Environment & Outdoors
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PECO Supports 17 Area Municipalities, Nonprofits to Advance Community Environmental Projects
Communities across the region will soon see new trees planted, trails improved, parks revitalized, and natural habitats restored thanks to a new round of funding from PECO. In partnership with Natural Lands, PECO has announced the 17 municipalities and nonprofits across the Greater Philadelphia region selected to receive support through the PECO Green Region Open…
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Scientists Study Invasive Snakehead Fish Threatening Native Species at Tinicum’s John Heinz Refuge
A “voracious predator,” the Northern snakehead, is being examined in the waters of the John Heinz Refuge in Tinicum, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Snakeheads eat native fish, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission sees them as an environmental threat. It is illegal to transport them live in the state. “They are…
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A Berwyn Couple Transformed Their Dark, Overgrown Property Into Year-Round Garden Paradise
For nearly 40 years, this couple has been turning their Berwyn property into one of the most beautiful private gardens in the region, writes Sally A. Downey for The Philadelphia Inquirer. When Bonnie and Bob Dettore bought their Chester County home in 1987, it was dominated by old-growth trees, bare ground, and almost no natural light. “The house was dark and damp all the…
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Pennsylvania’s Free Native Plant Kits Turn Lawns Into Pollinator Habitats
Pennsylvania is paying people in wildflowers to stop mowing their lawns. The state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is distributing free Pocket Meadow Kits to residents across the Commonwealth as part of its Lawn to Habitat Program, which aims to turn ordinary turf into thriving native ecosystems, writes Allaire Conte for Realtor.com. The…
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Philadelphia Region Sees Major Spike in Harmful Air Pollution, According to New Lung Health Report
The American Lung Association has released its newest annual State of the Air report, and ranked the Philadelphia region’s air among the most polluted in the nation, writes Sophia Schmidt for WHYY. According to the report, the Philadelphia-Reading–Camden statistical area is the nation’s 17th worst for its average particulate pollution level between 2022 and 2024.…
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Penn State Brandywine Highlights Work of Sustainability Commission
It’s the fifth anniversary of the Chancellor’s Commission on Sustainability at Penn State Brandywine. The Commission has brought sustainability into the campus landscape, operations, classrooms, and faculty and student research, writes Christina Billie for Penn State Brandywine. Launched in 2020 under the leadership of Regional Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells, the commission was established to recommend,…
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Pennsylvania May Soon Designate a New ‘Migratory Bird’
Pennsylvania is considering ending its status as the only state without a state bird by designating the scarlet tanager as its official “migratory bird,” writes Zoë Read for WHYY. While Pennsylvanians have already named the ruffed grouse the official “game bird,” bird enthusiasts are welcoming the idea of also establishing a “migratory bird” designation. State…
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Delaware County Fisherman Discovers Alligator-Like Creature in Philadelphia Park
An alligator-like creature later identified as a caiman was caught Sunday, March 5, by Ike Peyton from Delaware County, writes Neirin Gray Desai for the Daily Mail. Peyton was fishing at FDR Park in South Philadelphia when he spotted the 3.5-foot animal relaxing on the shore at about 10 a.m. He captured it with his…
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Long-Contaminated Bishop Tube Site in Frazer Gets $11.5M for Cleanup
The former Bishop Tube Co. site in Frazer, East Whiteland Township, will get $11.5 million for environmental cleanup following a settlement between Pennsylvania and the companies responsible for polluting the property, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The three companies agreed to pay the settlement, which includes a trust fund to cover any future issues. The…
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Reworld, Citizens Battle Over Burning Philly’s Trash in Chester
Reworld, the owner of the Chester trash incinerator, spent $45,000 on lobbying to keep Philadelphia trash flowing to the city, writes Sophia Schmidt for WHYY. The Philadelphia City Council is considering a bill banning the city from contracting with Reworld to have its trash burned in Chester. Reworld increased its spending on lobbying Philadelphia City…
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Another Chester County Town Considers Becoming Designated ‘Bird Town’
Chester County is for the birds, well, bird towns. Under the program Bird Town Pennsylvania, there are a few designated areas such as Malvern and Charlestown Township. Chadds Ford might be on the next flight, writes Rich Schwartzman for Chadds Ford Live. The program partners with municipalities and organizations to work on bird conservation, creating…
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Analysis Shows That Brandywine River Is ‘Elite’ Flooding Area
Eight-foot flood waters at the Brandywine Creek in Chadds Ford from Hurricane Ida in 2021 dramatically demonstrate that parts of Delaware County have a water problem, writes Anthony R. Wood and Stephen Stirlling for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Inquirer has mapped the region’s flood-prone areas based on U.S. Geological Survey data. Brandywine Creek is one…
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Pennsylvania’s Large Rivers Struggle While Small Creeks Offer Path to Recovery
With Pennsylvania’s flagship waterbodies like the Delaware River struggling to restore fish and wildlife populations, small creeks offer hope for a broader turnaround, write Scott Ensign and David Arscott for The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to Pennsylvania’s recent river health report card, waterbodies throughout the state are likely to begin the spring season with diminished populations…
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Legislation to Halt Philadelphia Trash Incineration in Chester Delayed
Intense lobbying from residents, activists, and industry has stalled legislative action to prohibit Philadelphia from sending its trash to Chester for incineration, writes Frank Kummer and Sean Collins Walsh for The Philadelphia Inquirer. At the last minute, Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier opted to hold back a bill that would have halted the city from sending…
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Natural Lands Leads Landmark Year for Forest Preservation
Local conservation nonprofit Natural Lands led a remarkable year for reforestation efforts in Chester County, writes staff for Chester County Press. In 2025, the organization planted 22,500 trees across multiple Chester County preserves. Volunteers and group members planted maple trees, flowering dogwoods, sycamores, and many more seedlings. The reforestation efforts took place in various Natural…
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Stroud Water Research Center Reveals the Impact of Road Salt on Local Waterways
A new study by Avondale’s Stroud Water Research Center has revealed the significant impact of road salt on local waters, writes Susan Phillips for WHYY. Completed this past October, Stroud’s recent study examined the salt content in over 1,200 locations, mostly local streams. Citizens and community partners conducted the research, which marked the fall first…
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Some of Philadelphia’s Trash Goes to Chester. That Could Be Ending
Philadelphia’s solid waste and recycling contracts are ending in June 2026. One of those contracts allows its trash to be burned at the Reworld (formerly Covanta) waste-to-energy facility in Chester. Now, Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has introduced a bill, The Stop Trashing Our Air Act, that would ban the city from incinerating any of its…
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King of Prussia’s Clean Earth Sells in Massive Deal to French Company
French waste-management giant Veolia announced plans to purchase King of Prussia’s Clean Earth, writes Joseph N. DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The $3 billion acquisition of the waste recycler will expand Veolia’s U.S. operations, positioning the company as one of the largest players in the industry. Clean Earth employs roughly 1,800 people and handles contaminated…
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