Audubon PA Northwest recently received a $3,000 grant from the FirstEnergy Foundation to construct osprey nesting boxes for use throughout northwest Pennsylvania and into Ohio.

Rep. Parke Wentling (R-Crawford) and former Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary John Oliver facilitated a public-private coalition that received the grant. 

Osprey occasionally build large nests atop power poles and cause damage to power lines and potential power outages, putting the osprey at risk.

The program hopes to use volunteers to build 30 osprey nests and FirstEnergy utility crews will install them on top of selected electric polls.

Audubon Pennsylvania Northwest will administer the grant in partnership with conservation groups such as the Friends of Goddard State Park. 

“The goal is to construct thirty new osprey nesting boxes and work with FirstEnergy to identify nesting sites where the boxes can be erected over the next year,” explained Sarah Sargent of Audubon Pennsylvania Northwest.

Visit the Audubon PA Northwest Facebook page or call 814-333-1170 for information on Audubon programs in the Northwest.

For more information on osprey in Pennsylvania, visit the Game Commission’s Osprey webpage.

(Photo: Bill Wasser, Goddard State Park Manager; Chuck Jackson, Penn Power; Bill Jerin, Pennelec: Fred Brenner, Grove City College biology professor; John Oliver, former Secretary of PA DCNR; Rep. Parke Wentling; Andy Anthony, Oliver Properties Land Manager; Sarah Sargent, Audubon PA Northwest Program Manager; Gary Free, Friends of Goddard State Park.)

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