"Every little bit makes a difference. And do not assume that someone else is going to continue to take care of it."

Pennsylvania Healthy Lands Week, running from National Public Lands Day through Walk in Penn's Woods each fall, represents a growing coalition effort to transform how Pennsylvanians engage with their natural and cultural heritage. The initiative, now in its fourth year, extends beyond traditional conservation to embrace diverse forms of stewardship that range from cemetery preservation to social media advocacy.

Our host, Marci Mowery, sits down with Amy Hill of Hill Communications Strategies, who emphasizes that stewardship isn't limited to trail maintenance or financial donations. It includes everyday actions like picking up litter during lunch breaks and introducing friends to new outdoor spaces.

She believes that environmental health directly impacts human wellbeing, from the quality of drinking water to air pollution from distant wildfires affecting those with respiratory conditions.

There are many creative ways to practice stewardship. Virtual volunteering and "micro-volunteering" opportunities accommodate varying abilities and schedules, while lunch-and-learn sessions explore diverse topics from Lake Erie coastal cleanups to becoming historic site docents.

Marci’s personal anecdote about an egret killed by discarded fishing line illustrates how small actions cascade through ecosystems. Similarly, cigarette butts tossed on streets eventually accumulate on Lake Erie beaches. These are just two examples of downstream consequences of individual choices.

The initiative's core message challenges assumptions about responsibility: stewardship cannot be left to others. Whether through local government advocacy, sharing expertise at libraries, or simply showing up with respect at beloved spaces, every Pennsylvanian can contribute to preserving what Hill calls "the natural wonders of the world around us.”

Key Topics:

• Healthy Lands Week Overview and Partners (01:35 )
• Defining Modern Stewardship (02:48 )
• National Public Lands Day and A Walk in Penn's Woods (06:16 )
• How Do We Practice Stewardship? (09:30 )
• Why Does Stewardship Matter? (16:26 )
• Programming and Virtual Engagement (20:06 )

Resources:

• Pa Healthy Lands Week
• Pa Healthy Lands Week Instagram
• Pa Healthy Lands Week Facebook
• Walk in Penn’s Woods 2025
• National Public Lands Day
• Pa Recreation and Parks Society
• Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
• Pa Statewide Museums Commission
• Pa Fish and Boat Commission
• Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Pa Parks and Forests Foundation

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The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation inspires stewardship of YOUR state parks and forests through volunteerism, education, recreation, and philanthropy.

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🎶 Podcast music provided by Evan Mongeau

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