Bird-watching. Hunting. Fishing. Hiking. Camping.

We’ve taken many opportunities over the years to extol our region’s vast array of options for outdoor recreation.

And yet, we never tire of praising how richly rewarding these pursuits can be.

As reported in the Sun-Gazette’s Tuesday Outdoors section, the most recent Great Backyard Bird Count was a success. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports that more than 390,000 lists were submitted and more than 7,500 species reported.

The data will be helpful to conservationists in determining what priorities should be. And the event gave families an excellent opportunity to get outside and learn about the world around them.

The state Game Commission reports that nearly 423,000 white-tailed deer were harvested during the 2022-23 season, a 12% increase from 2021-22’s season, also according to Tuesday’s Outdoors section.

“The long-term buck harvest trend indicates Pennsylvania’s deer population is in a pretty good place right now,” David Stainbrook of the state Game Commission said.

And of course, last weekend was the opening day of trout season and anglers could be easily found lining the banks of the Loyalsock Creek and other waterways in the region.

According to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, outdoor recreation contributed $14 billion to the state’s gross domestic product in 2021 and created more than 150,000 jobs. Many of those jobs, of course, can be found in our own region.

But the economic potential for the outdoors goes well beyond these numbers. Our bounty of diverse outdoors recreational opportunities makes Lycoming County an appealing place to work, to buy a home and raise a family, to open a business and create more jobs.

And as materially important as all of that is, our region’s outdoor opportunities also enrich our lives and provide healthy activities for ourselves and our children.

The forests and creeks of our region are an invaluable asset. We are proud to report on how they contribute to our communities and to frequently note the impressive richness they can add to all our lives.

— Williamsport Sun-Gazette