Rooted in Stewardship: The William Penn Forest District with Rick Hartlieb

Inside Forbes State Forest: Trails, History, and Hidden Wonders with Ed Callahan, District Forester

“We just help tie in all those ownerships. I think we're the largest landowner in the Laurel Highlands.” Our host, Marci Mowery, sits down with Ed Callahan, who is district forester for the Forbes State Forest, spanning Westmoreland, Fayette, and Somerset counties in southwestern Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands. He arrived in 1999 as assistant district forester and took over the district in 2002; since then, holdings have grown from roughly 58,000 to 64,000 acres. The forest sits in three separated blocks (Laurel Mountain, Mount Davis, and the ridge near Quebec Run), each an hour to ninety minutes apart and ecologically distinct, tied together by neighboring state parks, game lands, and private landowners like Seven Springs and Nemacolin Woodlands. The district's name honors General John Forbes's French and Indian War road, and sites like the 1770s-era Carroll Cabin and the Wharton Iron Furnace have been restored with grant support from the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. Recreation runs year-round. There’s hiking, mountain biking, hunting, native brook trout fishing, and winter sports including 120 miles of groomed snowmobile trail and dog sledding. At Mount Davis, the state's high point, a 1930s-era observation tower is being fitted with new interpretive signage so visitors who can't climb it still get the view. Volunteers are the backbone of the operation: the 22-year-old Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group and a newer Trail Steward Program keep trails assessed and maintained. Key Topics: * Mount Davis: The High Point and Its Observation Tower (2:37) * Wild Areas and the Shape of the District's Land (6:20) * Naming History (9:26) * Four-Season Recreation (13:44) * Storm Damage and Stream Remediation Partnerships (16:19) * Building the Volunteer and Trail Steward Programs (18:42) * Wolf Rocks and Spruce Flats Bog (24:19) * Accessibility Improvements and the Pollinator Loop (26:36) * Roadside Camping Opportunities (32:34) Resources: * Forbes State Forest: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/forbes [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/forbes] * Forbes State Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForbesStateForest [https://www.facebook.com/ForbesStateForest] * Laurel Highlands Trout Trail: https://www.laurelhighlandstrouttrail.org/ [https://www.laurelhighlandstrouttrail.org/] * Go Laurel Highlands: https://www.golaurelhighlands.com/ [https://www.golaurelhighlands.com/] * DCNR Interactive Map: https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/dcnrinteractivemap/ [https://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/dcnrinteractivemap/] * Reserve America--PA Park and Forest Reservations: https://pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com/ [https://pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com/] 🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0pUbbLFGpDKdTwLrw1BtS6?si=0d5d715914a2478f], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-outside-with-the-pennsylvania-parks/id1808055642], or your favorite app [https://pod.link/1808055642] while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well! The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy. Learn more, find events, download outdoor resources, and get involved! [https://paparksandforests.org/] 👉 Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter [https://ppff.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ppff/subscribe.jsp] 🎥 Watch outdoor tips and stories on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] 📸 Follow the podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ThinkOutsidePPFFPodcast] 🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ucu1BrtjW0Q2EPLTvf5UR] 📱 Follow PPFF on: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennsylvaniastateparksandforests/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paparksandforests] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-parks-and-forests-foundation/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] * MeetUp [https://www.meetup.com/ppff-events/]

