The Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage Project is now soliciting comments from environmental educators on using the mini-documentaries of Ralph Abele, Mira Lloyd Dock and Gifford Pinchot produced by WITF-TV  in the classroom at special events on February 3 in Harrisburg and February 8 in Nazareth, Northampton County, or through an online survey.

You can view all three mini-documentaries online--

-- Straight Talk: The Ralph Abele Story: Ralph W. Abele’s “Resource First” philosophy helped protect and conserve the Commonwealth’s waterways and aquatic life. As longest serving Executive Director of the Fish & Boat Commission, Abele is credited with modernizing the Fish & Boat Code, leading efforts to restore the American shad population to the Susquehanna River and much more.  Click Here for a more detailed profile.

-- Mira Lloyd Dock: A Beautiful Crusade: In 1899 women were seen not heard, but not Mira Lloyd Dock. A Progressive Era activist, she helped rescue Harrisburg from filth and pollution. During her service on the PA Forest Commission, one million acres of forest became reserves. She was the first woman in the world to be appointed to a public forest commission and the first woman to hold job in PA government either appointed or elected.  Click Here for a more detailed profile.

-- Gifford Pinchot’s Conservation Legacy: As America’s first trained forester and conservationist, Gifford Pinchot used his wealth and power to protect the nation’s natural resources for “the greatest good, for the greatest number, in the long run.” In 1905 he became head of the newly established United States Forest Service. As Governor of Pennsylvania Pinchot put Pennsylvanians back to work during the Great Depression.  Click Here for a more detailed profile.

February 3 - Harrisburg

The February 3 event will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg to review the Ralph Abele and Mira Lloyd Dock videos.

Following each video will be a brief discussion, sharing thoughts and ideas on how the video might be integrated into the classroom.

To RSVP for the Wildwood showing, send an email to: bartz@paparksandforests.org.

February 8 - Nazareth

The February 8 event will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, 400 Belfast Road, Nazareth to review the Gifford Pinchot and Mira Lloyd Dock videos.

The same discussion format will be followed with light refreshments and a random drawing for an Amazon gift card at both events.

Online Comments

Educators can also provide online comments on all three mini-documentaries and using them in the classroom.  Click Here to take the online survey.  An Amazon gift card will also be given away at random for filling out the online survey.

For more information and to become involved, visit the Pennsylvania Conservation Heritage Project website.

1/18/2016