currents - wissahickon trails · area in 1962 to the more recent purchase of the 8-acre cheston...

1 - WISSAHICKON VALLEY WATERSHED ASSOCIATION

By Lindsay BlantonThe Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership is finalizing a Water Quality Improvement Plan for the next 20 years to tackle stormwater problems - together! For the past 3 years, this group of 13 municipalities, 4 wastewater treatment plants, and 4 nonprofit organizations have been working together to draft a Water Quality Improvement Plan for the Wissahickon Creek. Collaborative watershed partnerships are not common in our region, but the municipalities of our communities have shown great leadership in recognizing that despite its challenges, collaborating at a watershed-wide scale is the best approach to addressing the health of the Wissahickon Creek.

The proposed plan provides watershed-wide strategies to maximize water quality benefits, while creating added value for the community. Based on intensive water quality studies from

Temple University’s Dr. Laura Toran and Dr. Rob Ryan, the plan proposes actions like increasing stormwater management projects, improving creek side habitat and buffer projects, in-stream restoration projects, and open space protection. Through the plan, municipalities can invest in initiatives that make their towns better places to live, from addressing flooding and resiliency to increasing the vibrancy and beauty of our community by protecting open space and utilizing green practices.

The drafted Water Quality Improvement Plan will be presented to the EPA in October, and reviewed by municipal boards later this fall for

approval. It is important that your municipal leaders know what you think about this plan! WVWA encourages you to 1) stay informed of the progress on this plan by visiting wvwa.org, and 2) be ready to reach out to your municipal elected

officials and staff, whether by email, phone, or attendance at a public meeting, and let them know that you are in support of this watershed-wide approach!

INSIDE: SPOTTED LANTERNFLY - 2 | PRESERVING OPEN SPACE - 4 | CITIZEN SCIENCE UPDATE - 6

SUMMER/FALL 2019 | VOLUME 62, NUMBER 2

CURRENTS

Common Problem Uncommon Solution

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Participating stakeholders in the Wissahickon Watershed

Temple University collects water quality data


By Patrick OelschlagerThe Spotted Lanternfly has become a conspicuous presence in southeastern Pennsylvania, including the Wissahickon Valley. These strikingly colored insects pose a variety of threats, including, but not limited to:• serious damage to trees,• excretion of a substance that creates

harmful black sooty mold,• a tendency to swarm which impacts

outdoor activities,• feeding on more than 70 types of plants,

including crops such as grapes, apples, hops, and hardwood trees which creates economic impacts on those local industries.

In partnership with environmental and government organizations across the state, we are working to implement several innovative solutions to control the spread and damage caused by Spotted Lanternfly.

In November 2018, WVWA entered an agreement with the U.S.D.A. to manage the Spotted Lanternfly on several WVWA properties. Treatments are taking place at Four Mills Nature Reserve and Piszek Preserve this summer and fall. Treatment

focuses on their preferred host plant, Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

Adhesive band traps are an effective tool to combat Spotted Lanternfly. To measure the impacts of band traps on non-target invertebrate species, WVWA has partnered with Morris Arboretum intern Luke Hearon, to conduct a study at Crossways Preserve.

When a threat as serious as the Spotted Lanternfly is unexpectedly introduced, it takes many partners to come together and work quickly to understand the impacts and minimize the damages. To learn more, visit extension.psu.edu/spottedlanternfly.

Working Togetherto Control Spotted Lanternfly

New Bridge on Pennsylvania Ave at Piszek PreserveBy Madalyn Neff

Construction on the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge over the Sandy Run at WVWA’s Piszek Preserve in Springfield Township was completed in spring 2019. The bridge replacement was part of the Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, which is an $899 million public-private partnership between PennDOT and Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners (PWKP) to replace 558 structurally deficient bridges throughout the state.

In addition to their commitment to public safety and roadway safety, PennDOT demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that protection of the stream and creek side habitat was incorporated into their project plans. PennDOT, PWKP, and local stakeholders worked together during the design phases of the PA Avenue project to ensure that the environmental impact was reduced and that the bridge design was sensitive to its historic surroundings.

