Poll: Most hunters, anglers support nature-based solutions to climate change

Aug. 14—WILKES-BARRE — A majority of American hunters and anglers polled earlier this year said they embrace habitat conservation strategies as a way to address the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife.

The poll, conducted by New Bridge Strategy on behalf of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, also showed that more hunters and anglers—across party lines — say that climate change is happening than not.

"These findings are significant, because they paint a clearer picture of support for climate change solutions among conservative sportsmen and sportswomen, who some might assume are agnostic or even aggressively opposed to climate legislation," said Tiffany Turner, the TRCP's director of climate solutions. "This is particularly meaningful for Republican lawmakers who have maybe hedged on supporting legislation, when they actually have the constituent support in the hunting and fishing community to become wholehearted champions of habitat restoration and protection that improves carbon storage and sequestration."

Here are some key findings from the poll:

—72% of sportsmen and sportswomen said that climate change is happening.

—86% said they'd support restoring wetlands and coastal areas, which help store carbon, while also acting as natural defenses to absorb rain during storms, provide wildlife habitat, and help filter pollutants from rivers and streams.

—84% said they'd support restoring forests, prairies, and grasslands, which help store carbon, while also providing wildlife habitat and helping to filter pollutants from rivers and streams.

—76% would support setting a national goal of conserving and restoring 30 percent of land and inland waters in America and 30% of its ocean areas by the year 2030.

—76% support providing financial incentives for farmers to adopt regenerative practices and verifying that they are taking those actions, such as no-till farming or planting cover crops.

—Nearly half of those polled reported seeing an increase in certain climate change impacts, including "weird" weather and declining populations of fish or wildlife.

—More than half believe that climate change will affect their ability to hunt or fish in the next 20 years.

Partisan issue

The results show that climate change is still a much more partisan issue than other threats to fish and wildlife. The sportsmen and sportswomen polled were more concerned about habitat being broken up by development, pollution, disease, and roads and highways across habitat and migration routes.

There is also more work to do to convince sportsmen and sportswomen that climate change is affecting their hunting and fishing right now. The TRCP has launched a new campaign to educate and drive hunters and anglers to action in support of nature-based solutions — those that hinge on maintaining, managing, restoring, and improving our lands and waters to reverse climate change.

Healthy habitats absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere, where it would otherwise contribute to global warming.

Specific examples of natural climate solutions can be found on the TRCP's new interactive map (select Landscape Categories from the menu.)

Many of the projects also lessen the impacts of climate change by reducing erosion, preventing wildfires, enhancing soil health, protecting against drought and flooding, cooling stream temperatures, strengthening coastlines, or improving the quality and availability of clean water.

DEP, EQB working to protect aquatic

life, streams against mining pressure

This Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) this week recommended and the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) approved in a 16 to 3 vote, a stricter manganese standard to protect the state's waters.

The new 0.3 mg/L human health toxics standard for manganese is stricter and replaces the prior 1.0 mg/L potable water supply standard.

Manganese is a toxic chemical that is often a byproduct of mining operations and abandoned mine discharges, and can enter waterways as dissolved liquid or as particulate matter. Over time, manganese accumulates in the bodies of both fish and humans, disrupting enzyme activity.

Despite pressure from the mining industry, the EQB's decision mandates that the point of compliance is retained at the discharge point rather than moved downstream to drinking water withdrawals, which would have shifted the burden and cost of manganese removal to public water utilities and downstream consumers while also harming aquatic life.

"The EQB's vote on Tuesday marks a major hurdle cleared towards better protection of aquatic life across the state," said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper and Leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, "I'm glad the DEP listened to the public in support of stricter standards, its sister agencies, the science and health threats, and withstood pressure from mining companies to ultimately recommend this change. This ruling will make some mining companies responsible for monitoring and removing their own manganese discharge at a more protective level, companies who have damaged our state's waterways for far too long."

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network, the PA Campaign for Clean Water's Exceptional Value Team, and others have been advocating for the protection of the Delaware River's aquatic life from manganese and other toxic pollutants for over a decade. Next, the final rulemaking will be considered by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) at its public meeting scheduled for September 15th.

To read the full decision, visit — http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulations/RegSrchRslts.cfm?ID=3271

Delaware Riverkeeper Network is a nonprofit membership organization working throughout the four states of the Delaware River Watershed, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. Delaware Riverkeeper Network provides effective environmental advocacy, volunteer monitoring programs, stream restoration projects, public education, and legal enforcement of environmental protection laws. To learn more about our work, please visit: www.delawareriverkeeper.org.

Bob Strunk reports the results of the Back Woods Bass tournaments for this week.

Back Woods Bass Results

Wednesday Night Harvey's Lake Lunker

1st Place: George Hogan, 3.77 lbs.

2nd Place: George Gendler Jr., 3.77 lbs.

3rd Place: Greg Mikulski Sr., 3.54 lbs.

4th Place: Kyle Drake, 2.98 lbs.

5th Place: Dave Fleury, 2.86 lbs.

6th Place: Justine Kabilus, 2.78 lbs.

7th Place: Shaun Kucharski, 2.60 lbs.

8th Place: Kevin Seamore, 2.35 lbs.

9th Place: George Gendler, Sr., 2.25 lbs.

10th Place: Frank Kline, 2.09 lbs.

Friday Night Harvey's Lake

1st Place: John & Evan Stravinski, 10 lbs. 12 oz.

2nd Place: Nate Lyons/Billy Kline, 10 lbs. 9 oz.

Also won Lunker Award, 3 lbs. 6 oz.

