Environment & Science

Threatened due to habitat loss and other factors, purple martins in the Lehigh Valley depend on man-made bird houses. For the first time, they've taken up residence at St. Luke's Arboretum in Bethlehem Township.

This week, you may have noticed a second bright object joining the ‘morning star’ before dawn recently. It’s the giant planet Jupiter, and this week it will make its closest approach to Venus in the morning sky.

Farmers markets add to the local economy, driving tourism, officials said. Supporting them is also important for farmland preservation and strengthening community, advocates say.

Easton planners recommended against the zoning hearing board granting a special exception that would see a tributary on the grounds of the Easton Commerce Park project relocated.

“The Hidden Language of Trees: How Forests Secretly Communicate” will play at 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at The Neighborhood Center, 902 Philadelphia Road.

Six entrepreneurs pitched their projects to judges during StartUp Lehigh Valley event at Musikfest Cafe on Tuesday night.

Community members gathered at Penn Pump Park in Palmer Township Tuesday morning to celebrate the recent ADA accessibility improvements funding via county grant programs.

Event will involve panelists and keynote speakers who will provide examples and information on climate mitigation.

This week, a look at a new discovery about one of the brightest stars in the night sky, the red supergiant, Betelgeuse.

The tract, spread across Penn Forest and Kidder townships, includes Mud Run, a key tributary of the Lehigh River. It was purchased through a $1 million grant from the Open Space Institute.

The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday agreed to add new definitions for ordinances in Plainfield Township addressing the keeping and raising of chickens at residential properties.

Fahy Commons was named the first project in the world to achieve a rigorous sustainability certification for buildings that reward projects for more energy than they use. The 20,000-square-foot, three-floor building cost $13.2 million and opened to students last January.

This year, Earth Day falls on April 22. But for Lehigh Valley businesses that embrace more sustainable efforts, no matter the cost, it's just another typical Monday.

“Public Participation, Public Power: A Community Guide to Local Land Use Decision-Making in Pennsylvania" was released Monday. The almost-100-page guide includes explanations of state and local land use laws and more.

WLVR’s Brad Klein reviews the week’s astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, Brad and Marty discuss Tuesday’s full moon. It’s known as the ‘Pink Moon’.

Cedar Crest College held a groundbreaking ceremony on a $2.5 million softball field renovation project on Saturday, April 20, 2024. The current grass and dirt field will be replaced by an all-weather turf field, with lights installed.

A new outdoor air quality monitoring project is coming to Allentown this summer. The data collected through the initiative, officials said, will help inform decision-making to improve residents’ health in the city, known for its poor air quality.

This year’s Lehigh Valley Sustainability Summit was held Friday morning at The Club at Twin Lakes. Officials discussed upcoming projects, as well as efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, Megan is joined by Tom Shortell and Molly Bilinski.

Northampton County Conservation District held its annual Envirothon, where students go head-to-head in immersive challenges in the soil, mud, and woods — competing for hundreds of dollars. Teachers say it's special because it gets kids off their phones and experiencing the natural world, and each other.

The spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has begun. It runs through May 15.

EPA officials last week announced the first-ever national drinking water standard regulating per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are widespread, long-lasting in the environment and have been linked to long-term health issues.