Pennsylvania was among the first governments in the world to guarantee its citizens the right to a clean environment. In practice, that didn’t mean much — until now.
Fracking has eaten up nearly 1,800 acres of state forest, and reduced core forest area by 15,000 acres in Pennsylvania. The state is trying to figure out how to regrow forests on land once dedicated to gas production.
Once prized like fine art, thousands of dried and preserved plants specimens are being digitized to help answer questions about conservation, climate change and development.
The streams carry some of the cleanest water in the state, attracting tourists and providing drinking water to cities downstream. But resort owners worry that greater protections could hamper future development.
West Virginia is one of the best places around to find wild orchids. A couple of local enthusiasts even discovered a rare orchid there. "Some people play golf, we did North American orchids."
Parks, trails and even public swimming pools all over the country are funded by a federal program that many Americans have never even heard about, and it’s about to expire.
