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News You Can Use June 29, 2007 Visit One of Pennsylvania's Many State Parks The state's park system was established with a goal of positioning a state park within 25 miles of every citizen. Today, Pennsylvania's 116 state parks offer over 7,000 family campsites, 286 cabins, nearly 30,000 picnic tables, 56 major recreational lakes, 10 marinas, 61 beaches for swimming, 17 swimming pools, and over 1,000 miles of trails. Pick a park close to home or locate the park that best suits your family's interests. You may wish to start planning your state parks trip with a photo tour by region, highlighting significant natural and manmade sights. Browse the links to the right of the State Parks home page to help you plan your next visit or vacation. 2007-08 PA State Parks Calendar Mid-year may be upon us, but you can still order the 2007-08 PA State Parks Calendar for wonderful wildlife watching tips, stunning state parks facts and fabulous frameable photos from around the state representing Pennsylvania's seasonal beauty. Order your calendar by calling toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (1-888-727-2757) or by stopping by selected parks. PCN's Tours of State Parks If you are off to a state park for the weekend, you may want to record one of PCN's Tours of the State Parks for convenient viewing upon return. The July Tours include: July 6 -- 8:00 p.m. – Ricketts Glen State Park – 13,050 acres located in Luzerne, Sullivan, and Columbia Counties July 13 -- 8:00 p.m. – Canoe Creek State Park – 959 acres situated in Blair County July 20 -- 8:00 p.m. – Ohiopyle State Park – 19,052 acres located primarily in Fayette County July 27-- 8:00 p.m. – Presque Isle State Park – 3,200 acres of sandy peninsula extending into Lake Erie Check out PA's fascinating State Park History or meet PA through more PCN tours. Invasive Beetle Prompts Quarantine and Firewood Warnings The Emerald Ash Borer has made its way into Pennsylvania, prompting state and federal officials to issue a quarantine of ash stock from the affected counties--Butler, Lawrence, Allegheny, and Beaver Counties. Ash nursery stock, green lumber and other ash material such as logs, stumps, roots, branches, and wood chips cannot be moved from the quarantine area. All hardwoods for use as firewood, including ash, oak, maple, and hickory are quarantined due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood. Campers and homeowners should use only locally harvested firewood to burn on-site. Any remaining firewood and logs should not be transported to new locations. The wood boring beetle first appeared in 2002 in Michigan and Windsor, Ontario in Canada. Since that discovery, the dark green, 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide adult Emerald Ash Borer is blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois. Take a look at the Emerald Ash Borer in color and actual size to become familiar with this hungry species and another, known as the Red-Headed Ash Borer and detection efforts in PA. Or access an update on invasive threats to PA's forests. Gas and Charcoal Grilling Tips Whether you like the flavor of the charcoal or the ease of gas, safe grilling requires attention to details. Before firing up the grill for your family's holiday picnic, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers a few tips for safe grilling:
If you are considering firing up an old gas grill with a tank manufactured prior to April 1, 2002, you will find a difference between the old and new tanks when you go for a refill. The five-pronged valve handle is gone in favor of a three-pronged version. View more on the over-fill prevention device and additional industry standards and safety tips. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning fuel, including grills. Click on this link for more sources and clues to a possible carbon monoxide problem in and around your home. Wild Encounters Warm weather and longer days provide increased opportunities for a wild encounter almost any where and any time, according to the PA Game Commission. Stories of human and animal interactions in backyards, parking lots, and other locations, regularly make their way into the nightly news. From bears and deer to smaller wildlife, such as opossums, skunks and squirrels, humans are encountering animals in unexpected places. Those with a happy ending find a bear enticed into a cage with donuts or a deer tranquilized and returned to the state's wild lands. However, wild animals, large and small, present certain risks, including exposure to rabies. You may avoid a potentially dangerous encounter with a bear, according to the PA Game Commission (PGC), by observing 5 basic concepts:
See the complete details of the PGC's 5 suggestions for avoiding an encounter with a bear or download a copy of "Living with PA's Black Bears." The PA Game Commission addresses avoiding a collision with a deer while pointing out the potential rabies risk in wildlife encounters. Move on to the PA Department of Agriculture for symptoms of rabies and what to do in a rabies emergency. PA Department of Health discusses rabies. Consult the CDC for additional rabies-related resources. Sun Sense – Slip! Slop! Slap! & Plan! If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then an ounce of sunscreen is worth the effort to prevent skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF). The SCF also recommends you:
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends parents lead by example in protecting their skin and begin teaching the kids to care for their skin with the ACS Slip! Slop! Slap! Campaign:
For more from the ACS on Slip! Slop! Slap! and a Parents Guide to Skin Protection and keep up with Year-Round Sun Protection. The PA Department of Health looks at the risk, prevention, detection, and treatment of skin cancer considered largely preventable by limiting exposure to the primary source of UV radiation -- sunlight. PA Artisan Trails Pennsylvania is proud of its artisans and craftsmen and women who continue the traditions passed on to apprentices by masters. The culture and heritage of our ancestors is found in every corner of the state, along Main Street, tucked away in unique villages and nestled away in artist's enclaves. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office has developed 5 road trips to guide you to some of the most spectacular handcrafted goods available in PA. The Route 45 trip moves along 100 miles dotted with studios and galleries in between farmers' fields. The scenic 190-mile stretch of Route 15 across the state will introduce you to art galleries, craft barns, historic sites and charming villages. Hit Route 222 between Lancaster and the Lehigh Valley for some shining examples of the art of glass production. For ceramics, woodworking, quilting, basket weaving, and iron working explore the Lincoln Highway and the National Road. Don't forget Route 6 for a string of small communities laced with artists, sculptors, jewelers, photographers. Click here for an introduction to PA's Artisan Trails. Pick one or plan for several trips to explore the state's artisan roots. Take an online excursion to start your planning:
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