Environment & Science

The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its plant hardiness map, showing a warmer Lehigh Valley. The region has moved into a warmer zone from the one where it was placed more than a decade ago. Experts say it has consequences for plant seasons and species.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

If you're doing anything outdoors, do it Saturday. Rain will arrive Sunday and is forecast to intensify later in the day, with gusty winds. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Sunday afternoon into Monday afternoon.

LANTA officials are reminding residents for caution when and if severe winter weather returns this season, and discussed what riders should do if they are unsure with the status of service after a storm

A sprawling storm system is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and snow to the region this weekend.

Chances are, you'll still be able to find a tree, it just might take a little extra work — and you might want to get it soon. Roger from Unangst Tree Farms explains the ins and outs of why this problem, a decade in the making, is now causing tree farms and stands to sell-out when it's barely December.

Almost 11,000 birds of prey were counted this year during the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn hawk watch as they made their way along the raptor "superhighway" in the Valley’s backyard.

Snow is in the forecast for the Lehigh Valley, and meteorologists say it could impact the Thursday morning commute. A more potent system Sunday could be 'quite a wild ride.'

Emmaus is set to approve the $46 million dollar budget at council's second December meeting, marking a large investment into the borough's management of PFAS contamination.

Forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a mixed bag of precipitation in the days ahead, with snow showers possible Wednesday and Thursday and a potent storm system expected this weekend.

In its third year, Spring on the Farm is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The free event includes a seedling sale, as well as other local vendors.

A program that started at Easton's Nurture Nature Center to protect area watersheds has already garnered state recognition. Now it's expanding.

A Code Orange alert means the air is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as young children and older adults with respiratory conditions.

Lehigh Valley planners held a public meeting Thursday at Allentown’s Bucky Boyle Park, where residents raised some safety concerns about the project.

The EPA on Thursday announced a new proposal that would set new guidelines for power plants, requiring “ambitious reductions” in carbon pollution. A Pennsylvania environmental group calls the move a "big step in the right direction.”

Feline Urban Rescue and Rehab Inc. (FURR) finds homes for cats in eastern Pennsylvania and northwest New Jersey. It received a grant to help save cats.

Thanks to a grant from Air Products Foundation in collaboration with the Greater Easton Development Partnership, Easton Police Department has received two new e-bikes.

The city's parking authority earned the 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its Park Green program, a sustainability initiative.

The final steel beam, signed by people in the community, was placed today, marking a milestone in its construction. It's set to officially open in 2024.

PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center on Tuesday released its “Dirty Dozen” report, a ranking of the commonwealth’s top climate polluters.

Partnership with the Lehigh County Conservation District, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist, and its certification course, aims to support local conservation efforts by providing education and hands-on experience for volunteers.

Two shad ladders in the Lehigh Valley, at the Easton and Chain dams, haven't been working as intended. Efforts to restore this migrating fish system have stalled.