The Chester County Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing the county's park rangers in celebration of World Ranger Day, July 31.

Instead of heading to the commissioners' public meeting in West Chester to be honored, park rangers Michael Trzaska, Patrick Conlin, and Sissy Pavolic diverted to county parks and trails to assess conditions and help the facilities' parks maintenance team with cleanup from a recent storm. The three rangers, led by Trzaska, connected to the meeting via Zoom to be recognized.

In addition to the proclamation, Chester County will mark World Ranger Day by illuminating the Historic Courthouse in green on the evening of Wednesday, July 31.

Chester County's park rangers are responsible for enforcement of park rules and regulations, natural resource management, emergency medical services, and general visitor services for the more than 1.5 million visitors to the county's seven parks and three regional trails each year. They also provide more than 150 educational and volunteer programs on topics including local history, birding, native plant installation, fishing, archery, and kayaking.

For the first time, rangers from six counties in southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland will gather at Warwick County Park on July 31 for a morning of partnership and community outreach. The public is invited to join them from 10 a.m. to noon for Touch a Truck opportunities with a variety of ranger vehicles, a children's scavenger hunt, pop-up archery, and disc golf.

Rangers will be available to answer questions and talk about what it takes to be a park ranger. No registration is necessary for this free program.

For more information about the World Ranger Day program at Warwick County Park, visit http://www.chesco.org/parkprograms, and click on Ranger Talks under "Outdoor Recreation and Activities."