Molly Bilinski
Environment & Science reporterI cover environment and science for LehighValleyNews.com. Originally from Schuylkill County, I got my start in journalism writing obituaries for the Reading Eagle in 2014 after graduating from Kutztown University. I’ve also reported for The Press of Atlantic City, covering municipalities, crime and courts, and The Morning Call, where I was part of the audience team. In 2022, I won first place in the diversity category of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Keystone Media Awards. Contact me at mollyb@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8225.
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The Lehigh County Conservation District and Dieruff High School are partnering to transform a vacant courtyard at the school into an urban garden. -
A team of students from Bangor Area High School placed ninth in this year's statewide Envirothon competition, essentially a scholastic scrimmage for environmental science. The team placed first for the wildlife station.
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A red fox in Northampton County earlier this month became the first mammal in the Lehigh Valley to contract bird flu.
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Melanie Biringer launched her business, Constellation Station, this year with a mobile planetarium is designed to offer physical accessibility to children and give back to the special needs community.
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Created in 2019 through a $35,000 grant from the Arbor Day Foundation, the city’s micro-forest has had time to flourish, changing the landscape at 1900 Wood Ave. from a grassy lawn to a young forest.
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Zoo staff, volunteers and donors gathered at the zoo, 5150 Game Preserve Road in Schnecksville, for a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of Habitat Madagascar, a year-round lemur and tortoise exhibit.
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After clearing more than 40 trees without city approval, college officials must resubmit plans to comply with the city's steep slope conservation ordinance. Failure to do so will halt the project.
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The spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has ended with counts 25% above the 10-year average.
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There are more than 400 species of bees in Pennsylvania, but loss of habitat, disease and pesticides have put them at risk, experts said.
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The county's Livable Landscapes program's priorities include land conservation, ecological restoration, education and outreach, municipal park development and rehabilitation and regional trails.
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The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, in partnership with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, is holding its 10th annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids on Saturday, Jan. 11.
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Administered by Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR, with funding from the DCNR, officials said the effort aims to elevate public awareness of specific rivers and recognize important conservation needs and achievements.
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The longest running raptor migration count in the world wrapped up for the 2024 season. Staff and volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours recording species as part of Hawk Mountain's conservation efforts.
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The project, beginning today, includes rebuilding the stream bank. Officials said increased public interest and use, climate change and more frequent high-water events have significantly eroded it.
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State environmental officials awarded $2.55 million in grants as part of a statewide effort to improve air quality in communities through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure.
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Three farms in Lehigh County were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
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During the 2023-24 hunting seasons, a record-breaking 261,672 pounds of venison from 6,905 deer and six elk statewide was donated through Hunters Sharing the Harvest. Find out how much was donated in the Lehigh Valley.
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Part of the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program, the grants support projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats. A dozen Lehigh Valley projects were funded.
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The Blue Mountain fire, also called the Gap Fire, on Nov. 2 erupted in Lehigh Township. The fire, which grew from 150 acres to almost 600, took seven days of fighting before it was marked 100% contained.
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Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn Bake Oven Knob Hawk Watch ended late last month, with 9,373 migrating raptors recorded. While the overall count is lower than last year, many species exceeded 2023 totals.
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The Unidos Foundation was one of 12 community organizations across Pennsylvania to receive the grant. Money is earmarked to ensure that historically marginalized and underserved communities have access to information and resources about environmental protection.
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More than a year after the federal government held its first hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, two more were held within a week in November.
