MAY 2021
STREAMLINES: News and events from BWA
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Get your family outdoors again on Woodland Trail |
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The Mount Airy trail network in Paradise Township offers family-friendly trails with wetlands, creeks, views, native plants and wildlife. A good place to start for children of all ages is Woodland Trail along Forest Hills Run.
The trail is mostly easy and wide — great for little kids and challenging enough for young teens. It’s a “lollipop” loop of about one mile, and there is so much to see and learn! With a little imagination, you can engage everyone’s senses, including your own.
The Get Outdoors Poconos series is administered by Brodhead Watershed Association and supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
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Sign up now for Sojourn
Registration is under way for the Delaware River Sojourn, taking place Aug. 6-13.
The Delaware River Sojourn combines guided paddling excursions, interpretive programs and camping. All skill levels are welcome.
BWA will assist with the journey when it reaches our area on Aug. 11. This is a chance for paddlers to launch from Minisink Park and paddle through the mouth of the Brodhead as it enters the Delaware River.
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24-7 testing at the creek |
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As part of the work of BWA’s Greening Mountainhome project, volunteers Matt Dilger and Michael Johnson have set up a data logger in Mill Creek.
The Mill Creek logger keeps track of temperature. It also tracks the depth of the water. Because even on hot summer days, healthy creek water stays cool, the way trout like it. And even when it hasn’t rained for a while and creeks are low, cool groundwater keeps the creek flowing and habitable for trout and other creek critters.
The data logger also keeps track of something called “electrical conductivity.” Conductivity measures water’s ability to carry electrical current based on the concentration of ions in the water. In Pocono streams, most conductivity comes from salt that’s washed off roads and parking lots.
Knowing our streams, and keeping track of what’s affecting them, is part of loving where you live. Find out more about Brodhead Watershed Association’s work to keep Mountainhome green, click here.
You can see data loggers throughout the Brodhead Watershed at monitormywatershed.org. Search for “Brodhead” for sites maintained by BWA and “East Stroudsburg” for sites maintained by ESU.
The Greening Mountainhome project is a Green Communities project funded by grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from The William Penn Foundation, and the Weiler Family Foundation.
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Penn State Extension will host a “virtual water cooler” event on Wednesday, May 26, called “A Salty Situation in Our Streams.” The online event will run noon to 1 p.m.
A growing body of research suggests that increasing amounts of salt ions are changing the chemistry of freshwater streams across the nation, including in Pennsylvania. The changes in the chemistry of aquatic ecosystems can have a profound impact on the critters that live in them and the people and economies that rely on them. This presentation will summarize the state of the science, sources, impacts, and potential solutions to the salinization of streams in the commonwealth and beyond.
The event is free; registration is required. Registrants will receive the link to access the webinar. Click here to register before May 26.
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What is MS4? Stroud Township Engineer Donna Alker explains it in the township's online newsletter to residents. Read more about what you can do to help your municipality and what “illicit discharges” are. For information on BWA’s MS4 program, click here.
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NATIVE WILDFLOWER SPOTLIGHT |
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In the Pocono Mountains, native wildflowers abound in stunning diversity. Along Brodhead Creek, native columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) attract native bumble bees (Bombus). This stunning May-blooming native wildflower can be found along Route 447 in particular; search the rock outcroppings.
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Up on the plateau, in the headwaters regions, one may also happen upon the May-blooming native shrub known as the rhodora (Rhododendron canadense). They can be found in the vicinity of State Game Lands 38 Glacial Till Barrens ecosystems, in flat, low-lying areas, adjacent to Big Pocono State Park.
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Hairy bittercress:
Root it out or eat it up?
With a name like “hairy bittercress,” you wouldn’t expect much good from this garden invader.
Despite the unappetizing name, the leaves are edible and nutritious, with antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and beta-carotene. That’s where the possible benefits end; as an invasive, it will take over its area and choke out native species.
Find out how to eliminate this and other invasive plants here.
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MONROE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT |
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Battling lanternflies while boosting bees |
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Naturalists at Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center (KCEEC) are urging the public to play a key role in combating the invasive spotted lanternfly.
Environmental Education Coordinator Roger Spotts told the Monroe County Conservation District board about the effort during the board’s April meeting. KCEEC is working closely with the Penn State regional task force on the program, which involves building circle traps that, in mid- to late May, will help trap the flies in their immature, or nymph, stage.
KCEEC is also exploring the Bee Friendly Pennsylvania initiative that encourages communities to support the vital role bees play as pollinators. The program recognizes communities that – through legislation, education in schools and libraries, pest management, pollinator-friendly green spaces and community effort – support healthy environments for bees.
