Big Spring
Big Spring is a natural groundwater outlet found in Talleyrand Park in downtown Bellefonte, noteworthy for both its unique geology and its historical significance.The powerful spring forms a pool at the edge of the park.
Subject: Natural Environment
Millbrook Marsh Nature Center
Millbrook Marsh Nature Center is a 62-acre a farmstead and wetland in College Township established to educate visitors about the natural world.
Scotia Barrens
The Scotia Barrens is a distinct ecozone of about 6,200 acres west of State College protected within State Game Lands #176. The area is a microclimate zone, with temperatures noticeably lower than the adjoining areas, that features plentiful plant and animal life.
Fisherman’s Paradise
Fisherman’s Paradise is a popular recreation area on Spring Creek in Benner Township, originally designed as a fisheries management facility and habitat improvement project.
Limestone
Limestone has played an essential role in Centre County’s economic history. Widely used for both industrial and agricultural purposes, limestone has been mined in the county for more than 200 years.
Logging Industry
Before European colonists arrived, Pennsylvania was an estimated 97 percent forested. Centre County is in an ecological region in which the aboriginal forest was dominated by white pine and hemlock, both of which had lucrative industrial applications that attracted colonists and entrepreneurs.
ClearWater Conservancy
ClearWater Conservancy of Central PA is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to conserving and restoring natural resources across central Pennsylvania, notably the Spring Creek watershed.
Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest is a 190,000-acre forest in the Allegheny Plateau region of central Pennsylvania, managed by the Commonwealth for both ecosystem preservation and the production of timber for sale.
McCoy’s Dam
McCoy’s Dam on Spring Creek provided hydroelectric power for Centre County during the first half of the twentieth century. The dam, south of Milesburg, was idled for five decades before being razed in 2007 to improve the creek’s water quality.
Bear Meadows
Bear Meadows Natural Area is an 890-acre protected zone within Rothrock State Forest that is known for its unusual swamp and rare plants. It is protected both as a State Forest Natural Area and as a United States National Natural Landmark.