The final lecture of the year in the South Mountain Speaker Series will focus on the challenges of conserving water quality and quantity in the region on November 8, in Memorial Auditorium at Shippensburg University.

“From trout fishing in our spring-fed creeks to the ice cold glass we enjoy on a hot summer's day, water is at the heart of our quality of life here in the South Mountain region,” said Allen Dieterich-Ward, an associate professor of history at Shippensburg University and the chair of the South Mountain Partnership committee on the speaker series. “Over the years, new demands on ground and surface water have created challenges for conserving these important resources.”

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception featuring displays by local watershed and advocacy groups.

At 7 p.m., Pat Bowling, a hydrologist with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, will describe water challenges and then join a panel of local experts to discuss ways to protect our water supply for future generations.

The panel will include Dr. Christopher Woltemade, a professor in Shippensburg’s Department of Geography/Earth Science, and Michael Christopher, manager of Washington Township, Franklin County.

This event is sponsored by the Adams, Cumberland and Franklin county conservation districts; Shippensburg University; DCNR; and the South Mountain Partnership.

This is the third year for the South Mountain Speakers Series, envisioned as a revival of the talks given by Joseph Rothrock in the late 19th century as part of his work to preserve and restore Pennsylvania’s forests and natural landscape.  The series is anticipated to return in 2013.

Sparked by DCNR’s Conservation Landscape Initiative, the South Mountain Partnership is an effort to engage communities, local partners, state agencies and funding opportunities to conserve high-quality natural and cultural resources while enhancing the region’s economic viability.

For more information about the speaker series, visit the South Mountain Partnership website or call the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 717-258-5771.

Some of the earlier lectures in the speaker series can now be found on YouTube.

10/8/2012