3rd Place: Chris Pacich/Ryan Martin, 8 lbs. 9 oz.

4th Place: Jason Zubris/Steve Botek, 6 lbs. 5 oz.

5th Place: Slick & Dark Cloud Harris, 6 lbs.

NBLT 'Loving Our

Local Waters' program

North Branch Land Trust has received a $1,500 grant from the PPL Foundation that will support the Land Trust's "Loving Our Local Waters/Amando Nuestras Aguas Locales" water stewardship program.

North Branch Land Trust will host youth watershed education programs at Picton Preserve in Foster Township Luzerne County. Area youth will explore the wetland, learn about the water cycle, identify native and invasive species, and design bilingual stewardship signage.

Executive Director Ellen Ferretti identified the need for a program such as this.

"During the pandemic, many people discovered the love for the outdoors, and many organizations rightfully encouraged it," Ferretti said. "But the stewardship message lagged too far behind, so many of these special places were 'loved to death' by visitors. So often, visitors to our great outdoors simply would benefit from an understanding of how to be a good steward and how to take care of that beautiful stream, trail or hillside that is giving you such joy."

Ferretti said North Branch Land Trust believes that communication and education are important steps to responsible outdoor recreation.

"And when you can communicate and educate in these outdoor spaces where you can splash around cattails and tadpoles, well, that's a lesson that is hard to forget," Ferretti said.

If you would like to be notified of participation dates for North Branch Land Trust's Loving Our Local Waters/ Amando Nuestras Aguas Locales programs, email — info@nblt.org.

If you would like to volunteer with this or other programs at North Branch Land Trust, email — stasko@nblt.org.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park adds

two more New York franchises

Families in the Northeast may now enjoy two more Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts with the recent opening of locations near Binghamton and in Chautauqua County, New York.

They are the eighth and ninth properties in the United States to begin operating under the Jellystone Park brand this year.

Jellystone Park locations are famous for providing families with great attractions and activities such as pools, water slides, splash-grounds, jumping pillows, wagon rides, foam parties and interactions with Yogi Bear costumed characters. Guests can choose from a variety of camping and glamping accommodations, including cabins and RV sites.

Located near Binghamton, the new Jellystone Park franchise, which consists of 140 sites, is owned and operated by Burke Campgrounds of New York, LLC. Previously known as the Binghamton Bear campground, a significant number of upgrades were made in advance of the Jellystone Park opening.

Recent improvements include the addition of a floating obstacle course on the park's six-acre lake, a new snowless tubing course, two jumping pillows, a pedal cart track, two gaga ball pits and sports fields. The company has also installed a new recreation building with a craft room and an arcade. Rental accommodations have been expanded to include four furnished glamping tents, four yurts and four Conestoga wagons. Visit www.binghamtonjellystonepark.com for more information.

In Chautauqua County, Hidden Valley Camping Area is now a Jellystone Park as well. Owners Jessica and Mickey Spak are expanding the Jamestown location's numerous activities to extend throughout the fall and Halloween season, including a pre-Halloween themed weekend, August. 27-28. Families will enjoy costume and campsite decorating contests, as well as trick-or-treating.

In recent years, the Spaks renovated the pool, added new cabins, installed a new playground, and added a jumping pad, gem mining sluice, gaga ball pits, basketball and tennis courts, and a new Wi-Fi system. For more information visit ChautauquaCountyJellystonePark.com.

With the addition of these franchises, there are now seven Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts in the state of New York.

"We are very excited about expanding our presence in New York," said Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketing for Camp Jellystone, which franchises more than 75 Jellystone Park locations across the U.S. and Canada. "Transitioning a campground into a Jellystone Park location takes a lot of hard work. We are sure that guests are going to love all the changes and improvements that are being made at both the Binghamton and Chautauqua County properties."

Jellystone Park also expanded this year with new locations in Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.

About Camp Jellystone

With more than 75 locations across the United States and Canada, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts feature fun attractions such as pools and water slides, non-stop family activities, up-close fun with Yogi Bear characters, and glamping-style accommodations. For more information about Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, please visit www.jellystonepark.com. For more information on franchising opportunities, please visit www.jellystonefranchise.com. Camp Jellystone is part of Sun Outdoors' family of brands.

Chainsaw safety training

scheduled in Wayne County

Join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy at the Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, Wayne County to learn Chainsaw Safety with a Game of Logging instructor.

The Level 1 training focuses on introducing open face felling and the development of techniques to safely use it.

Topics covered include personal protective equipment, chainsaw safety features, chainsaw reactive forces, bore cutting, pre-planning the fell, and understanding hinge wood strength.

The Conservancy is hosting two Chainsaw Safety workshops in September:

—Saturday, Sept. 17, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: A Women and Their Woods Event

—Sunday, Sept. 18, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Open to all.

Space for both events is limited and prior registration is required. Event fee is $15 per person for Conservancy members or Women and Their Woods graduates; $25 for non-members.

Visit — www.delawarehighlands.org/events — for full details and to register to attend.

Attendees should bring a camp/folding chair, a lunch and snacks, a refillable water bottle, and dress for the weather with appropriate closed-toe footwear. Bring your own gas-powered chainsaw and safety equipment if you have it; if not, a limited amount of shared equipment will be available for use.

Attendees should be prepared to walk up to 1/2 mile to the felling site.

Event is hosted rain or shine and refunds will not be issued for cancellations or no-shows.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy works in partnership with landowners and communities to protect the natural heritage and quality of life of the Upper Delaware River region.

For more information, call 570-226-3164/845-583-1010, or visit — www.DelawareHighlands.org.