Bushkill Creek Restoration Restores Flow

The large-scale stream restoration project focusing on the Bushkill Creek is continuing to flow forward. The successful removal of the first of three obsolete dams took place last month, allowing the Bushkill to flow freely through the City of Easton into the Delaware River for the first time since the 1700s. The other two dams contracted for removal are owned by Simon Silk Mill (removal in progress) and the City of Easton (removal in 2024).

Lafayette College, owners of the first dam to go, benefits from the interdisciplinary study of the dam removal for faculty and students in biology, geography, engineering, and economics.

Kristie Fach, Wildlands Conservancy's director of ecological restoration, says, "Removing this next series of dams to open these two miles for fish passage will help reconnect the Bushkill to the Delaware and onto the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in more than two centuries, and this means improved water quality for communities in the Lehigh Valley and for the more than 17 million people who get their drinking water from the Delaware River basin.” 

Impedances like obsolete dams have contributed to the degradation of the Bushkill Creek's water quality, sustainability for native fish populations, and recreational value. Habitat improvement is a bonus of stream restoration; restoring flow supports the population of very important water filters- freshwater mussels.



These filter feeders play a key role in removing pollutants including bacteria and algae throughout the waterway.

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As we conclude our 11 weeks of summer camp, we transition to bring nature-based learning into the classroom. Wild About Learning brings wildlife up close to 250+ area first graders in underserved areas each year. The comprehensive program enhances book and social-emotional learning with read-alouds, live animal presentations, hands-on activities, and more. It culminates in a field trip to Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary where it all comes wonderfully to life.

Introduction

According to research shared in the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Collective Impact Report, one in four students in Lehigh Valley schools is not reading at grade level by third grade. Reading levels are a strong indicator of future success; students who are not able to understand reading materials are four times more likely to drop out– 13 times more likely if they are in poverty.

Wildlands Conservancy's Wild About Learning program in cooperation with UWGLV aims to increase the number of students reading at grade level by 50%.

Methods

During the 6-10 week program, our trained educator works closely with the teacher to personalize thematic ecology lessons utilizing:

• a nature-focused book
• a live animal presentation that brings the narratives to life
• mind-body connecting breath work, mindfulness, and journaling
• hands-on crafts

The program culminates with a field trip to our Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus where students integrate what they learned in the classroom in an outdoor setting.

Results

Students reported that Wild About Learning made them want to come to school, ask more questions, and protect nature. Participating classroom teachers reported that Wild About Learning effectively supported students' participation, teamwork, attendance, task completion, ability to pay attention, eagerness to learn new things, and ability to follow classroom rules during and outside of program time.

Furthermore, over half of the students reported that they had never gone for a walk in the woods, prior to visiting Pool Wildlife Sanctuary.

As a child, Senior Restoration Ecologist Kate Ebel wanted to solve issues impacting wildlife populations. And today she’s making a career of protecting and restoring the wild places they call home, benefitting both people and nature by improving local water quality. 

Kate’s recent efforts include advancing the restoration of the Bushkill Creek and working with Stream Team volunteers to maintain riparian areas (vegetative areas along streams).

Kate says it’s hard work with big rewards.

"I always feel so fulfilled to see that first butterfly or bee arrive at the flowers we planted, young birds and deer and salamanders using a riparian area we planted, and the first fish after a stream was restored. I love to talk to a landowner and see the joy they feel experiencing these same things for themselves right in their home. These are the moments that are meaningful to me and help me face the next challenge." 

Join us as we maintain vegetative areas along streams (riparian buffers) and help ensure the survival of young, native trees in the forest buffer. These vital areas improve water quality in local communities, reduce erosion and flooding concerns, and provide habitat for wildlife. 

When: Every Friday morning in June - September, rain or shine. 

Where: Various locations, visit wildlandspa.org/streamteam for more information.