The Piszek Preserve is 36-acres and comprised of woodlands and meadows along the flood-prone Sandy Run. Conservation of the land ensures perpetual protection of more than 1,000 feet of riparian buffer, which helps slow and re-absorb floodwaters. Now that construction is complete, WVWA is working to fully restore the creek side habitat and protect the creek. PennDOT agreed to provide financial support for the restoration, which allows WVWA to design and implement a plan that is best for the Preserve.

Adult Spotted Lanternflies infest a tree in the Wissahickon.

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Lanternfly nymphs cluster together on a young tree.

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Class Of 2019 Please Welcome the New Staff of WVWA

Alex CupoWater Programs Coordinator

Most likely to get you excited about stormwater

My plans for the future are to engage with the community of the Wissahickon Watershed to improve water quality through programs such as Stream Smart House Calls

and the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership.

In my free time I like to visit new places, spend time in nature, and occasionally go to shows.

Kelly JoslinCommunity Outreach Manager

Most likely to generate creative ideas

My plans for the future are to support and engage our sponsors, volunteers, and event attendees through enhancements of the corporate sponsorships, volunteer program, and public events.

In my free time I like to explore the great outdoors, add new birds to my life list, and spend time with family.

Janis Lehrer Development Assistant

Most likely to get excited about numbers

My plans for the future are to provide administrative support for the development team in order to raise funds to advance the mission of WVWA.

In my free time you can find me cooking, watching jeopardy, hiking with my family, and walking my dog.

Birdathon Celebrates 25YearsBy Kristy MorleyWVWA celebrated the Birdathon’s 25th anniversary this year. Seven teams participated and saw a combined total of 126 species. The Swifts won the new 6-Hour team category with 78 species to win the Jeanetta Bicking Cup. The Eagles and the Phoebes tied for 1st place in the 24-hour category with 97 species each to share the Stewart-Webster Cup. We welcomed a new team, Life’s a Hoot, this year who turned in a respectable 82 species.

We’ve seen some changes in the birds over the 25 years of the Birdathon. Habitat changes have led to some species such as Virginia Rail and Wild Turkey no longer being seen, while some species, like Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink are seen more frequently than before. Range expansion of species like Fish Crow and Common Raven means that more teams see them more frequently. Conservation success stories, like the Bald Eagle, mean that once rare sightings will become more common.

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Peter Burns, Eagles, and Kristy Morley, Phoebes, with the 2019 Birdathon Cup.


Since our founding in 1957, a significant part of WVWA’s mission has been to protect the land and waterways of the Wissahickon Valley. The amount of open space remaining in the watershed has diminished over the years, making the preservation of what is left more vital than ever, and WVWA remains focused on this mission.

One of the priorities of our 3-year Strategic Plan, launched in 2018, was to create an inventory of the remaining unprotected open space in the watershed. Using this inventory, we identified three Priority Areas where land protection will have the greatest impact on the quality of our waterways and the health of our landscapes, and developed a plan to proactively pursue their protection. Our success depends on collaboration with our community through land donations, the placement of conservation easements, municipal and county partnerships, and public fundraising.

From the first donation of 17 acres that would become part of Penllyn Natural Area in 1962 to the more recent purchase of the 8-acre Cheston Family Preserve in 2018, each acquisition comes with its own unique story. In the past year, two land preservation projects within our identified Priority Areas have been completed through partnerships with our community, and we have new stories to tell.

In 2018, the Laurence and Maryann Genuardi Trust generously donated 3 acres of their land to WVWA. The property lies immediately between our Camp Woods and Armentrout Preserves, and provides a critical link between the two. When connected lands are protected in this way, wildlife can move freely between them, habitats become larger and biodiversity is increased. Preserving land that maximizes ecological impact by creating such linked greenways is a fundamental piece of our open space protection plans. We are grateful the Genuardi family recognized the environmental value of conserving their land, and thankful for their generous donation that has helped us further our mission.

In early 2019, Hank Riley worked with us to place a conservation easement on his 6.52-acre property in Lower Gwynedd. For Hank, it was important that the land he grew up on be saved from future development. “As I watched the land across the street change, understanding why it happened didn’t help,” he reflected. “Without WVWA

being involved, I could not have protected my land from future development. Conservation easements are a way to ensure that open space properties and limited-use properties exist. Without them, people would just sell their land to a developer and that would be the end of that.” Hank’s property is one of 29 conservation easements that WVWA holds. Each landscape is different and significant in its own way, but each was protected through the shared values of the landowner and WVWA.