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MAKE YOUR OWN LANTERNFLY TRAP
Lanternfly circle traps are fairly easy and inexpensive to put together using simple tools and materials such as window screen, duct tape, lath, milk jugs, gallon plastic bags, twine and the like. For directions, click here.
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ART EXHIBITS AT BRODHEAD CREEK HERITAGE CENTER |
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Nancy Tully: Nature Photographer
Friday, May 21, through Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Nancy Tully is a local nature photographer who loves to be outdoors and always has her camera. This exhibit is comprised mainly of local nature photography.
Brodhead Creek Heritage Center will re-open safely to the public near the end of May, which will allow public viewing of Nancy Tully’s photography exhibit, on display through the end of June. Please stay tuned for dates and details regarding the re-opening of Brodhead Creek Heritage Center.
More information about the Gallery at BCHC can be found here.
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Frank Schoonover: Illustrator, Artist and Angler
2 p.m. Saturday, May 22
John Schoonover will present a program on his grandfather, legendary artist and Pocono native Frank Schoonover.
Frank Schoonover's paintings capture the adventurous spirit of his travels in the Canadian arctic, the American West and South, Alaska, Jamaica and elsewhere.
At age 26 in 1903, Schoonover began his most celebrated epic adventure, traveling by dog sled and snowshoes for more than 1,200 miles in the Canadian wilderness. There, he learned the customs and culture of its indigenous peoples and later painted and wrote about the experience.
He published articles on his exploits and captured his adventures on canvas and in beautiful prose in his book, “Edge of the Wilderness: A Portrait of the Canadian North.”
Some of Frank Schoonover’s other works include illustrations for more than 120 books including “Treasure Island,” “Kidnapped,” “Hans Brinker” and “Blackbeard,” as well as many Jack London and Zane Grey stories. He painted more than 2,000 works of art, many of which are in museums throughout the Northeast.
This exhibit is one day only. For information and to register for the event, click here.
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24 hours to show you care
NEPA Gives is a one-day online giving extravaganza that's all about giving back to the community.
For 24 hours — from 12 a.m. to 11:59:59 p.m. — on Friday, June 4, 2021, donors may make secure donations to their favorite local nonprofit organizations through the NEPA Gives online platform.
Donations to participating nonprofits will be enhanced with bonus funds provided by NEPA Gives sponsors — making donor dollars stretch further!
For information about the one-day giving event, click here.
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THANK YOU, STREAMWATCHERS! |
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BWA welcomes new Streamwatchers to its program:
- Katie Calcaterra, testing on the Lower Brodhead Creek
- Mary Louise Parker on McMichael Creek
- Laurie Pryor on Paradise Creek
- Avery York on Paradise Creek
- Carolyn Caruso on Upper Brodhead
- Ivers Kelly on McMichael Creek
- Maureen and Tom Southern on McMichael Creek
- Abby Jones on the lower Brodhead.
And welcome back to Tim Fretz!
We also express our sincere appreciation for retiring Streamwatchers Dave Rich, Byron Major, Charles Schaeffer and Marilyn Detrick.
For more about the Streamwatch program, click here.
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BWA welcomes new members this month: Tammy Hiestand of Brodheadsville, Kristine Karol of Stroudsburg, David Learn of Stroudsburg, Melissa Pachter of Stroudsburg, Rosemarie Palmerio of Canadensis, Deborah Poppel of Huntingdon Valley, Andrea Reiter of East Stroudsburg, Lynne Stevens of Stroudsburg, Eleanor & Douglas Taylor of Kennett Square.
A special welcome to members who have joined the Perennial Club: Delaney & Amy Henasey of Swiftwater, and Eleanor & Douglas Taylor of Kennett Square.
Perennial Club is a time-saving way to keep your membership current through automatic, online donations. For information, click here.
We have new Environmental Partners! A big thanks to Eric & Amy Girardi, longtime BWA members, for becoming Stream Stewards ($500 level). For information on the Environmental Partnership Program, click here.
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
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Alex Jackson
BWA executive director
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As BWA’s new executive director, I’m excited to advance our educational mission to promote and protect clean and abundant water.
I’m also looking forward to meeting our members.
We are planning many events this year – some in person! Stay tuned for updates on upcoming events and programs.
Our Native Plant Sale will soon conclude, and then come a rain garden/rain barrel workshop, the Sojourn on the Delaware, and our annual Ramble, just to name a few.
And we're starting to host Get Outdoors Poconos hikes in person again (safely, of course)! BWA members can join Carol and me for monthly events. Become a member to get emailed bulletins.
And, as always, our Streamwatch citizen science volunteers continue to monitor our watershed.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
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