The Penn State Extension has scheduled two Dive Even Deeper educator workshops on  November 7-- Stream Health and Watersheds in Cumberland County and Stream Health and Acid Mine Drainage in Indiana County

Cumberland County

Join a day of hands-on watershed learning through the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience framework. Explore watersheds, riparian buffers, and tree planting to better understand the connections between land use and stream health.

The workshop offers participants an intensive program designed to deepen participants' understanding of the intricate connections between land use and stream health.

Highlights include tours of functioning stormwater control measures, a visit to a riparian buffer with live demonstrations of tree and live stake planting, and training in the First Investigation of Stream Health (FISH) protocol, Penn State Extension’s stream assessment method.

Who Is This For?

This workshop is designed for educators and volunteers who wish to learn more about watersheds and stream health and how to weave these subjects into meaningful educational experiences for the audiences they work with including:

-- Teachers

-- Nature Educators

-- Master Watershed Stewards

-- Youth Group Leaders

-- Conservation Professionals

What will you learn?

-- What a watershed is

-- Why natural resource managers care about watersheds

-- Using Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) in your work

-- The connection between watersheds and stream health

-- Best management practices (BMPs) that improve stream health

-- How riparian buffers protect streams

-- How to plant riparian trees and live stakes

-- How to evaluate stream health

This in-person workshop will be held at the Penn State Extension Cumberland County Office, 310 Allen Road in Carlisle from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Indiana County

Join Penn State Extension educators and partners for a hands-on experience exploring Pennsylvania's streams and their challenges in this outdoor workshop. Learn to assess stream health and discover how wetlands treat abandoned mine drainage.

Participants will learn how to assess stream health using the F.I.S.H. Protocol, covering riparian areas, water quality, and wildlife.

Attendees will also learn how wetlands are being used to treat water pollution from abandoned mines, helping to restore local ecosystems and improve watershed health.

The afternoon will be spent outdoors at the Tanoma Wetlands and AMD treatment site, where participants will conduct measurements and make observations.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear proper footwear.

Breakfast refreshments and beverages will be provided; participants are asked to bring their own lunch.

Since 1994, Hedin Environmental has been assisting non profit groups, government organizations, and mining companies with the assessment and passive treatment of polluted mine water.

Ben Hedin has worked with Hedin Environmental since 2015 and has co-owned the company since 2023. Ben will discuss mine drainage treatment basics and the process of mine drainage restoration projects.

Who is this for?

-- Formal and non-formal educators seeking to learn more about assessing stream health and understanding the impact of abandoned mine drainage.

What will you learn?

-- Basics of Stream Ecology

-- Assessing Your Local Stream

-- How Wetlands Are Used to Treat Abandoned Mine Drainage

-- Resources Available from Extension

This in-person workshop will be held at the Penn State Extension Indiana County Office, 827 Water Street. In Indiana from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Click Here to register and for more information.

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

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- Reclaimed Abandoned Coal Mine Land In Clinton County Dedicated In Memory Of Joe Schueck, DEP Hydrologist With PA's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program  [PaEN]

-- PennVEST Makes $216.3 Million Investment In 33 Drinking Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction Projects In 21 Counties  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Issues Emergency Order Appointing Aqua Pennsylvania As Temporary Operator For 6 Rhodes Estate Water Companies [Serious Community Impacts Continue From Conventional Oil Well Spill In Venango County]  [PaEN]

-- EPA, PennVEST, Aqua Pennsylvania Highlight Importance Of Taking Action Against Lead Water Service Line At Chester County Event  [PaEN]

-- DEP Awards $3.4 Million To Support 12 Local Projects To Improve Water Quality, Fish & Wildlife Habitat In 8 Counties  [PaEN]

-- DCNR, Fish & Boat Commission, Partners Plant Stream Buffer In Snyder County To Combat Flooding, Improve Water Quality  [PaEN]

-- Conservation Innovation Fund Announces 2nd Round Of Farm Enrollment For Climate-Smart Commodities Market Program  [PaEN]

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Invests $2.2 Million In Research On Climate Resilient Farming; Pollinator Protection; Sustainable Weed Management; More

