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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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors. -
State officials late last month 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.
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More than $2 million was allocated to nine organizations across Pennsylvania to fund various research efforts, all linked to the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry.
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Twenty-seven air quality monitors have so far been placed for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide, year-long effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing.
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After almost a decade with the same trash hauler, the city’s contract is expiring. Now, city trash is collected twice a week.
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Applications open Monday for the 2024 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program and are accepted until 4 p.m. March 8. The grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
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A 605-pound black bear harvested in the Lehigh Valley has ranked one of the largest in the state to be bagged during its most recent season, and was the sixth-heaviest bear in Pennsylvania for 2023.
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The team behind Lehigh University's "Community Mapping for Environmental Justice” project is creating an interactive map of litter in Bethlehem. Officials said the collaborative effort aims to improve the health and well-being of the entire community.
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The city is one of the first in the Lehigh Valley to carve out a position for a dedicated sustainability coordinator to oversee environmental initiatives and bolster community engagement.
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Registration is open for the Nurture Nature Center's Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley, a free event April 19 and 20. The summit aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
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The resolution, passed 129-72, empowers the House Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a study on the status, management and benefits of wildlife corridors across the state.
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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.
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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 Appalachian Mountain Club on Tuesday released their "Equity and Accessibility Assessment Along the Highlands Trail in Pennsylvania" a report focused on a 2.3 mile section of the D&L Trail.
