Submissions are now being accepted for the Lehigh River Watershed Photography contest, sponsored by Wildlands Conservancy, Olympus America Inc. and Dan’s Camera City.

Entires are due by October 31.

The contest is in recognition of the Lehigh River being designated as Pennsylvania’s 2007 “River of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The contest has two categories: one for youth (17 and under) and one for adults (18 and over). The first place award/prize in the youth category is an Olympus Stylus 760 digital camera; for the adult category, it is an Olympus Stylus 770 SW digital camera. Second prize in both categories is a $100 gift card good for any imaging services from Dan’s Camera City, Allentown. Third place is one free class at Dan’s Camera City Photo University, Allentown. All participants will receive a Pennsylvania 2007 River of the Year poster.

“This photo contest is designed to get people out and touch the resource, while building awareness about and appreciation of this great river,” says Christopher Kocher, Wildlands Conservancy president.

Entries should capture the environmental richness, unique landscape, flora and fauna, human involvement, recreational opportunities or simply the exceptional beauty of the Lehigh River watershed and its surrounding landscapes.

Photographs should be submitted as color transparency film, color or black and white prints or digitally on a CD. Submissions will not be returned unless an appropriate-sized, self-addressed, stamped envelope is included.

Entries will be judged by representatives from Olympus, Dan’s Camera City, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Wildlands Conservancy. Winners will be announced in November 2007.

Contact Tom Gettings at 610-965-4397, ext. 40, or tgettings@wildlandspa.org.

6/8/2007