Environment & Science

Environment and Science Reporter Molly Bilinski, alongside Grace Oddo, social media specialist, trekked across the Lehigh Valley to map out the best leaf-peeping spots. Fall foliage is expected to peak across the region later this week.

South Whitehall Township hosted a wrap-up meeting for "South Whitehall Landscapes," a plan guiding preservation efforts in the township.

Members of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee voted Tuesday to advance a letter opposing the planned expansion of Bethlehem Landfill.

Kids from five schools got live demonstrations of cow milking, beekeeping, apple farming and more. Organizers say it's meant to spark interest and explain an industry that they say sometimes goes unappreciated.

A November-like chill – one that prompted frost warnings for Tuesday morning – will give way to near-record-high temperatures by week’s end, forecasters say.

The coldest night of the season so far is approaching, according to the weather forecast.

Brad Klein reviews this week's astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy."

Students learn to identify medicinal, edible and toxic plants. They also study how some plants have impacted history for both the good and bad, through their healing, addictive, profitable or edible properties.

The Allentown Public Library hosted a discussion on native plants and pollinators on Saturday, explaining their importance and what humans can do to help these vital organisms.

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.

The results of the 2023 citywide greenhouse gas inventory are in. The project was part of Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program.

Allentown has secured a $100,000 grant to continue participating in the Youth Climate Action Fund for 2025, supporting youth-led projects focused on climate change awareness, mitigation, and sustainability, while aligning with the city’s upcoming Climate Action Plan.

The National Weather Service issued the bulletin in effect from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday for freezing rain, with total ice accumulations up to a tenth of an inch possible.

Projects in Wilson and Easton will receive $225,000 in funding to support trails, parks, recreation and watershed initiatives.

Food & Water Watch on Tuesday held a rally outside Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s city office in defense of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. A Republican congressman earlier this month introduced a joint resolution to repeal it.

Applications are open for the DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Funding supports projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats.

A farm in Lehigh County has tested positive for HPIA, according to a news release Monday from the state Department of Agriculture. A response team is in place and the farm has been quarantined, officials said.

This week, WLVR's Brad Klein explore The Pleiades, a prominent winter asterism, or group of stars that form a recognizable pattern in the night sky.

State officials announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.

A cold snap that sent temperatures near historic lows brought record winter demand for electricity across numerous regional grids and service territories, including the Lehigh Valley.

Emmaus is one step closer to remediating two of its PFAS-contaminated wells. PFAS are also called "forever chemicals" because they are slow to breakdown in the environment and are linked to a variety of health issues.

Bird flu has arrived in the Lehigh Valley, contributing to the deaths of about 5,000 migrating snow geese at sites Lehigh and Northampton counties.