From songbirds flitting in the tree canopy above to mushrooms enriching the forest floor below, Pennsylvania's vast natural heritage will be celebrated in a day-long Wild Resource Festival on May 20, at French Creek State Park in Berks and Chester counties.

Sponsored by DCNR's Wild Resource Conservation Program, in partnership with the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission, the second annual Wild Resource Festival will be offered free to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Many of the festival speakers have been involved in Wild Resource Conservation Program-supported projects in recent years, studying mammals, inventorying plants and banding birds. Their work will be demonstrated and discussed on the park's two lakes and 7,475 acres of woodlands and fields.

In addition, fungi and their importance in the state's ecosystem will be addressed in at least three seminars as part of Wild Resource Conservation Program efforts to educate the public on the value of the more than 8,000 fungi species found in Pennsylvania.

"There will be an attempt to educate festival visitors on the vital role of fungi in forest ecology and in Pennsylvania's agricultural economy, as few people understand their uniqueness and appreciate their astonishing variety," said Wild Resource Conservation Program Executive Director Sara Nicholas.

Events also will include stationary exhibits with live animals and demonstrations, as well as a series of hikes and nature walks. A food vendor, musicians and volunteers will be on hand.

"The accent is on nature-based fun and we're inviting all ages to come out and feed a crayfish; catch stream bugs; pet a turtle; and try some deliciously-prepared, wild edible plants and fungi," Nicholas said. "You can have your face painted with animal tracks, learn how to band songbirds, follow the trail of a white-footed mouse and much more."

Housed within DCNR's Office of Conservation Science, the Wild Resource Conservation Program directs resources toward endangered and threatened species - both plants and animals - and strives to educate the public on recognition and preservation of Pennsylvania's most sensitive flora and fauna.

The Program has reintroduced river otters to Pennsylvania's waterways and ospreys to its skies, while awarding grants to projects studying and protecting plants, birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and other species.

A list of events, directions and other festival details can be found at the Wild Resource Festival webpage.

5/5/2006