NOVEMBER 2020
STREAMLINES: News and events from BWA
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Find a pleasant surprise at Stony Run |
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Stony Run rushes about 12 miles in Price Township, tumbling over boulders into Brodhead Creek. Yet most people haven’t seen or noticed it. BWA’s Get Outdoors Poconos program offers a peek at this small but mighty run far from human haunts.
There can’t be any question where this creek gets its name — Stony Run’s banks are littered with rocks of all sizes. Upstream, a surprise — a natural waterslide formed in the bedrock.
Stony Run trails vary from wide, grassy and flat to steep and rocky. For more information about the hike, click here. 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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TAKE A HIKE ON TUESDAY: Need an excuse to get out on the trails? Tuesday, Nov. 17, is National Take A Hike Day! For more information, click here.
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Burning bush: Brilliant but harmful |
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As you drive many local roads at this time of year, the understory of our native woodlands is ablaze with enormous infestations of burning bush — as far as the eye can see.
The non-native plant was introduced to the United States in the 1860s, acquired for its cork-like bark and brilliant fall color. Since then, the plant has become an incredibly prolific invasive.
Because it is such a pest, many garden centers have voluntarily stopped selling it. Careful gardeners won’t plant it. But if you have some, take heart. It can be controlled.
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A successful first step in unraveling knotweed |
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Knotweed clogs creeks almost everywhere in Monroe County, and Mountainhome’s Mill Creek in Barrett Township is no exception. A project to demonstrate how this invasive can be eradicated is underway there with help from BWA.
This summer, BWA started a three-year demonstration project of how to control this pest. In one week, knotweed on both banks along a 500-foot stretch of Mill Creek was cut (Matt Dilger is pictured at left, cutting down a stand of knotweed). Some weeks later, it was treated with herbicide safe for use near streams. The same process will be followed the second and third years.
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Climate change shows in our watershed |
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From our friends at Trout Unlimited comes a blog entry, ‘Climate change is water change,’ by Chase S. Whiting: “In the face of climate change … river restoration work is no longer enough. Unless bold actions are taken now, some of the most harmful causes of river degradation will accelerate as the climate continues to warm.”
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Forecast for digitalization of energy, water sources |
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Digital Solutions to Climate and Water Challenges, a free webinar to be held Tuesday, Nov. 17, is the first of the new Greentech Webinar Series hosted by Marten Law and the Environmental Law Institute. The webinar will be held 2 to 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday's webinar will address the future of water and energy. Meeting the United Nations’ target of a net zero carbon society by 2050 will require a thorough reworking of how we generate, distribute, and use energy as well as how we manage water. One of the most promising, cost-effective sets of solutions to come out of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector is the “digitalization” of energy and water services.
Panelists will include representatives from Intel Corporation, Water Foundry, Trane Technologies, and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.
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A refresher on recycling in Monroe County |
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Monroe County’s Waste Authority and Waste Management are teaming up to host a brief, virtual discussion on America Recycles Day, to help community members recycle correctly. The webinar will be held 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, via Zoom. Register here.
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OIL TAR BALLS ON DELAWARE BEACHES |
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Research center launches Model My Watershed |
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Stroud Water Research Center has developed interactive tools for exploring your watershed and learning about water resources, including the mapping tool Model My Watershed.
Use of the tool is free.
Model My Watershed is a powerful modeling tool for citizens, conservation practitioners, municipal decision-makers, educators, and students. It lets users analyze real land use and soil data, model stormwater runoff and water-quality impacts, and compare how different conservation or development scenarios could modify runoff and water quality.
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HOW WATERSHED-FRIENDLY IS YOUR HOME? |
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DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED INITIATIVE |
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On Thanksgiving Day, let's be #Grateful4theDelaware together. Express your gratitude for the mighty Delaware River by posting photos of it on your social media with the hashtag #Grateful4theDelaware. Visit www.4states1source.org to learn more about the Delaware River Watershed Initiative’s work to protect the rivers and streams that provide drinking water for more than 15 million people across four states.
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BWA welcomes Samuel and Peggy Hardy of East Stroudsburg as its newest members.
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... AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT |
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Keep an eye on your mailbox for BWA's Annual Appeal, the yearly fundraiser to fulfill BWA's budget needs.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides new incentives for donors to contribute to their favorite charities this year.
There is now a $300 above-the-line ($600 for couples!) charitable income tax deduction. If you make a donation in 2020, and don’t itemize on your 2020 taxes, then you can give $300 to charity and get a full $300 tax break in addition to the standard deduction. That means your donation is 100% deductible!
You can still benefit even if you do itemize. The CARES Act allows for cash contributions to qualified charities to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for 2020. There are also benefits for making a tax-free transfer from an IRA to a charity. Please check with your financial advisor regarding these policies.
This is a difficult time for everyone, and we truly appreciate your continued support!
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
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Kelly Gallo
executive director
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BWA – now streaming!
Dear friends,
It is hard to believe we are transitioning into another season. The leaves have fallen and the birds have flown south. As we transition into the coming winter season, we are already seeing our COVID-19 cases rise. We will all continue to do our part to “flatten the curve” and be even more diligent as our hospitals begin to fill.
While this has been an unprecedented year of challenge and struggle, we have learned a great deal about how to protect our families and communities, and we have come together to create innovative ways of tackling the challenges thrown at us. As we transition into this new season of COVID, we have a toolbox of knowledge and innovation to help us continue to do the work of protecting our communities and watershed.
There is no reason to hibernate like some of our watershed wildlife. Our watersheds continue to need our protection and advocacy, and we have learned how to do so in the midst of a pandemic. Here are some ways that you can stay connected to the work at hand:
1. Get out in the watershed – in-person while physically distancing, or virtually. Looking for ideas? Check out one of many hikes on the BWA YouTube channel. Download one or both of the BWA Get Outdoors Poconos hiking booklets to your phone to carry with you as you explore the watershed.
2. Plan a rain garden to slow the flow of water runoff leaving your property. In the spring, visit our native plant sale as you create your new rain garden. Many wonderful resources can be found online, including this one from Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
3. Continue to collect your Streamwatch data. Not a Streamwatcher yet? Visit the BWA website to learn more about how you can collect valuable scientific data that helps us monitor the water quality throughout the watershed.
4. Learn more about your watershed (and others throughout the country) by exploring the EPA’s website, How’s My Watershed.
5. Donate to our Annual Appeal (coming soon to members’ mailboxes), to help us fulfill our budgetary goals and keep these programs and more running, for the sake of our local watershed.
Thank you for all that you do to protect our water resources!
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