First Posted: 8/13/2014

THIS WEEK: Aug. 20 to 26, 2014

Cranberry Bog Walk, a 2.5-hour exploration of the northern boreal bog with novel plant and animal life. Meet at the Bog parking lot, 166 Cherry Lane Road, Tannersville. 10 a.m. Wednesdays through Sept. 24. $6. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Family Fishing Day, a free program for families with children age 8 and older who are new to fishing. All equipment and bait provided; fishing license not required. Bring chairs, water and snacks. River Common Fishing Pier, Wilkes-Barre. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20. Registration: 570-477-2206.

Y Walk Wednesdays: River Common Summer Nature Walk along the Susquehanna River with Diane Madl of Nescopeck State Park. Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA, 40 W. Northampton St. 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20. Free. 570-970-5040.

Morning Kayak Paddle, for age 14 and older. Frances Slocum State Park, 565 Mount Olivet Road, Kingston Township. 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22. Registration: 570-696-9105.

Miles for Michael, the Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run through Pittston, the Fort Jenkins Bridge, West Pittston and the Water Street Bridge. Begins at Main and William streets, Pittston. Race-day registration at the Greater Pittston YMCA, 10 N. Main St. Saturday, Aug. 23 with registration at 8:30 a.m. and race at 10 a.m. $25. 570-574-0463.

Ponds vs. Streams. Catch and compare critters caught in a pond with those found in a stream and examine features that help them live in their particular habitat. Monroe County Environmental Education Center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg. 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 23. $5. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Mushrooms and Mycelia, learning about fungi with indoor and outdoor programs. Salt Springs State Park, 2305 Salt Springs Road, Franklin Forks. 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. 570-945-3239.

Frog Frenzy. Learn about frogs while gently catching and releasing these hopping amphibians in the ponds and streams of the Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry. 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. $5. 570-828-2319.

Ecozone Discovery Room. Climb into a bald eagle’s nest, crawl into a bat cave and dig in a fossil pit in this indoor discovery room with hands-on exhibits. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. 570-828-2319.

Go Green Bike Tour, the fifth annual event sponsored by Countryside Conservancy with beginner, intermediate and advanced routes covering portions of Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties in the Endless Mountains. Leaves from the Fleetville Volunteer Fire Company, North Route 407. Sunday, Aug. 24 with check-in 7 to 10 a.m. and rides leaving at 8:30, 9:30 and 10 a.m. $40. Register at countrysideconservancy.org.

Mountain Springs Hike, eight moderate miles in a section of Ricketts Glen State Park. Meet at the Dallas Shopping Center, Memorial Highway. 9:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 24. Bring lunch and water. Sponsored by the Susquehanna Trailers Hiking Club. 570-346-8010.

Butterfly Walk, a trek through the fields and around the ponds with naturalist David Trently. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry. 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24. 570-828-2319.

FUTURE

Migrate to the Poconos, a Family Nature Getaway Weekend with interpretive hikes, animal presentations, swimming, canoeing, tie-dye, campfires and more. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry. Friday, Aug. 29 to Monday, Sept. 1. $210 includes three nights lodging and meals from Friday dinner to Monday lunch. Reservations: 570-828-2319.

Field, Forest and Falls Trail Race, 5.5- and 2.5-mile races through the meadows and along the gorge above the waterfalls. Salt Springs State Park, 2305 Salt Springs Road, Franklin Forks. 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30. 570-945-3239 or friendsofsaltspringspark.org.

A Stomp to the Swamp, to seek out turtles, ducks and other critters. Meet at the Green Road gate outside the park. Frances Slocum State Park, 565 Mount Olivet Road, Kingston Township. 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30. 570-696-9105.

Cherry Run Hike, 10 difficult miles in a section of Ricketts Glen State Park. Meet at the Dallas Shopping Center, Memorial Highway. 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31. Bring lunch and water. Sponsored by the Susquehanna Trailers Hiking Club. 570-346-8010.

Lehigh Gorge Rail Trail Hike, an easy four-mile trek to learn about the area’s history. Meet at the Glen Onoco Access of Lehigh Gorge State Park. 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 4. Free. 570-403-2006.

Guided Bird Walk, with conservation volunteer Dave Kruel. Nescopeck State Park, 1137 Honey Hole Road, Drums. 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. Free. Registration: 570-403-2006.

