Susquehanna Greenway offers free adventure books to Union County programs

Cash-strapped schools, libraries, camps and youth programs in Union County now have a free way to stock up on outdoor education material: the Susquehanna Greenway Adventure Book. The Lewisburg-based Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is offering the books at no cost while supplies last, giving local educators and youth leaders a ready-made curriculum tool for river, trail and conservation lessons.

The book is built for hands-on use, not just reading. It includes puzzles, games, safety tips, stickers and a fold-out map of the Susquehanna Greenway, along with activities focused on river ecology, wildlife, hiking and paddling safety, conservation, recreation and Leave No Trace principles. The program is open to schools, libraries, camps and youth programs across Pennsylvania, with requests due by July 31 for distribution tied to the upcoming school year.

For Union County organizations trying to fill summer schedules or stretch tight materials budgets, the giveaway lands in a practical gap. Instead of buying separate resources or building lesson packets from scratch, a camp counselor, librarian or teacher can use the books as a low-cost way to tie outdoor programming to the Susquehanna River corridor that runs through the region.

Alana Jajko, the partnership’s interim executive director, said the goal is to help educators inspire curiosity, stewardship and appreciation for the Susquehanna River and the natural spaces that surround it. The books are also being distributed free at Susquehanna Greenway Partnership events and outreach programs throughout the summer season.

Support for the program comes from Constellation, which is helping cover the cost for educators, schools and after-school programs. The booklet was also made possible in part by a grant from the Commonwealth’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, using Environmental Stewardship Funds, under the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

The partnership describes itself as the leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing the Susquehanna Greenway in Pennsylvania. Its broader mission is to build an active network of trails, open space and communities that let people walk, bike or paddle from town to town, a goal that fits closely with the river access, trail use and youth programming already woven into life in Union County.