isn't practicing what he preaches when it comes to government cutbacks. But DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis says he's standing by the decision. He says, “We needed the help. I've asked for it three consecutive years. We got the help. I think any secretary who gets support for their number one or number two program would be crazy to say no. And particularly with a guy we think can do the job. I have great expectations.” But Republican lawmaker Doug Reichley, says he doesn't buy that argument. Reichley point to 68 DCNR positions that are being eliminated in Rendell's budget, and says the new job shouldn't have been created in a year when services are being scaled back.