-- Bosland Growth, Western PA Conservancy Partner On Lake Pleasant Conservation Area Mine Land Reforestation Project In Erie County To Generate Carbon Credits  [PaEN]

-- USDA NRCS Hosts Oct. 24 Webinar On Lessons Learned For Water Quality Outcomes - Conservation Planning And Implementation For Healthy Watersheds  [PaEN]

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Hosts Oct. 29 Introduction To Watershed Stewardship, A New Wandering Waters Webinar Series  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts 2 Educator Workshops Nov. 7 On Stream Health & Watersheds In Cumberland County; Stream Health & Acid Mine Drainage In Indiana County  [PaEN]

-- Walk With Watershed Stewards In The Paxtang Parkway, Dauphin County On Nov. 10 And Learn About The Watershed Landscape You Live In!  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Nov. 26 Conservation Cornerstone Webinar: Ag Best Management Practices Value  [PaEN] 

-- Nov. 27 Penn State Extension Webinar On Environmentally Sensitive Areas On The Farm - Ponds And Lakes  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training: Dec. 12 Webinar On Project Management For Agricultural Conservation  [PaEN]

-- Wildlands Conservancy & Partners Celebrate Success Of Bushkill Creek Stream Restoration In Northampton County  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: New Plans In The Works For Cleaner Streams In Centre, Lancaster Counties  [PaEN]

-- Master Watershed Steward Sue Nielsen Emphasizes Conservation In Her Volunteer Work In Warren County  [PaEN]

-- Call For Presentations: Watershed Congress Along The Schuylkill River March 29  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Assn. Of State Drinking Water Administrators Recognizes DEP’s Lisa Daniels With 2024 ASDWA Excellence In Service Award

-- TribLive Editorial: Right To Remember ‘Close-Knit Town’ Of Robindale Destroyed By Flood In Indiana County

-- The Daily Item Editorial: Susquehanna University Freshwater Institute Making A Difference

-- $500,000 Grant To Chesapeake Bay Foundation To Add 100 Acres Of New Forested Stream Buffers In 12 Counties

-- Erie News Now: Western PA Conservancy Awarded $169,000 Grant To Improve Trout Run Watershed In Erie County [Section 319]

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Ad Crable: Bright Side Baptist Church In Lancaster, Youth Help Solve Stormwater Challenges On Church Grounds And In The Community 

-- Reading Eagle: 3,000 Free Native Trees Shrubs Distributed In Southern Berks County Event

-- PA Resources Council What’s Up, Watershed: Trees Big And Small To Plant This Fall

-- Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA Pennsylvania State Technical Committee Meeting Oct. 22, 1:00 p.m. In-Person, Online

-- Partnership For Delaware Estuary Summer Camps Inspired A New Generation Of Water Stewards

--  ExploreClarion: Mill Creek Coalition Documentary Looks At Watershed Restoration, 40 Projects Investing $12 Million   

-- Mill Creek Coalition: Mill Creek - A Watershed Restoration Story In Clarion County [Link to Documentary]

-- Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance 2025 Mine Pools As Beneficial Resources Conference Agenda Now Available

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Releases Lead Pipe Inventory; Much Of City Left Undetermined

-- TribLive: Alle-Kiski Towns To Upgrade Water, Sewer Facilities Thanks To State Funding

-- Western PA Conservancy, DCNR, PHMC: Untold Stories Of PA State Parks & Forests: Laurel Hill Settlement, Slippery Rock Watershed

-- LancasterOnline - Ad Crable: Kettle Run In Brickerville May Be In Danger Of Reclassification From DEP  [PDF of Article]

-- Lancaster Farming: Proposed West PennsBoro Warehouse Project Remains Under Review In Cumberland County

-- WHYY: Environmentalists Caution Against PhilaPort Proposal To Dredge Delaware River - Again

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Guardian Newsletter: Stream Assessments; Pay-For-Success Grants; Fee Changes; Water Saving Win-Win

-- Centre County-based ClearWater Conservancy Annual Meeting & Celebration Oct. 17

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: ‘Groundbreaking’ Stocking Brings Freshwater Mussels To Kiski, Clarion Rivers

-- Lafayette College: Reintroducing Water-Cleansing Mussels To Bushkill Creek

[Posted: October 17, 2024]

10/21/2024