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Pennsylvania Game Commission: Still Time to Register for Peregrine Falcon Workshop

Posted on: Friday, 16 February 2007, 12:00 CST

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Game Commission, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection and ZOOAMERICA, is offering a "WILD in the City" educator's workshop featuring the peregrine falcon, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, April 5. The workshop is being hosted by the state Department of Environmental Protection at the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg.

The workshop will address the natural history, reintroduction and the current status of peregrine falcons in Pennsylvania, and include activities that can be used to help address state education standards. Features of the workshop included a presentation by Dan Brauning, Game Commission Wildlife Diversity Section Supervisor, ornithologist and lead peregrine falcon biologist in the state. Brauning spearheaded the peregrine reintroduction program in Pennsylvania.

"Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of the session will be a visit from Elaine Gruin, from ZOOAMERICA, who will bring along a peregrine falcon so that educators can get a close look at this amazing raptor," said Theresa Alberici, Game Commission Project WILD coordinator.

Participants also will join Alberici and DEP Environmental Educators Jack Farster and Ann Divine to experience hands-on activities and, if weather permits, go outside to view the Harrisburg peregrines.

This workshop is open to teachers, scout and youth group leaders, home school leaders and other educators. The workshop is informal. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars, if possible. Extra binoculars will be available to borrow. There is no charge for the workshop and lunch is provided. Participating teachers will receive 5.5 ACT 48 hours.

To register for "WILD in the City," educators should contact DEP's Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1644 or email adeveine@state.pa.us by March 28. Space is limited.

For more information about peregrine falcons, visit the Game Commission's webpage (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/), click on "Wildlife" then "Falcons." The site includes general information about peregrine falcons, various video clips of peregrine falcon activities, and a link to DEP's "Falcon Page," which focuses on the falcon's nesting site in Harrisburg.

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs.

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

CONTACT: Jerry Feaser, PA Game Commission, +1-717-705-6541,PGCNews@state.pa.us

Web site: http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

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