The ash trees in our state of Pennsylvania are under attack! The villain is discreet but extremely effective. Millions of ash trees have been killed to date and chances are all true ashes will have perished when it is said and done. The worst part may be that you never saw it coming. In fact, if the trees in your own backyard have not been affected, you might not of even known it was happening. But rest assured, the ash trees as we know them are dying and there is not much you can do to stop it. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is the ash tree killer that was first discovered in the United States in the summer of 2002 in Michigan. These super creeps were most likely doing damage a decade before their discovery. Native to Asia, there is no native or natural predator here in the states that can stop the pest. Pennsylvania confirmed the presence of EAB in the western part of the state in 2007. The pest is swiftly and successfully destroying our ash in more than half of the 67 counties in PA to date. Continue reading
Berry Mountain Hike and Hypothermia
- At the Bottom
- At the Top
- View From The Top
- The Susquehanna River
Well, we finally had our Berry Mountain hike after canceling once, having no place to park and another winter storm threatening another cancellation. A few days prior to the hike I checked out the trailhead parking which was under 3 feet of snow. There were two men there plowing the road, so I batted my big brown eyes explaining my dilemma. They were wonderful and plowed the parking lot for us. That just left the threatening weather forecast to deal with. I said a little prayer and the storm never came. So the hike was a go!
We had a total of 10 hikers to start, but one missed us at the trailhead, ran, and caught up with us at the top in time to see the beautiful view and take in the surprise that was mentioned on Meet Up.
Once on the mountaintop we took a few moments to discuss hypothermia, a body temperature below 95 degrees F. The most important thing to know about hypothermia is how to prevent it in the first place. Continue reading
Another Haldeman Island Waterfowl Hike
The DOC and DATC are hosting another Haldeman Island Waterfowl Hike to be led by Scott Bills, a Land Management Group Supervisor with the PA Game Commission, on March 23rd from 8 AM to 12 PM. Everyone is invited to attend, but we especially encourage people with children to enjoy this fun and highly educational opportunity.
This hike will primarily focus on migrating waterfowl and as many as 20 species could be spotted on both the island and the river. Dress appropriately for the weather, wear one extra layer for the wind, and wear neutral colors to help keep our presence muted. We encourage you to bring binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras , and bird guides. The length of the walk is but a few miles on level ground. Appropriate footwear would be warm boots.
Haldeman Island is located off 11/15 at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers. Parking coordinates are: 40.427407 -77.004258. Access is usually restricted to provide sanctuary for a wide variety of birds including the iconic Bald Eagle so don’t miss out on a rare chance to experience and learn about this wonderful Duncannon area natural resource. There are only 30 spots so hurry and register while there is still time. Call 834-9216 or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org to register. Hope to see you there.