Fall Warblers, a brief talk on identifying confusing fall warblers followed by a birding walk at the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg. 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. $5. 570-629-3061.

Wild Mushroom Walk, learning to identify and differentiate between various fungi. Age 18 and older. Nescopeck State Park, 1137 Honey Hole Road, Drums. 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. 570-403-2006.

Full Moon Bog Walk, an evening walk into the bog environment. Bring a flashlight. Tannersville Cranberry Bog, 166 Cherry Lane Road. 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8. $6. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Fall Astronomy Sessions, an illustrated lecture followed by weather-permitted telescope observation of the moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Thomas G. Cupillari Astronomical Observatory, Keystone College, La Plume. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays from Sept. 10 through Nov. 14. Free. 570-945-8402.

Walk for Life, the fourth annual event with live music, and games for kids including face painting, balloon animals, sidewalk chalk and a bounce house. Lackawanna County Courthouse Square, North Washington Avenue and Linden Street, Scranton. Sept. 13 with registration at 9 a.m., walk at 10 a.m. and activities until noon. $25. Register at carenetofscranton.com or 570-207-1907.

Not Your 60s Tie Dye Program, using natural and man-made materials to create a tie-dye piece. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg. 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 13. Age 12 and older. $8 covers materials. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Live Eagles, a close-up look at different types of eagles with naturalists from the Carbon County Environmental Education Center. Wild Birds Unlimited, Dallas Shopping Center, Memorial Highway. 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. Free. 570-675-9900.

Saturday Bog Walk, a 2.5-hour journey into the bog environment. Meet at the parking lot of the Tannersville Cranberry Bog, 166 Cherry Lane Road. 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. $6. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Comets in Color, a 5K walk/run hosted by the Crestwood Lady Comets Basketball Booster Club, looping around Wright Township Municipal Park, 321 S. Mountain Blvd., Mountain Top. Runners will follow a marked course and be doused in biodegradable colored cornstarch at a number of color stations. A smaller course will be available for ages 6 to 10. Saturday, Sept. 13 with check-in at 3 p.m. and race 4 to 6 p.m. $30 adults; $12 children. Applications available at leaguelineup.com/cometsincolorrace.

Tree Walk, a trek through the woods, fields and wetlands of the 400-acre preserve to identify trees. Meet at the parking lot of the Florence Shelly Wetlands Preserve, Route 171 and Stack Road, one mile north of Thompson. 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14. 570-727-3362.

Birding at Frances Slocum State Park, with Bruce Troy of Wild Birds Unlimited. 565 Mount Olivet Road, Kingston Township. 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. Free. 570-675-9900.

Tree Identification, with environmental education coordinator Roger Spotts. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, 8050 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. $5. 570-629-3061.

Sunday Bog Walk, a 2.5-hour journey into the bog environment. Meet at the parking lot of the Tannersville Cranberry Bog, 166 Cherry Lane Road. 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. $6. Registration: 570-629-3061.

Light the Night Walk, a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. PNC Field, 235 Montage Mountain Road, Moosic. Saturday, Sept. 20 with registration at 4:30 p.m. and walk at 6:30 p.m. 610-266-8512 or lightthenight.org/epa.

Salamander Safari, a walk with naturalist Rick Koval to seek out some of the 22 species of salamanders in Pennsylvania. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, 93 MacKenzie Road, Covington Township. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24. $5. Registration: 570-842-1506.

Bear Creek Preserve Hike, a difficult five-mile walk to learn about the area’s history and natural life. Meet at the parking lot, five miles north of Blakeslee on Route 115. 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. Free. 570-403-2006.

National Public Lands Day Park Cleanup, including trail trimming, litter pickup, landscaping and more. Nescopeck State Park, 1137 Honey Hole Road, Drums. 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. Registration: 570-403-2006.

Y Cycle Sunday, a four-mile bike ride on the Pittston Trail to the site of the Knox Mine Disaster. Meet at the Pittston trailhead behind Cooper’s Seafood, 304 Kennedy Blvd. 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28. 570-714-1953.

Lake to Lake Trail Run and Woods Walk, an 8K event with participants covering trails winding through 500 acres of rich biodiversity and natural resources. Lacawac Sanctuary, 94 Sanctuary Road, Lake Ariel. Sunday, Oct. 19 with registration at 9 a.m. and event at 11 a.m. $25 for the 8K; $15 for the woods walk. 570-689-9494 or lacawac.org.