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Environmental Heritage-- DCNR At 15: 1998 Tornadoes At Promised Land State Park
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While not part of the famous "Tornado Alley" in the Midwest, Pennsylvania unfortunately sees its share of destructive twisters in the spring—when warm, southern air clashes with cool fronts.

            One such outbreak took place in May 1998 and wreaked havoc in Promised Land State Park in Pike County.
            Now part of its legacy, the damage at the park was extensive—Promised Land was completely closed for nearly a month, and clean-up ultimately took a couple years.
            Amazingly, while around 200 visitors were trapped in the park while the tornado roared through, no one was injured. Many took shelter in structures that were left relatively undamaged by the unpredictable twister. 
            The Bureau of State Parks has put what they learned there—keeping trees away from buildings and roads, and especially forest regeneration and deer-browsing lessons as a result of the new trees growing in the downed areas—to good use throughout the park system.
             Click here to read more.

12/13/2010

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