Just TRY catching up
with our Streamkeepers!
Bio Blitz: You can do this alone or with your family!
Once again, this Spring we are hosting a watershed-wide Bio Blitz! What's a Bio Blitz? It's when people document as many species as possible (animals, plants, insects, and more!) in a certain area, over a set amount of time.  

Our TTF-wide Bio Blitz will take place from April 20- 27. We will also participate in the Philadelphia City Nature Challenge from April 24-27. The City Nature Challeng e is a global challenge among cities and their surrounding counties to see who can gather the most observations.

How can you get involved? Download the app iNaturalist . Then, take pictures of wildlife in our watershed and submit them. You will automatically be included in these projects if the observations were recorded during one of the days.

We agree with the City Nature Challenge: The CNC planners, based at the California Academy of Sciences and at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, have decided to not cancel this year’s Challenge. We agree with them.

One of the great things about the CNC is its flexibility. At a time when group events can present health risks to the attendees and their communities, we can still take part individually. We can document the wildlife of our basements and back yards, and, to the extent possible, we can head off into our neighborhoods and green spaces on our own or in small groups of friends or family.

Indeed at a time of illness, stress, and isolation from our neighbors, connecting with nature outdoors can be incredibly therapeutic. We hope you can take part in the CNC as something we can still do safely as we take a break from our increasingly-homebound lives.

Interested in learning more? Contact [email protected]

Jenkintown Creek Love Continues
This past fall, construction began at the Charles D. Conklin Jr. Pool as a continuation of our award-winning Jenkintown Creek Restoration .

This is our first project along the Jenkintown Creek in collaboration with Cheltenham Township. We removed 200 linear feet of concrete-lined channel that the creek flowed through and replaced it with a natural meander and constructed wetland. This project manages a total of 42 acres of stormwater! On May 1-2, we are scheduled to plant native species at this site with your help. We hope we will still be able to host this event. We will let you know!

We will also work with residents to officially name this section of creek.

Want to help out? Contact [email protected]
Updates: Creek Care Day
Our first Creek Care Day, scheduled for Saturday, March 28 at Abington Friends School is cancelled.

Please watch for emails and visit our Calendar for updates as we figure out our community work during this challenging time.

For some inspiration: In the photo, you can see the sections of fencing we put in place to protect young trees from deer. Curious as to what this project looked like when we started? Check out the 2014 Flickr album!

Questions? Contact [email protected] or 215-744-1853
Streamkeeper Spotlight: Dave Bell
When did you start as a TTF Streamkeeper?
I've been a TTF streamkeeper since 2017.

Where is your site?
My site is at the confluence of Tookany and Jenkintown Creeks.

Why do you volunteer with TTF?
TTF provides meaningful opportunities for concerned citizens to make a difference in local water quality and habitat. I view Streamkeeping as more than making monthly observations. It also means volunteering with TTF for stream-side plantings and maintenance, taking part in continuing education on topics of interest to Streamkeepers, advocating on behalf of the watershed with elected officials and the public, and engaging with children in hands-on environmental education.
I firmly believe in the need to involve, educate, and empower the next generation of environmentalists - and one of the great things about TTF is that it engages children in a way that helps give me purpose for the present and confidence in the future. 

Tell us about yourself!
I'm a merchant marine officer, environmental journalist, educator, and author of books on navigation, seamanship, and estuarine ecology. I've lived in the TTF watershed since 2003. In 2019, I earned certification as Master Watershed Steward from Penn State Extension.
Valuable Training Opportunities
This year, we have an exciting training schedule in the works. We will keep you posted as to what we will cancel and re-schedule. We hope to re-schedule a tour of the Abington Waste Water Treatment plant planned for March. We hope to schedule a day with the Izaak Walton League on macro invertebrate identification this spring. In April, the Academy of Natural Sciences will lead Algae Training. We hope to host a kayak trip on the Delaware River in May and invasive species training in June.
Streamkeepers Lend a Critical Hand & Voice
This winter, the Streamkeeper program got a lot of well-deserved attention!

Grid Magazine published two articles about the wonderful work of our volunteers.

In the February issue, Streamkeepers Pete Ogonek and Marika Zeldenrust were interviewed. This article discussed our Streamkeepers and their critical impact on our local watersheds.

In March, Grid featured the Winter Salt Watch Program , sponsored by the Izaak Walton League , which gathers data on chloride levels during winter storm events across the country. A number of Streamkeepers are involved in this program, some even actively educating their neighbors about road salt use.

Read these articles here: Live Stream: Philadelphia's Streamkeepers and
More Monitoring Sites!
This Winter, Streamkeepers signed up to add a few former sites to our current list:

Along Rock Creek and the Tookany Creek in Glenside.

This brings our monitoring sites to a total sites of 24, with 29 active Streamkeepers!
Rock Creek: This site is a small tributary that flows into Rock Creek just before it enters Curtis Arboretum. The entirety of this small tributary flows through a residential neighborhood, and is almost entirely daylighted. It crosses over several roads on its way to joining Rock Creek.
Tookany Creek:
This site is along the Tookany Creek in Glenside, at the rear of the George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary. There is a small unnamed tributary of the Tookany Creek that enters along this stretch.
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