Carbon County, Mauch Chunk Lake Park and the Carbon Environmental Education Center are teaming up to host a weekly program that will provide county residents with a little education during their time at the park during the pandemic.

The Carbon County Commissioners recently extended the order that restricts access to the swimming area of Mauch Chunk Lake to county residents, season pass holders and people who rented campsites and pavilions only. Because of this, the county felt something more should be offered for visitors at the park that highlights the local gems that make up Carbon County.

“This program’s renewal came out of an hour plus long discussion I had with the lifeguards and was in response to the question of how do we increase or enhance the value of a visit to MCLP with a specific focus on the youth and developing a ‘lifelong relationship’ with them so that they might aspire to become lifeguards while also creating an additional incentive for families to experience the park,” said Commissioner Chris Lukasevich last week.

“When this possibility was mentioned to Dave (Horvath), Susan (Gallagher) and the Parks and Recreation Commission, there was clear support and enthusiasm.”

“Wild Thursdays at Mauch Chunk Lake Park” is now hosted at 2 p.m. every Thursday through the end of August at the beach pavilion.

Staff and interns from the environmental education center, which is located just down from the lake on Lentz Trail, will bring various resident animals each week to teach residents about wildlife.

“All of the animals are education animals that cannot be released by into the wild,” said Jeannie Carl, a naturalist at the center.

Anyone at the park can attend the event, which will feature hawks, owls, turtles, opossums and more.

The event can also be found on the Carbon County Commissioners Facebook page.