The latest Watershed Winds newsletter from Penn State Extension highlights a student AgVenture Camp in Lancaster; the Watershed Steward Rain Barrel Guy and Native Plant Kit; Streambank Stabilization and Benthic Macroinvertegrates and much more.

Lancaster AgVenture Camp

Youth aged 8 to 12 are invited to join Penn State Extension for an AgVenture Day Camp at Penn State's Southeast Agricultural Research Farm in Manheim, PA where they will learn how they can be Stream Doctors.

The camp will follow the theme of Penn State Extension’s new children’s book, Brooke Meets a Stream Doctor, featuring Dr. Watt R Shedd.

The camp will be held from July 23-26 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily and will take place rain or shine.

Campers will learn about the environment, water resources management, and complete a stream study in Dellinger Run.

Activities include Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences focused on the water cycle and watersheds; physical, biological, and chemical stream studies; what constitutes a healthy stream; and participate in a service project.

Click Here to learn more and to register.

Rain Barrel Guy

For Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward volunteer Rich Troscianecki, one of the most rewarding aspects of his role is getting the next generation involved in and excited about watershed management.

Troscianecki and the other Master Watershed Stewards host programs specifically to engage kids and teach them about the importance of healthy watersheds.

One of the highlights of the year is participating in a local elementary school’s “Grow with the Flow Day,” a program that includes a variety of stations highlighting different aspects of conservation.

Click Here to learn more.

Watershed-Friendly Native Plant Kit

The 2024 Master Watershed Steward Watershed-Friendly Native Plant Kit Sale, hosted by the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program, offers three preselected watershed-friendly native plant plug kits.

Simply pick your preferred kit and select the most convenient curbside fall pickup location from 17 sites across the state.

Proceeds from the Watershed-Friendly Native Plant Kits will support the Master Watershed Steward program providing volunteer-driven education and restoration work in that region.

Each of the Watershed-Friendly kits are designed to help you incorporate more native plants into your property for habitat creation, stormwater management, pollutant reduction, and other positive ecological services.

Click Here to order and learn more.

Become A Master Watershed Steward

Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards are first and foremost, volunteers. The goal of this training program is to expand upon your water and natural resources knowledge with Penn State's research-based information so that you will broaden our conservation outreach into the community.

Click Here to learn more.

Upcoming Events

-- June 4: ACAP Ag Conservation Conference, State College

-- June 5: PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals In Our Environment Webinar

-- June 5: Sips & Drips: Clarion River Conversations, Ridgway, Elk County

-- June 13: Lancaster Waterways On Wheels Bike Tour

-- June 19: Testing Private Wells For Emerging Contaminants

-- June 24: Twilight Pond Walk, Dingmans Ferry, Pike County

-- Multiple Dates: Private Water Supply Education & Water Testing

Other Articles

-- Streambank Stabilization and Stream Crossings

-- Pond Management For Rural And Farm Pond Owners

-- Pond and Lake Wildlife: Great Blue Herons

-- Stream Connections: Benthic Marcroinvertebrates Native Fish & PA Geology

-- Pennsylvania Wetlands:Vernal Pools

Click Here to read the entire newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for Extension newsletters (bottom of the page)

Visit the Penn State Extension website to learn about many more educational opportunities.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Update: PA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Receives National Recognition For Collaboration, Partnerships  [PaEN]

-- DEP Published An eNotice Saying The 2024 PA Integrated Water Quality Report Has Been Published As Final

-- Penn State Research Traced Radioactive Radium In Freshwater Mussels To Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Watershed Winds Newsletter Highlights Student AgVenture Camp; Watershed Stewards Native Plant Kit; Pond Management; Rain Barrel Guy; Much More!  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts June 10 Webinar On Watershed-Friendly Native Planting  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Highlights Partnership Helping PA Communities Plant 2,500 Large Bare Root Trees; Woodland Health Practices Handbook; Chesapeake Stormwater Training  [PaEN]

-- Center For Watershed Protection Hosts 3-Part Stream Restoration Webinar Series Starting June 4  [PaEN]

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Dairies Get $25 Million Boost for Climate-Smart Practices; Penn State Seeking 100 Farms To Receive Assistance

-- USDA: Application Period Now Open For Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program Funding  [PaEN]

-- USDA Accepting Applications For Wetlands Mitigation Bank Projects

-- Penn State Extension: Woods & Wildlife News & Notes: May Forest Snapshot; Service Forester Assistance For Forestland Owners; Forest Education For Teachers, Youth Leaders 

NewsClips:

-- LancasterOnline: Conowingo Creek Restoration Serves As Model For Conservation 

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: 2023 Year-In-Review

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Dairies Get $25 Million Boost for Climate-Smart Practices; Penn State Seeking 100 Farms To Receive Assistance

-- Beaver County Times - Brian Whipkey: Fall Cankerworms Drop From Leaves Onto Homes, Cars, People In Southwest PA

-- Horn Farm Center For Agricultural Education Hosts 3-Part, In-Person Workshops On Mycology [Fungi & Mushrooms] In York Starting June 8

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Mussel Hatchery Produces More Juveniles, Thanks To New Discoveries

-- Inquirer: Philly’s Nursery-Grown Mussels Are Crucial To Cleaning Rivers, Local Scientists Just Made A Major Breakthrough

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation - B.J. Small: Marvelous Macros - Tiny Aquatic Creatures With An Important Message

-- WTAJ/AP: Researchers Find Tiny Organism Has Power To Reduce Persistent Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Farm Fields

-- PennLive: Wiconisco Creek Anglers Assn. Organized 30+ Volunteers For Stream Cleanup In Dauphin County

-- Warren Times: Audubon Community Nature Center Volunteers Teach In Elementary School Nature Education Program

-- The Daily Item: Susquehanna University Offering Watershed Studies Minor

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer, et al: Since 2020, 55 Million Square Feet Of Warehouse Space Have Reshaped Jobs, Traffic, Landscapes

-- Delaware RiverKeeper May 31 RiverWatch Video Report

-- US DOE, US Treasury, USDA Release Joint Policy Statement And Principles On Voluntary Carbon Credit Markets

[Posted: May 27, 2024]

6/3/2024