In a Developed Landscape, Preserving Open Space Remains a Priority

By John Ferro & Madalyn Neff

The Riley property, 6.52 acres under conservation easement.

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The Genuardi tract, adjacent to Camp Woods.

If you are interested in exploring placing a conservation easement on your property or donating your land for preservation, please contact John Ferro at [email protected].


Allstate staff worked to repair and create better drainage along a muddy section of the Green Ribbon Trail at Four Mills Reserve.

Students (and their parents!) from Shady Grove Elementary Afterschool Program and the Conservation Crew planted a pollinator garden at Four Mills Barn. Thanks to Merck and an individual donor match for funding this program.

Merck staff have been hard at work taking care of the Wissahickon Watershed this year. They removed invasive species at Willow Lake Farm and helped prepare the site for Serve the Preserve. They removed 960 pounds of debris during their annual Creek Clean Up. Employees also removed Spotted Lanternfly egg masses from 4 acres bordering the Green Ribbon Trail.

PECO sent a hardworking crew of volunteers to help repair and reinforce the deer exclosure at Camp Woods that protects native forest plants from deer.

YOUR COMMUNITY AT WORK

Fairwold Academy students and Ambler Rotary’s Interact Club members planted 130 trees and shrubs at our Camp Woods and Dodsworth Run Preserves.

Serve the Preserve was a success! Volunteers planted 100 native trees and shrubs at Willow Lake Farm to create wildlife habitat and enhance creek side habitat.

30 volunteers from Johnson & Johnson removed trash from the flood-prone Sandy Run.

Conservation Crew hard at work on trail repairs. A major wet trail section repair project started by Allstate volunteers was completed by the Conservation Crew near the Rubenstein Memorial stepping stone crossing. Small volunteer groups also completed an additional wet spot repair just north of the Colorcon stepping stones and repaired boardwalks just below the Merck stepping stones.

KeyBank staff devoted their time at Piszek Preserve to clearing trash from the Sandy Run, tending to past planting sites, and cataloging species using iNaturalist.

Volunteer Conservation Projects

Corporate Service Projects


The U.S. 202 (Dekalb Pike) Reconstruction Project between Township Line Road and Morris Road (Section 61N) began in fall 2018. Construction on the section of U.S. 202 between Morris and Swedesford Roads (Section 65S), which includes the bridge over Wissahickon Creek, is expected to begin this fall. Work on the bridge replacement over the Wissahickon Creek will begin in the spring of 2020 and is expected to be completed in the fall 2023. With the bridge replacement, U.S. 202 will expand to four lanes. Additionally, hikers and horseback riders will be able to travel beneath the new bridge when the project is finished.

Motorists traveling through the Butler Pike and Morris Road Intersection near Ambler may have noticed tree clearing and earthmoving activities occurring in the northern corner of the intersection. Work began this spring on the wetland mitigation site that is being built to offset impacts to wetlands resulting from the project. The site has been excavated to rough grade while the grading and hydrology are monitored to verify that site will perform the expected wetland functions. Final grading and landscaping will occur after PennDOT, PA DEP and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concur that the site is built according to plan.

Additionally, work began on the removal of a breached dam across the Wissahickon Creek, located just upstream of Butler Pike in Ambler. The breached dam removal is being conducted by PennDOT to compensate for impacts to streams throughout

the project corridor. Construction began last summer with the demolition of the old, breached dam, and the concrete slope wall along the western bank of the stream. Bank stabilization, final grading and landscaping should be completed this fall.

Citizen ScienceProjects UpdateBy Kristy MorleyOur new Citizen Science projects are well underway in the watershed! Volunteers have completed a variety of projects, including:

Surveyed for breeding American Woodcocks on four preserves (unfortunately none were found).

Monitored 13 nest boxes and reported that 7 Eastern Bluebirds, 9 Tree Swallows, and 11 House Wren chicks have fledged this year.

