Children in grades four through 12 have until March 31 to submit artwork to the Seventh Annual Wildlife Forever State Fish Art Contest, as part of a nationwide education program about fish and conservation being sponsored by the North American Fishing Club and the North American Hunting Club.

Winning artwork will be reproduced as a conservation stamp to raise money for projects aimed at enhancing natural resources. Contestants will illustrate their state fish -- in Pennsylvania's case, the brook trout -- and submit essays about the species' habitat and behavior. Winners will be announced on Earth Day and their work displayed in the Mall of America in Minnesota in July.

Contest details and a free lesson plan for teachers and parents can be downloaded at www.statefishart.com.

Bass workshop

The Fifth Pennsylvania Black Bass Workshop is scheduled for April 22-23 at Blue Spruce Park, near Ernest, Pa., giving anglers and other bass fanciers a chance to interact with experts from Pennsylvania BASS Federation and various agencies, including the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Participants can expect information sharing on bass angling, conservation of the species and habitat management, including aquatic vegetation propagation.

To register, contact Denise Darnley, DCNR/Bureau of State Parks, at 170 Route 259 Highway, Penn Run, Pa., 15765-5941. Or call (724) 357-7913 or send an e-mail to ddarnley@state.pa.us.

Growing Greener grants

The deadline for the next round of Growing Greener watershed protection grants is March 4, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Groups can apply for funding for a variety of projects, including reducing non point source pollution and putting abandoned mine pool water to good use. For more, visit www.dep.state.pa.us

Water resource money

Community-based partnerships seeking to improve and protect local water resources may be able to tap into money being offered through the League of Women Voters' Pennsylvania Water Resources Education Network Project. Grants of up to $5,000 are being offered to qualified applicants for projects involving public drinking sources and watersheds affected by non-point source pollution. The deadline is April 1.

For more, call WREN Project Director Sherene Hess at 724-465-4978 or e-mail wren@pa.lwv.org

Nearing its goal

The Upper St. Clair Fly Fishing Club is close to achieving its goal of raising $1,000 by this spring to purchase books and videos about fly fishing and fly tying, according to club president Ed DiGangi. The club will donate the books to the Upper St. Clair library where any Allegheny County resident can borrow them, he said.

The funds have come from the Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair, Penn's Woods West Trout Unlimited, and monthly raffles. Trout guide Tom Zacoi of Venetia donated his book, "Flies, Ties and Lies:" and steelhead guide John Nagy of Brookline donated "Steelhead Guide: Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead."

For more on the club, visit www.uscflyfishing.org