The tract, spread across Penn Forest and Kidder townships, includes Mud Run, a key tributary of the Lehigh River. It was purchased through a $1 million grant from the Open Space Institute.
Allentown students took part in STEM activities, including stepping into an airplane cockpit, when Captain Barrington Irving flew into town with some hands-on critical thinking activities from his Flying Classroom.
On Thursday, Lehigh Valley Zoo broke ground on a $10 million multi-phase project, with initial work on a new barn area and accessible playground set to be finished in the fall.
The Lehigh Valley has a history of flooding, and climate change could be increasing the risk. With federal funding cut or on the chopping block, officials warn the Valley could be left unprepared.
While the risk area covers a significant portion of the region, the greatest flash flood threat will depend on a number of factors, the National Weather Service said early Thursday.