Completed 289 Caterpillars Count! surveys on trees at Camp Woods and Crossways Preserve and found 629 bugs including a variety of caterpillars, spiders, leafhoppers and beetles.

Examined 50 salamander cover boards at Camp Woods and found 16 red-backed salamanders with an average weight of 1.67 grams and an average length of 66.54 mm.

Thanks to all of our volunteers who are helping with these projects. We couldn’t do this without you!

PennDOT Restores Wetland and Removes Failing Dam at Morris Road and Butler PikeWritten in collaboration with PennDOT District 6-0 and 202, Section 650 Design Team

A tracked excavator crosses Wissahickon Creek on a rock causeway to begin removal of the breached dam.

Maya Graham weighing a salamander.

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Donor Spotlight: Debbie Whiteley

By Anna MarchiniCome to any of our events and you will probably find Debbie Whiteley volunteering with a smile. From Creek Clean Up to the Tex Mex Race for Open Space, Debbie is an invaluable help wherever she goes.

Debbie has been involved with WVWA since the mid 90’s. She grew up surrounded by open space and appreciates the work done to preserve important tracts of land. “You can really see the difference as you drive around. Our area is so green compared to other parts of the region. That really is a testament to the work WVWA continues to do.”

In addition to volunteering with WVWA, Debbie, a retired math teacher and auditor, volunteers as a tax preparer for AARP. Two years ago, Debbie started thinking of an alternative way to support WVWA that would benefit her own tax liability. She knew one of the ways was to direct a portion of her IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) directly to WVWA. This allows her to make sure she has what she needs and gives her a way to make a tax-free gift to an organization she cares deeply about. Debbie reminds anyone considering this route that any amount has a tax-benefit for the donor. “Many people cannot itemize donations on their taxes because of the higher standard deduction. Giving a gift of appreciated stock or transferring the RMD to a tax exempt organization lowers your overall taxable income. This has been a great way to make a larger than usual gift for me.”

We are grateful for supporters like Debbie who believe in the mission of the organization and make investments of time and money to keep it going. Please consult a financial advisor to see if there are other ways you can support WVWA. If you have any questions, please contact Anna Marchini, Director of Development.

OUR MISSIONWe inspire and engage diverse communities of people to protect, steward and enjoy the land and waterways of the Wissahickon Valley.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Tierney, ChairNancy B. Kreider, Vice-ChairWilliam F. MacDonald, Jr., TreasurerCheryl L. Young, Secretary

Scott T. Bartow Mary S. Claghorn Duane D. Deaner Ellen T. Duncan Keith Eby Susan M. Floyd Kate Harper Kristen Haugen Sara Hertz Pete Hoskins Mark Schafer Neil Trueblood Kimberly Woods

ADVISORY COUNCILPhilip R. Albright Richard Collier, Jr.George C. Corson, Jr. Thomas Dolan IVCary B. Fleisher Saly A. GlassmanDolores E. Hillas Timothy P. Hughes Mark P. Letner Hugh G. Moulton George M. Riter Hugh A. A. Sargent

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The Power of Partnership: Green Ribbon Gala & Cedarbrook Country ClubBy Anna MarchiniOn October 20th, supporters and friends will gather at Cedarbrook Country Club for the Green Ribbon Gala. Guests will celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, and hear about exciting future plans. This year, WVWA is honoring Mark and Mary Jane Letner and the Stewart Family for their incredible leadership over the years. Our new venue this year, Cedarbrook Country Club, is the location of the final link of the Green Ribbon Trail, connecting miles of hiking trails together for the public to enjoy. We are thrilled to have BLBB Charitable as our lead sponsor this year as they have provided the support to increase visibility of the Gala and our work. “We at BLBB Charitable are proud to invest in the WVWA’s critical mission as lead sponsors of the Green Ribbon Gala,” said President Clifford P. Haugen. “WVWA is an important partner for our foundation, because of its leadership and dedication to excellence in educating the community about this precious watershed.”

Tickets to the Green Ribbon Gala are available for purchase at wvwa.org or by calling Lisa Hansell, Development Manager at (215)646-8866.

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EDITORIALSTAFFExecutive Editor:Gail Farmer

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currents - wissahickon trails · area in 1962 to the more recent purchase of the 8-acre cheston...

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