ClearWater Conservancy: April 2018 enews
Out...

A big thanks to everyone who joined us for the Rain Barrel Workshop on March 24. Twenty rain barrels were constructed on a sunny day at the Patton Township Fire Department following presentations by Amy Kerner, State College Borough Engineer, and Justin Wheeler, a member of Penn State Extension's Master Gardener Program. Dan Trew, ClearWater's Adventure Coordinator and AmeriCorps Service Member, led the workshop. The program was hosted by ClearWater and the MS4 Partners (What is an MS4? Learn More!)
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ClearWater Conservancy also hosted the annual Vernal Pools Tour on March 28. As is tradition, Jim Julian led a group of amphibian aficionados out to a series of vernal pools—ponds that come and go during the year—to observe spotted salamanders, red efts, wood frogs and assorted macro-invertebrates. Despite the persistent dampness in the air, the group got to carefully handle these wetlands critters and learn about their reproductive rituals this time of year. It is always heartening to see such a wide range of fragile creatures in the areas ClearWater is actively working to protect, and we look forward to many more years of touring these pools.
with ClearWater Conservancy!

On February 19, ClearWater held a neighborhood meeting for residents living near the Nittany Noll Preserve in Pleasant Gap, PA (Spring Township). The meeting was well-attended, and provided a friendly opportunity for neighbors to learn about the conservation easement held by ClearWater in order to protect the mostly forested surface of the Preserve, that serves as unique and important wildlife habitat. The Preserve, formerly owned by the Noll Family, was purchased by Graymont, Inc. in January 2017. We'd like to thank everyone who attended the meeting and the Pleasant Gap American Legion for kindly hosting the event.
Can you help with our supply wishlist?

We're currently in need of the following items for our native garden and riparian program:
- Medium sized l andscape rocks/boulders for our native garden at the office.
-Large, durable bags (ex: baseball bat bags and or large duffel bags) that can be used to carry 4 foot tree shelters and stakes into remote sites.
Also, a s pecial thanks to Joe Boston for donating a rain barrel to ClearWater's Native Garden!
Watershed CleanUp Day:
Saturday, April 21
8 am-12 pm and followed by a picnic at Circleville Park

Last year over 600 volunteers kept 38 TONS of trash out of our waterways in just FOUR hours! Can you pitch in to do help us do it again this year? !The big CleanUp will be followed by a volunteer picnic at Circleville Park, with games and live music, making it a perfect way to spend your Earth Day Weekend!
Join the Centre County Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps

Did you know there is a group of volunteers working together every month to monitor stream health to gather and publish data on the quality of water in the streams of Centre County? The Centre County Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps is split into teams, each assigned to a different stream, and works to collect water samples, macroinvertibrates, etc. to determine the health of our region's waterways. To get involved, call the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and mention you are interested in getting involved with Centre County PaSEC (pay-sek). Or, attend their upcoming meeting on April 11 at 9:30 am in room 317 of the Willowbank Building in Bellefonte, PA to learn more.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers to help with tree planting: ClearWater will be receiving approximately 1,000 trees and shrubs from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation that will need to be planted in April and May (dates TBD). Your help is appreciated!

Volunteers to help with Centred Outdoors: Centred Outdoors events begin June 3 and will take place every Sunday and Wednesday through August 15. ClearWater is seeking volunteers to help with the guided hikes and greeting visitors at the welcome station.

If you're interested in helping with one or both efforts, please fill out our volunteer form and check the box for "Outdoor Volunteer." We will provide specific dates and details as plans are finalized. Thank You!
Upcoming Events
Woods in Your Backyard Workshop:
Saturday, April 7 in Lewisburg, PA
Registration Deadline is TODAY

Anyone interested in improving their land or acreage for the benefit of humans, flora and fauna will not want to miss the Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas.

Cost is $35 per individual to attend and includes lunch as well as a copy of the ma nual, The Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas around Your Home. The workshop is sponsored by Penn State Extension, The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Forests for the Bay Program, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, and ClearWater Conservancy.
Centre Gives
May 8-9 (Tuesday & Wednesday)
Centre Gives, a 36 hours, community-wide giving event is right around the corner! Your donation to ClearWater Conservancy and other local organizations gets boosted by a $200,000 stretch pool accessible during Centre Gives.
Even MORE upcoming events this Spring!

To Know the Crow
April 4 @ 5 pm
Kevin J. McGowan, Reseracher, Author, and Educator
112 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA

Spotted Lanternfly Information Session
April 4 @ 6 pm
Earth and Engineering Sciences Building, Room 114 White Course Dr., Penn State
Learn the threat of and how to detect the spotted lanternfly. Free, and open to the public.

Earth Day Birthday
April 8 from 2-5 pm
Spend the afternoon outdoors visiting displays from local environmental organizations, participating in activities and games, and enjoying local entertainment.

Banff Film Festival
April 13 & 14 @ 7 pm
State Theatre, State College, PA
From adrenaline-fueled action sports, to an exploration of wild landscapes and remote mountain cultures, films in this year’s tour are sure to captivate the explorer within you. If you attend, be sure to stop by the ClearWater Conservancy booth to say 'hi' and get updates on our latest projects.

Forum on Understanding and Stewarding Water Quantity and Quality in the Spring Creek Watershed
April 18 @ 6:30
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science (CPI), 540 N Harrison Rd, Bellefonte, PA
The purpose of this forum is to bring people together to identify issues and think about what the future might look like for the Spring Creek watershed. This initial forum will help set the stage for additional work in 2018 and beyond on a watershed plan for Spring Creek. All are welcome and parking is free.

Central PA Native Plant Festival
May 5 @ 10 am- 3 pm
Boal Mansion, Boalsburg, PA 16827

7th Annual Frogfest
May 13 @ 3-6:30 pm
Have fun learning about frogs and marshes!

Don't delay-add these events to your calendar today!
The mission of ClearWater Conservancy is to conserve and restore the natural resources of central Pennsylvania through land conservation, water resources stewardship and environmental outreach in the community.
Your ongoing support makes our work possible. Thank you!