National Public Lands Day isn’t until Sept. 29, but in its observance the The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting volunteers to help perform work at Shenango River Lake Sept. 8.

Volunteers will paint traffic control symbols and lines on boat launches; install new grills at pavilions; clear vegetation from facility fencing; weed and mulch flower planters; and pick up litter. Lunch will be provided, and there will be free camping for workers over the weekend.

The work day will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For information, contact Rich Egger at richard.j.egger@usace.army.mil or (724) 646-1124.

That’s not the only opportunity to volunteer in northwestern Pennsylvania:

Help clean up the Allegheny River in and around Warren Sept. 29 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Maintain trails and beautify gardens at Chapman State Park, Warren County, from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 29.

Improve trails Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jennings Environmental Educational Center, Butler County. Lunch will be provided.

Remove invasive plants, maintain trails, clean up litter and paint facilities Oct. 20 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Cook Forest State Park. There will be free camping Oct. 19 and 20 for volunteers.

Cascade Creek through Frontier Park is getting a makeover. It’s a favorite hangout for young anglers during the first day of trout season and, nearer the mouth, for savvy steelhead anglers looking to slip away from the crowds after the big trout have made their way into Presque Isle Bay in the fall.

Penn State Behrend’s first Festival of Writing Sept. 8 will put those interested in writing about the natural world in touch with authors whose works examine just that.

Participants will be able to do field work on Presque Isle State Park and in Behrend’s arboretum. There will be panel discussions on issues involved in writing in and on the natural world, a lecture by Scott Russell Sanders and readings by Sanders and faculty members of Behrend’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing.

Sanders “A Conservationist Manifesto” was published on Earth Day 2009.

Other readings will be done by Kim Todd, George Looney, Tom Noyes and Aimee Pogson.

The $36 registration fee also includes transportation, lunch and dinner. Register online.

Author Robert Hilliard will sign copies of his new book, “A Season on the Allegheny,” Friday from 1-3 p.m. at the U.S. Forest Service Office, 4 Farm Colony Drive, Warren, Pa.

“A Season on the Allegheny” is about a year spent hunting on the Allegheny National Forest. It reveals the history culture, and conservation ethic that make the Allegheny such a special place. Hilliard “explores the differing and often opposing views of conservation and wildlife management while reflecting on the complex history that created and now maintains our national forests.”

The book ranked in the top 20 percent in Kindle Store sales since its release as an eBook over five months ago and now is available as a paperback.

You can help make one of the natural jewels of northwestern Pennsylvania sparkle.

The French Creek Valley Conservancy‘s 20^th annual French Creek Cleanup is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. A weigh-in and picnic reception will take place at the Sprague Farm and Brew Works in Venango from noon to 6 p.m. All items must be brought in and weighed by 4 p.m. The picnic will feature live music, food, drinks and fun.

Cash prizes will be awarded, including $1,000 to the educational institution with the most participants and $500 each for the most trash by weight, the most unusual item, and for the community group with the most participants.

Sign up to take part here.

Two conservation experts will speak at the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association general membership meeting Wednesday.

The meeting is free and open to the public and new members as well. It will take place at 
7 p.m. at American Legion Post 773, 4109 W. 12th St.

Jane Menchyk, a land protection specialist with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and Dave Skellie, a coastal land use and economic specialist from PA Sea Grant, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Lake Erie Region Conservancy are the guest speakers.

They have worked on several land conservation projects in the Erie area and will share their experiences and discuss the importance of strong local partnerships in their pursuit of protecting land for multiple conservation usages.

Two American bald eagles were released into the wild Wednesday in Crawford County after rehabilitation from injuries at the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission oversaw release of the female eagles at the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, State Game Lands 214. Pymatuning was selected as the release site because of its abundant eagle habitat.

A 20-year-old mature eagle, first banded in 1992 near Vernon, Ohio, was captured April 16, 2011, near Union City by Erie County Wildlife Conservation Offcer Larry Smith. The eagle showed wing injures, missing tail feathers, emaciation and dehydration. It had suffered pellet wounds from a gunshot. Recurring infections required a long healing period at Tamarack.

Smith also picked up the immature eagle July 17, 2011, near Six Mile Creek east of Erie. The bird is believed to have suffered from West Nile Virus, which caused its feathers to become deformed during development, prohibiting flight. Rehab workers waited and watched as the eagle’s feathers were naturally restored during molting.

“Tamarack is an excellent facility that we have worked with on numerous occasions, and they have proven themselves to be especially skilled when dealing with raptors including bald eagles,” said Keith Harbaugh, Game Commission Northwest Region director. “Sue DeArment and her team at Tamarack are to be commended for their caring and compassionate work rehabilitating these eagles. We would not be here today to return these birds back to the wild if it were not for their investment of time, skill, energy, and money.”

The Game Commission said the mature female eagle was not returned to the Union City area, where she was an established breeder, because her mate successfully paired up with another eagle during her rehabilitation.

Margaret C. Brittingham, Ph.D., a professor wildlife resources at Penn State, is looking for several people to carry out bird surveys in northcentral Pennsylvania as part of a study on the effects of Marcellus development on forest birds, mammals and amphibians. The job description:

We are seeking several full-time, temporary wildlife technicians to assist in data collection for projects evaluating the potential impacts of shale gas development on wildlife. Technicians will be part of a larger team of graduate students and researchers collecting avian point count data, mammal tracking (using track plates and camera traps), frog call surveys, terrestrial salamander surveys and vegetation data. Placement with a specific project will be related to experience with the specific techniques and skill levels for each project. There is an opportunity to work on more than one project over the course of the summer.

For participation in avian studies, identification of neo-tropical migrants by sight and sound is mandatory. A strong working knowledge of Pennsylvania trees and shrubs is preferred for vegetation collection projects. Experience identifying frogs, toads and salamanders is desired for participation in the amphibian study. Some technicians would start part-time in April and will begin full-time after the spring semester ends. Employment on these projects will continue through July. Position pays $9-10/hr and provides transportation, housing and travel expenses within north-central PA. Technicians must have a valid driver’s license.

To Apply: Please send a resume, and cover letter including availability and three references to Sarah Hurteau at srh20@psu.edu by April 20, 2012.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission habitat improvement project on Ford Island is under way again.

Ford Island is just off Linesville Hartstown Road and houses the Game Commission’s Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center.

“Natural forest regeneration had been almost nonexistent at this site due to competition with invasive species, such as tartarian honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, bittersweet and grapes,” said Jerry Bish, the land management group supervisor who is overseeing the initiative. “The project resulted in removal of these species followed by herbicide treatment to retard regrowth. The effect was immediate and highly visible, with dead and brown vegetation last fall. Deer deterrent fence will be installed to protect the newly regenerating forest. The result will be a very open understory with newly emerging undergrowth in 2012.”

This project is funded in part by Pittman Robertson funds, which come from a federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition.

“Wildlife responds best to a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs,” Bish said. “This area will begin to see a significant response to this management technique as early as 2013.”

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has filed for $187,500 in fines and penalties against a company it says fouled Yeager Brook in Allegany State Park through its drilling activities in the Allegheny National Forest.

The New York park and the forest, which is solely in Pennsylvania, are separated only by the states’ shared border.

“This enforcement action should provide a strong deterrent to other oil and gas well operators in New York and neighboring states whose operations impact New York’s natural resources,” Steven Russo, the DEC deputy commissioner and general counsel, said in a prepared statement. “We will not allow U.S. Energy‘s actions in Pennsylvania to negatively impact New York’s waters. U.S. Energy must ensure that proper stormwater controls are put in place to prevent future violations.”