Stories from the Trail: A Conversation with Tory Mather

“I hope that any time someone finds a new place that they love, that they want to protect and conserve that place.” Tory Mather is the author of Scenic Natural Wonders of Pennsylvania and the creator of Tory Talks Trails. She came to the project when a leg injury in 2021 gave her the time to write about hikes from her Cleveland years. As her mobility returned, the blog grew. A publisher commissioned her to catalog 84 scenic spots across the state, formatted with practical tips for every kind of visitor. The research consumed most of a year. Tory would leave Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoons, drive to wherever her next cluster of sites was, and spend the weekends hiking and taking notes. Building a platform to bring more people outdoors creates a responsibility to do so well. And so Tory practices Leave No Trace, keeps strict screen time limits to protect her own relationship with hiking, and increasingly uses her platform for conservation stories. A couple of these include land threatened by data center development and volunteer groups doing quiet stewardship. The book is an entry point. What she cares about most is what comes next, when a reader visits a place and decides they don't want to lose it. Key Topics: * From Leg Injury to Book Commission (1:37) * 84 Places for Everybody in Pennsylvania (3:49) * The Spreadsheet Behind the Book (11:19) * Tory’s Favorite Place in Pennsylvania (13:24) * Hiking for Yourself, Not for Your Feed (17:55) * Leave No Trace and Don't Skip the Poncho (21:52) * Data Centers, Elk, and What's Coming Next (24:26) * Getting People Outside and Getting Them to Care (26:33) Resources: * My Trails Are Many: https://mytrailsaremany.com/ [https://mytrailsaremany.com/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torytalkstrails/ [https://www.instagram.com/torytalkstrails/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@torytalkstrails?_t=8hxFM2sFpVu&_r=1 [https://www.tiktok.com/@torytalkstrails?_t=8hxFM2sFpVu&_r=1] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@torytalkstrails [https://www.youtube.com/@torytalkstrails] 🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0pUbbLFGpDKdTwLrw1BtS6?si=0d5d715914a2478f], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-outside-with-the-pennsylvania-parks/id1808055642], or your favorite app [https://pod.link/1808055642] while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well! The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy. Learn more, find events, download outdoor resources, and get involved! [https://paparksandforests.org/] 👉 Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter [https://ppff.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ppff/subscribe.jsp] 🎥 Watch outdoor tips and stories on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] 📸 Follow the podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ThinkOutsidePPFFPodcast] 🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ucu1BrtjW0Q2EPLTvf5UR] 📱 Follow PPFF on: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennsylvaniastateparksandforests/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paparksandforests] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-parks-and-forests-foundation/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] * MeetUp [https://www.meetup.com/ppff-events/]

Rooted in Stewardship: The William Penn Forest District with Rick Hartlieb

“We're building a quilt. I call it a quilt of state forest land.” Our host, Marci Mowery, chats with Rick Hartlieb, who is the district forester for the William Penn Forest District, covering nine counties across southeastern Pennsylvania. When he arrived in 2008, the district managed 902 acres. Today, that figure stands near 3,000, the result of patient land acquisition that Rick describes as building a "quilt" of public forest in one of the Commonwealth's most urbanized regions. The district's existing holdings are ecologically distinct and historically layered. Goat Hill Wild Plant Sanctuary, on the Mason-Dixon line in Chester County, protects a serpentine barren ecosystem with globally rare plants and lepidopterous insects found nowhere else. Little Tinicum Island, Pennsylvania's only tidal state forest land, shifts between 80 and 200 acres with the tide, carrying history from its role as one of the Delaware River's earliest colonial ports, where ships staged offshore before passengers were permitted ashore, through a World War II dredging operation that reshaped its shoreline. Newer acquisitions, such as the Wertz Tract, Gibraltar Hill, Buck Hollow, and Mullan Hollow along the Horseshoe Trail, continue expanding what the district can offer. Sustaining these places requires year-round vigilance. Rick's team treats 220 ash trees across five sites on a three-year rotation, the only living ash remaining in the surrounding counties. Hemlock woolly adelgid, beech leaf disease, stiltgrass, and development pressure fill the rest of the calendar. The Highlands Conservation Act has funded roughly half of the district's acquisitions. Volunteer groups, cycling clubs, and a friends organization at Goat Hill take care of much of the rest. What animates Rick most is a legacy question. That is, how to set up forest land close enough for a King of Prussia resident to reach in thirty minutes, built to outlast any single manager who comes after. Key Topics: * Goat Hill Wild Plant Sanctuary and the Serpentine Barren (3:28) * Little Tinicum Island: Tides, History, and Big Ships (6:21) * The Wertz and Gibraltar Hill Tracts (10:12) * History in the Landscape: James Wilson and the Lenape (16:16) * Managing Invasive Species and Tree Disease (18:31) * Accessible Trails and the Upcoming Delmont Tract (23:49) * Community Partners, Volunteers, and the Green Gym (26:20) * The Future of the District (27:59) * What Rick Hopes Visitors Know About This Work (31:36) * Best Places to Visit in the William Penn Forest District (37:14) Resources: * William Penn Forest District: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/william-penn [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/william-penn] * William Penn State Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamPennSF [https://www.facebook.com/WilliamPennSF] * William Penn Public Use Map: https://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=5180381&DocName=D17%20William%20Penn%20Public%20Use%20Map.pdf * Spanish Language Map: https://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=3849450&DocName=FD17%20William%20Penn%20Public%20Use%20Recreation%20Guide%20Spanish%202021.pdf [https://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=3849450&DocName=FD17%20William%20Penn%20Public%20Use%20Recreation%20Guide%20Spanish%202021.pdf] * Friends of the State Line Serpentine Barrens: https://www.facebook.com/p/Friends-of-the-State-Line-Serpentine-Barrens-100064575826052/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Friends-of-the-State-Line-Serpentine-Barrens-100064575826052/] * View from the Hopewell Fire Tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8DiQYlVa1o [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8DiQYlVa1o] 🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0pUbbLFGpDKdTwLrw1BtS6?si=0d5d715914a2478f], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-outside-with-the-pennsylvania-parks/id1808055642], or your favorite app [https://pod.link/1808055642] while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well! The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy. Learn more, find events, download outdoor resources, and get involved! [https://paparksandforests.org/] 👉 Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter [https://ppff.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ppff/subscribe.jsp] 🎥 Watch outdoor tips and stories on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] 📸 Follow the podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ThinkOutsidePPFFPodcast] 🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ucu1BrtjW0Q2EPLTvf5UR] 📱 Follow PPFF on: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennsylvaniastateparksandforests/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paparksandforests] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-parks-and-forests-foundation/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] * MeetUp [https://www.meetup.com/ppff-events/]

