BIRD NOTES: By this fall, birdwatchers should have a new place
to watch bald eagles at the Kinzua Reservoir.

Thanks to cooperation between government and private groups,
there will be a new recreational area at Big Bend Access Area of
the Kinzua Dam, including a handicap-accessible bird viewing
platform with a roof, benches and interpretive panels about river
life.

The Allegheny Outdoor Club, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council have joined
forces to build a quarter-mile nature trail loop as well as the
platform.

The Times Observer of Warren covered the ceremony May 15 to sign
the Challenge Partnership Handshake Program Agreement. That
agreement lets the Corps execute recreation and resource projects
that may not have been possible otherwise because of budget
constraints.

That Big Bend area, of course, is on Route 59 in Warren County,
just past the Morrison Bridge (coming from McKean County).

ONE MAN: Allegheny Outdoor Club representative Bill Massa said
club member Merle Caldwell came up with the idea to have a
handicap-accessible view of Dickinson Island.

With Massa’s aid, Penn Soil applied for and received a matching
grant of ,25,000 through the Lumber Heritage Region program. The
total project cost is estimated at ,55,000 to ,65,000. A number of
private donors are providing the match,

Penn Soil project coordinator Wes Ramsey said Massa “has been
the tireless spark plug that has driven us to this point.”

Mike Crall, district engineer for the Corps of Engineers,
explained that often government funding for “betterment” projects
like this often falls through since each project is a separate line
item in the Congressional budget.

“This is a great coalition of folks working together,” said
Crall.

We agree, and proudly point out similar endeavors by Tuna Valley
Trails Association and Kinzua Bridge State Park fans which have
resulted in trails and platforms in our county.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “Every journalist going to war should remember
one fact – this assignment could end your life, or leave you maimed
in body and mind. … We are no longer collateral damage; we have
become targets.” So said Jeremy Bowen, Middle East editor, BBC,
2004, according to our Freedom Forum calendar.