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Message from the Director
Here at the Conservancy, our summer projects and programs are in full swing.
Our Conservation Team has been
busy battling the dreaded invasive aquatic European Water Chestnut in a number of the watershed's lakes and creeks. We want to thank the
employees at Dow and Merck who have helped us with the removal so far. A future thank you goes out to our loyal community volunteers, the National Charity League, and SEI for their pledged help with this project. Also, thank you to our sponsors SEI and the Ruth family.
Our Education
Team has been busy teaching our Summer Science
Academy Programs
here on the Conservancy's grounds and in and along the nearby East Branch
of the Perkiomen Creek. By summer's end, over 120 children will have "gotten
their feet wet and the
ir hands dirty" in our unique experiential watershed summer
programs.
Lastly, I would like to introduce our newest conservation program, The Perkiomen Watershed Conservation Corps (PWCC).
This program strives to provide area youth with hands-on opportunities to learn
about
and positiv
el
y
impact their home. The PWCC has two distinct yet related tracks: a college track and a high school track. In each of these tracks, participants work closely with our Conservation Team to complete conservation and restoration projects and
awareness campaigns throughout our 362 square mile watershed.
Get a glimpse of what our PWCC summer conservation crew is up to by viewing the Horseshoe Crab Video below.
Learn more about getting involved with the PWCC program.
Thanks and see you OUTSIDE!!
Ryan Beltz
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Are you a big fan of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy and its mission? Then we invite you to
join the PWC Ambassador team!
Ambassadors are our "VSVs" - Very Special Volunteers. These great people help us get the word out about the Conservancy's environmental education, conservation, and outreach programs at local community events.
No experience necessary - just enthusiasm for what we do. We will pair you with a more seasoned Ambassador and provide you with all the materials you will need.
Your success is ours, too!
Our next Ambassador opportunity is the
Indian Valley Farmers' Market in Telford on July 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This event features locally-sourced farm products and fun activities for the whole family. The Conservancy will have a table there, and we invite you to sign up for a 1-2 hour shift.
We look forward to welcoming you to our team!
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More European Water Chestnut Has Been Found!
Recently, a
new infestation of the invasive aquatic European Water Chestnut was identified on a private pond in Sellersville and
we need your help to remove it!
Removal is typically done by carefully hand-pulling as many plants as you can grab from sitting in a canoe or from wading in the water. The plants are all placed in piles on the land to dry out. These piles are then stuffed into trash bags to be delivered
to the local composting center.
You will get wet and you will get dirty and you will be making a difference.
Just ask our volunteers who have been coming out to help us remove European Water Chestnut from local waterways this summer. They will tell you that it was worth their effort and they will volunteer again to help rid the watershed of this invasive plant.
We want to thank these dedicated volunteers. So far they have
helped to remove over 60 bags
of European Water Chestnut from two infestation sites, but there is still a lot of work to be done!
We will be holding a
volunteer workday at the new site on Wednesday, July 20th from 10am-3pm. Want to join us as we combat this invasive aquatic weed?
For more information, contact our Conservation Coordinator,
Jessie Kemper
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| Removing the European Water Chestnut |
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On June 20, we welcomed our first group of Summer Science Academy students to our week-long Summer Afield program. The
students spent the week learning all about watersheds, focusing primarily on our own
Perkiomen Creek Watershed. Topographic maps, watershed models, and pans of diatomaceous earth were used to help the students learn how water flows over the land and how streams, gravel beds and deltas are formed.
A trip to the Schwenksville Borough Authority
taught students how our waste water is cleaned and helped to drive home the importance of keeping this precious resource clean and healthy for all.
Many thanks to Ed and Kelvin, from the Schwenksville Borough Authority, for giving the students a tour of the water treatment plant.
It was a real "eye opener"! On the final day of camp, the families were treated to a tour of the students' "towns" they created, putting to use all of concepts they had learned about during the week.
Next week, we kick off our Summer Explorer camps. The theme this year is "Water, Water, Everywhere"! We will learn about water properties, the water cycle, where we find water, what lives in the water and so much more.
For children who completed K or 1st grade:
July 11-15 - 2 spots open
August 1-5 - 5 spots open
For children who completed 2nd or 3rd grade:
August 8-12 - 2 spots open
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The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is looking for self motivated individuals to
teach environmental education classes for Pre-K through Intermediate level students.
Programs vary in length from
hour-long lessons to
full day adventures.These programs are taught at the Conservancy's Brownstone Barn as well as at various schools throughout the area.
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Michael Reimer Art Show &
New PWC Magazine Preview!
Thursday, July 21,
6:30 - 8:30pm at the Conservancy
Come see original Gyotaku fish rubbings for sale created by local artist,
Michael Reimer. All are welcome! Many of the fish Michael uses for these rubbings are caught in waterways located in the Perkiomen Creek Watershed.
We are delighted to have one of Michael's fish rubbings featured on the cover of the first issue of our member magazine
, "The Watershed, News from the Conservancy".
Join us as we unveil our new magazine and enjoy an evening of Michael Reimer's art.
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More events coming up this summer:
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Spring Mountain Geology - Thursday, July 14, 6:30pm
Learn about the local diabase rock and other geological features in the region as well as some of the processes that shape our landscape. Learn more and sign up!
Wildflower Walk - Saturday, July 16, 9:30am
Join us for a walk at Fern Avenue, Evansburg State Park. This event is free, no preregistration required. Learn more!
Lehigh River Paddle - Saturday, July 23, 8:00am - 4:00pm
A Members Only Event: Come spend the day paddling with the Conservancy crew on the Lehigh River. We will put-in at Jim Thorpe and travel eight river miles to our take-out at Bowmanstown. Experience the thrill of paddling the Lehigh River during one of the dam release days! This trip is for intermediate paddlers. Learn more and sign up!
Perk to Pub - Saturday, Aug 20, 9:30am
Celebrate the Perkiomen Watershed with a bicycle ride on the Perkiomen Trail enjoying views of the Perkiomen Creek and surrounding woods and fields. Start at Deep Creek Lake in Green Lane and finish in Collegeville Borough with food and a drink at Appalachian Brewing Company - A Point to Point Ride. Learn more and sign up!
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Annual Dinner and Silent Auction:
Thursday, October 13, 2016
5:30 - 9:00 pm
RiverCrest Golf Club and Preserve
Tickets going on sale soon...
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Perkiomen Creek Sojourn
Over 50 enthusiastic participants enjoyed a beautiful Saturday in June,
paddling on the Perkiomen!
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| Thank you to our
Protectors of the Perkiomen
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