Education
is the first step to creating changes in our habits, and to instilling
a sense of commitment to the environment. The PA DEP has made
a serious commitment to environmental education and last year
took a leap forward into the technology of today to reach millions
by having them tune into their live internet video feed, "Falcon
Cam." Last year, two Peregrine Falcons nested atop the Rachel
Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg, and for the first
time, four fledgling falcons took flight from the ledge where
they roosted. This year, the Falcon Cam is back, and we hope a
new nest of birds, to make their way into the wide world. Jack
Farster, Environmental Educator at DEP has been working with the
Falcon Cam, and visits the nest daily to check on their progress.
Jack works with school groups who visit the center to help provide
information to them, which will help them to form their own decisions
about their place in the environment, and how they can help. He
also explains that Falcons are cliff-dwellers by nature, and so
it is only natural that they nest on ledges of buildings which
provide habitat, abundant prey, and also helps to bridge the divide
between the natural world and our world.