Exploring Pennsylvania's Conservation Landscapes with Meredith Hill, Retired, DCNR, Conservation Landscape Manager

"It's all about co-creation." Meredith Hill spent fifteen years at Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources managing the Conservation Landscape Program before her recent retirement. She believes that no agency, no organization, no community can accomplish conservation at scale alone. Today, Meredith joins our host Marci Mowery to discuss a program that has quietly reshaped how Pennsylvania thinks about land, community, and the relationship between the two. Born out of a visionary leader's statewide listening tour in the early 2000s, the program designated eight multi-county regions across Pennsylvania, each united by shared values but driven by the distinct needs of its place. In the Wilds, the priority was building a sustainable outdoor recreation economy around vast public lands to revitalize rural communities. In the Lehigh Valley, it was stitching green corridors together before open space disappeared forever. The program is driven, says Meredith, by trust. After all, it takes years to build, and it requires DCNR staff to step outside their bureaus and work shoulder to shoulder with local partners. Trust, in turn, produces the remarkable. Think of a network of local artisans selling handmade goods in state park shops; county planners meeting every other month for nearly two decades; communities like Galeton intentionally dimming their streetlights to protect a night sky that draws stargazers from across the world! Key Topics: * What Is the Conservation Landscape Program? (01:42) * Pennsylvania's Eight Landscapes (03:31) * Building Trust Across Diverse Partners (11:25) * The PA Wilds Cooperative: Artisans, Entrepreneurs, and Local Business (14:53) * One Experience Every Pennsylvanian Should Have: Dark Skies (23:16) * Pennsylvania as a Model for Other States (26:30) * Measuring Progress Over Twenty Years (28:30) * Why Conservation Landscapes Matter (31:08) * Agriculture, Solar, and the Hard Conversations (35:08) Resources: * Conservation Landscapes: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/programs-and-services/community-outreach-and-development/conservation-landscapes [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/programs-and-services/community-outreach-and-development/conservation-landscapes] * Kinzua Bridge State Park: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/kinzua-bridge-state-park [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/kinzua-bridge-state-park] * Cherry Spring State Park: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/cherry-springs-state-park [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/cherry-springs-state-park] * Keeping Dark Skies Dark: https://paparksandforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/keep-the-dark-skies-dark.pdf [https://paparksandforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/keep-the-dark-skies-dark.pdf] 🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0pUbbLFGpDKdTwLrw1BtS6?si=0d5d715914a2478f], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-outside-with-the-pennsylvania-parks/id1808055642], or your favorite app [https://pod.link/1808055642] while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well! The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy. Learn more, find events, download outdoor resources, and get involved! [https://paparksandforests.org/] 👉 Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter [https://ppff.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ppff/subscribe.jsp] 🎥 Watch outdoor tips and stories on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] 📸 Follow the podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ThinkOutsidePPFFPodcast] 🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ucu1BrtjW0Q2EPLTvf5UR] 📱 Follow PPFF on: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennsylvaniastateparksandforests/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paparksandforests] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-parks-and-forests-foundation/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] * MeetUp [https://www.meetup.com/ppff-events/]

