In Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, tucked inside the Pinchot State Forest, is the Moon Lake Recreation Area (MLRA). Spanning over 900 acres, MLRA is home to a variety of habitats including open grassland, scrub and mixed forest, and even a lake.
Through a four-year partnership with the Pinchot Forest District of PA’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society (GWVAS) has worked collaboratively to restore, enhance, and create habitat for birds and other wildlife as the land shifted from a county park to Forestry recreation area.
Through a collaborative process with the Pinchot Forest District, GWVAS developed a bird list that is readily available to visitors at kiosks managed by the District and on the Pinchot website. The bird lists include seasonal and habitat cues for visitors to help deepen their experience and connection to the local wildlife. They’ve also introduced Eastern Bluebird and American Kestrel boxes on the grounds, along with a volunteer program to monitor and report all species on eBird.
Over the years, MLRA and GWVAS have reported over 130 bird species including Red-headed Woodpeckers, a variety of grassland birds, fishing Osprey and Bald Eagles. This spring, at the request of MLRA, volunteers from GWVAS designed and installed a pollinator garden, and cultivated the beginnings of an education area that now includes roughly 125 bird-friendly shrubs at the entrance to Moon Lake. Looking ahead, Forestry will install a wildflower meadow, and the chapter hopes to work with them collaboratively to develop a vernal pool trail and an auto tour that is inclusive for birders of all abilities.
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