The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the City of Harrisburg Department of Parks and Recreation are teaming up to provide 12 teenagers from the city the opportunity for outdoor adventures in nearby state parks July 23 – 27.

“Our state parks are often in more rural areas but people are concentrated in our urban areas,” DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said. “Our partnership with the City of Harrisburg opens the door to a new opportunity to connect our state parks with urban youth.

“We hope an exciting outdoor adventure will not only make them repeat visitors, but will teach them about diversity in the natural world so as citizens they are lifelong stewards and make wise decisions about what our world looks like,” Secretary DiBerardinis said.

The participants range in age from 12 to 15 and are already involved in recreational programs in Harrisburg.

They will participate in the following activities:

· July 23, teambuilding, compass use/orienteering and hiking at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center in Cumberland County;

· July 24, fishing, fossil hunting and swimming at Little Buffalo State Park in Perry County;

· July 25, 6-mile hike from Kings Gap to Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland County, history and swimming;

· July 26, bicycling, stream survey and swimming at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cumberland County; and

· July 27, birding, kayaking, disc golf and swimming at Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County.

“All of the programs, with the exception of swimming, will include a ‘how to’ as well as an interpretive component,” Kings Gap Park Manager Scott Hackenburg said. “We intend to use our experiences with the first program as a model for our new efforts to make city residents more aware of the fun and learning available to them at nearby state parks.”

Efforts are underway to establish similar partnerships and programs in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Visit the DCNR State Parks webpage for more recreation ideas.

7/20/2007