Little Buffalo State Park: Connecting History and Recreation with Jim Eckert, Park Manager

“People are building memories… We have foundational memories, and that’s what these people are building day in and day out.” Our host, Marci Mowery, speaks with Park Manager Jim Eckert about why Little Buffalo State Park has become one of Pennsylvania’s most approachable outdoor destinations. Jim describes Little Buffalo as a “starter park,” a place where newcomers can comfortably experience the outdoors without feeling overwhelmed by rugged wilderness. From flat lakeside trails and beginner-friendly archery programs to ADA kayak launches, inclusive playgrounds, and accessible picnic areas, the park is designed to welcome families, first-time visitors, and people of all physical abilities. Visitors can explore the working Shoaff's Mill, the Blue Ball Tavern, covered bridges, and historic rail exhibits, while seasonal traditions like the Apple Festival and “Light Up Little Buffalo” introduce new audiences to outdoor recreation. This eclectic collection of events can provide the small “nudge” that sparks a lifelong passion for parks and nature! Jim discusses the value of shared public spaces. Whether it’s hearing wood thrushes at dusk, skating across frozen lake ice, or sharing hamburgers at a summer picnic, the park becomes a setting where families build traditions across generations. Key Topics: * Little Buffalo as a “Starter Park” for New Visitors (01:40) * Fishing, Birding, and Beginner-Friendly Hiking Trails (04:41) * Accessibility Projects and Inclusive Recreation (06:54) * Seasonal Traditions: Apple Festival and “Light Up Little Buffalo” (09:53) * Hidden Wildlife Gems Around the Lake (14:37) * Camping, Cabins, and Making Parks Accessible to All (16:25) * Fossils, Geology, and “Touching the Past” (19:31) Resources: * Little Buffalo State Park: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/little-buffalo-state-park [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/little-buffalo-state-park] * Little Buffalo State Park Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlebuffalostatepark/ [https://www.facebook.com/littlebuffalostatepark/] * Friends of Little Buffalo State Park: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LittleBuffalo/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/LittleBuffalo/] * Little Buffalo Festival: https://littlebuffalofestival.org/ [https://littlebuffalofestival.org/] * Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/tuscarora/wild-and-natural-areas [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-forests/find-a-forest/tuscarora/wild-and-natural-areas] * DCNR Events: https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/ [https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/] 🎧 Listen to the Think Outside Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0pUbbLFGpDKdTwLrw1BtS6?si=0d5d715914a2478f], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-outside-with-the-pennsylvania-parks/id1808055642], or your favorite app [https://pod.link/1808055642] while on the go! New episodes drop bi-weekly on Mondays, and you may occasionally find a bonus episode, as well! The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy. Learn more, find events, download outdoor resources, and get involved! [https://paparksandforests.org/] 👉 Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter [https://ppff.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/ppff/subscribe.jsp] 🎥 Watch outdoor tips and stories on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] 📸 Follow the podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ThinkOutsidePPFFPodcast] 🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Ucu1BrtjW0Q2EPLTvf5UR] 📱 Follow PPFF on: * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/pennsylvaniastateparksandforests/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/paparksandforests] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pennsylvania-parks-and-forests-foundation/] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/PAParksAndForests] * MeetUp [https://www.meetup.com/ppff-events/]