Congratulations to the bald eagle on finally and officially being designated as our national bird. The bald eagle is not only a symbol of strength and nobility, but also is a great conservation success story.

Bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states were decimated by the use of DDT in the middle of the last century. Fifty years ago, only a handful of bald eagles lived in Pa.

Thanks to the banning of DDT, the protections to habitat afforded by the Endangered Species Act, cleaner waterways because of the Clean Water Act and reintroduction efforts by state wildlife agencies, bald eagle populations slowly recovered over the past half-century.

Now, about a thousand bald eagles live in Pa., with about 400 bald eagles nests in Pa. last year, including several here in Blair County.

The bald eagle, now our official national bird, represents the important roles that stewardship and responsibility play in the conservation of our natural heritage.

Stan Kotala

Altoona