HARRISBURG (TNS) — The return of the American marten, a larger relative of the weasel and mink, will be up for consideration by the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners when it meets this weekend at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters.

The marten, a tree-climbing predator about 24 to 30 inches long, including the tail, was extirpated from Pennsylvania in the early 1900s by deforestation and unregulated harvest.

While the marten preys heavily on members of the squirrel family, like chipmunks and red squirrels, it also eats a wide range of insects, fruits and berries in season.

As prescribed in the Commission’s Strategic Plan 2020-23, the Bureau of Wildlife Management did an assessment of the feasibility of reintroducing the native species to Pennsylvania and concluded that the marten “would likely be successful and would be an appropriate next step in the commission’s history of species restoration.”

Previous reintroductions with species like the bald eagle and the fisher have been widely acknowledged successes for the commission.

The Bureau of Wildlife Management is requesting that commissioners approve the concept of reintroducing American marten to Pennsylvania and authorize staff develop a reintroduction and management plan.

Also on the agenda for the upcoming commissioner meeting will be creation of a bobwhite quail recovery area around Letterkenny Army Depot in Franklin County to protect birds released as part of the recovery effort from harvest by hunters and genetic contamination from any quail not released as part of the effort.

Commissioners also will consider the agency’s definition of “private land” to allow for Deer Management Assistance Program permits to be available to more properties across the state.

The meeting begins at 1 p.m. Friday with commissioners hearing reports from staff.

It will resume at 8:30 a.m. Saturday with public comment, which will be heard on first-to-register, first-to-speak basis. Registration to speak begins when doors to the Harrisburg headquarters open at 7:45 a.m.

The agenda for the meeting is available at the Pennsylvania Game Commission website. Under “About Us,” on the right side of the homepage, select “Events & Board Meetings,” then click the “July 9, 2022 Draft Agenda” link.

The meeting is scheduled to be live-streamed Friday and again on Saturday, following the conclusion of public comments. The livestream can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel.