Former Wildlands Conservancy leader Tom Kerr has been selected by the board of directors of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association to serve as interim president of the world-famous raptor conservation organization, replacing Lee Schisler, Jr., who recently resigned from the position.

Kerr served 20 years as president and CEO of Wildlands Conservancy, one of the largest and most successful land trusts in Pennsylvania. Under his leadership, Wildlands protected 45,000 acres of green space and established new outdoor recreation/education programs including its unique Bike and Boat program, the popular Lehigh River Sojourn, and the Lehigh River Water Trail.Known for his expertise in balancing natural-resource conservation with outdoor recreation, Kerr helped to design and complete several public parks, including the Bob Rodale Cycling and Fitness Park in Trexlertown. He is also actively involved in canoeing and bicycling.Last year, Kerr launched Thomas J. Kerr, LLC., a conservation consulting firm designed to help businesses and governmental entities wishing to set green priorities and meet conservation goals. He is working with the City of Allentown to establish its first sustainability office.Kerr's affiliations include current service as the 2nd vice chair of the Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He was the 2006 recipient of the Ralph W. Abele Conservation Heritage Award from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the 2008 recipient of L.L. Bean's Outdoor Hero Award.Under Schisler's leadership, Hawk Mountain expanded its use of satellite telemetry in research and training, expanded its long-term and far-ranging vulture study and offered competitive grants to graduate students studying birds of prey at major universities throughout the United States and beyond. In 2008, Hawk Mountain and its partners in the Raptor Population Index Project received the prestigious Leadership Award from Partners In Flight, and last year, Hawk Mountain was honored by the United States House of Representatives on the event of the Sanctuary's 75th anniversary.**********Today's edition of "Experience The Outdoors" Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz will be broadcast live from 7:30-8 a.m. on Oldies 1410-AM, from South End Field and Stream, Frackville, for the opening day of trout season in the Southeast Region. A rebroadcast will be heard Sunday from 9:30-10 a.m. on WMGH, 105.5-FM, and is available on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking on the "Experience the Outdoors" link.**********A trap shoot will be held, Thursday, April 8, beginning at 6 p.m., at Orwigsburg Gun Club, Gun Club Road, off Route 443 East, Orwigsburg. For information, e-mail

jafone@comcast.net.***********Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce Fish Derby will be held, Saturday, April 10, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Rabbit Run Reservoir, Tamaqua. Pre-registration is available at Tom's Auto and Marine, Greenwood St. and Mountain Ave., Tamaqua; and Tamaqua Area CC, 114 West Broad St., Tamaqua.************A fly fishing program will be presented by U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Team member Spenser Miller, Saturday, April 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Cabela's, Hamburg.**********There will be a Pennsylvania Game Commission Deer Management Open House, Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the American Legion, 40 South Mahanoy St., Frackville.**********First Frontier Militia, the muzzleloader arm of Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, will hold muzzleloader shoots Sunday, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, Aug. 6, Sept. 12, Oct. 9 and 10, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club is located on Gun Club Road, off Route 248, Bowmanstown. For information, call Roger Fisher at 610-377-2812.*********There will be a Second Amendment Rally in Washington, D.C., Monday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will gather on the northeast corner of the Washington Monument grounds at 10 a.m., and the entire event will take place there.The event is sponsored and coordinated by the organization "Second Amendment March," whose stated mission is, "to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense."**********Tubmill Trout Club will hold its statewide "Top Tom Spring Gobbler Hunt," Saturday, May 1-Monday, May 31, with the online registration deadline, Friday, April 30. For information, call the club at 724-235-9798 or access on the Web at

www.tubmilltroutclub.org

http://www.tubmilltroutclub.org/ .**********This year's Empire State Lake Ontario Tournament dates have been announced. Here is the schedule: Spring, Friday, April 30-Sunday, May 9; Summer, Saturday, June 19-Sunday, July 18; Fall, Friday, Aug. 20-Monday, Sept. 6. For information and registration, access on the Web at

www.loc.org

http://www.loc.org/ or call (888) 733-5246.*********Locust Valley Fish and Game "Hunters Night Out" will be held, Saturday, May 8, beginning at 4 p.m. at Ryan Township Fire Company Hall, 945 Barnesville Drive, Barnsville. For information, call Dave Morgan at 570-467-3047.*********A "Native Plant Sale" will be held, Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton. For information and required registration, call the visitor center at 610-756-6961.