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Outdoors

Health benefits of being in nature

Metro Cognitive health A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias found that engaged persons with dementia in horticultural therapy-based (HT-based) programming solicited higher rates of participation than traditional activities (TA) programming. In addition, a separate 2013 study in the journal Dementia found that exposure to a therapeutic garden had a positive impact on quality of life for people with dementia. And it’s not just dementia patients who can experience the cognitive benefits of time spent in nature, as the Hagley Museum ...

Outdoors Calendar

Atkinson Mills Sportsmen’s Club • Meetings — held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The club is located at 55 Sportsmen Club Lane, McVeytown; email atkinsonmillssportsmensclub@gmail.com; online at http://atkinsonmills-sportsmensclub.weebly.com. Blue Rock Sportsman Club • Club meetings — 2 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month on the gun range, and at 7 p.m. January and February in the barn. To east end Blue Rock: From Milroy, follow signs to Reeds Gap State Park. Free camping available and kitchen is open during all events except trap shoots. Decatur ...

Refilling process begins at Children’s Lake

BOILING SPRINGS — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has announced that the refilling process has begun at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs (South Middleton Township), Cumberland County following a nearly year-long, $5.2 million rehabilitation project. The public should begin to notice the lake refilling with water slowly over the next few days, with complete refill expected in approximately two weeks. “This is a long-awaited milestone in the process of bringing Children’s Lake back to the community and delivering something that is truly better than ever,” ...

More travelers glamping, even amid high costs

NerdWallet Camping can be one of the cheapest ways to travel. Yet a relatively new style of camping is proliferating — by some metrics — and it’s glamping. Glamping is a fusion of luxury and nature, where tents are filled with plush pillows, and some even have private bathrooms with heated, running water. Campgrounds typically are outfitted with fast Wi-Fi, and such camping activities as pitching a tent and starting a fire are already done for you. But the blend of outdoor glamor with hotel comfort commands prices more expensive than those of high-end hotels. It’s also a sharp ...

PFBC adopts new boat registration regulations

​HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) voted to give final approval to amendments to boat registration regulations at its quarterly business meeting July 24. Under the changes, the PFBC will comply with requirements of Act 28 of 2022, which established a calendar-year boat registration cycle that is valid from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Currently, Pennsylvania boat registrations are valid from April 1 to March 31, which can be confusing to boaters and result in unintentional violations. Commissioners voted to give final approval to changes to the boat ...

USDA Forest Service invests $20M to restore forests, reduce fire risk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced that it is investing more than $20 million for projects that reduce wildfire risk and restore healthy forests while creating jobs through USDA’s Good Neighbor Authority. The Good Neighbor Authority allows the USDA Forest Service to enter into agreements with state forestry agencies to complete critical management work that keeps forests healthy and productive. Made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the investments will fund projects and leverage state resources across 18 states to ...