Southwest
Environmental Praise
Five area environmental programs were honored as winners of the 2008 Westem Pennsylvania Environmental Awards, co-sponsored by Dominion Resources Inc, and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
Winners are: Children's Museum of Pittsburgh; the Southwestern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste Task Force; the South Fayette Conservation Group; Construction Junction; and the Suzanne B. DeArment Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center,
Youghiogheny River of the Year and Sojourn
The Youghiogheny River was selected as River of the Year by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources because it has remarkable scenery, its world-renowned whitewater section and it rich history. PEC was honored to have the opportunity to develop a sojourn for the 2008 River of the Year from July 17 to 20. The sojourn offered a unique opportunity for an interpreted Class III-IV whitewater raft outing, a Family Fishing Event and other paddles, as well as optional bike rides on the parallel Great Allegheny Passage. Please link to a summary of the event and/or our photo gallery of pictures from the four-day event.
As part of River of the Year, we are helping to promote other events in the river corridor -- click here to see the schedule but please confirm details with event sponsors or their web sites.
PEC also developed an official water trail along the Yough. Although the river is used extensively by boaters, no official trail had been developed to map and explain the best places to put in and take out, things to see on the way and hazards to avoid (see Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative).
Bike Rental Options along the Great Allegheny Passage/Yough River
People wishing to rent a bicycle for all or part of the Youghiogheny River Sojourn may rent bikes from the following businesses. A list of shuttle services also is provided for anyone wishing to take a longer one-way ride and get a shuttle back. NOTE: rentals and these shuttles are NOT INCLUDED in sojourn pricing. This list is providing simply to offer an alternative.
Bike Rental Options
Confluence, PA
Great Allegheny Passage Alternative for the Yough River Sojourn
In celebrating the selection of the Youghiogheny as River of the Year, our 2008 Sojourn is focused on boating, but we certainly recognize the Great Allegheny Passage as a phenomenal resource, not only on the 70 miles parallel to the Yough River but downstream toward Pittsburgh and upstream beyond Meyersdale to Cumberland, Md.
In all, the Passage offers 132 miles of off-road, nearly level peddling (as opposed to paddling), linking Pittsburgh with Washington, DC, via the C&O Canal Towpath beyond Cumberland.
Yough Sojourn Detailed Schedule
The following detailed schedule for the Youghiogheny River of the Year Sojourn is subject to change. This schedule is posted to give people the estimated times. The Sojourn is promoting use of the river, but a bicycling alternative is outlined here.
Western PA Environmental Award Winners Announced
These five programs address a wide range of local and regional environmental issues, including acid mine drainage, building sustainability, wildlife protection and hazardous waste management and were chosen from entries submitted earlier this year.
Southside Trail Green Art
Southside Trail Green Art (08)
Youghiogheny Named River of the Year
Several newspapers carried stories today reporting that the Youghiogheny River has been designated River of the Year by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The articles noted that the Pennsylvania Environmental Council will play a central role in promoting the River of the Year by, among other things, helping to revive the Yough Sojourn.
Excerts from two of those articles follow.
Tourist-favorite Youghiogheny honored
PEC Releases Draft Beaver River Conservation and Management Plan
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jen Novak
(412) 481-9400
jnovak@pecpa.org
