Restoration + Maintenance = Success |
|
Watershed restoration is a cornerstone of our work to improve and connect our creeks to our communities.
It's a lot of work! Finding community partners, raising funds, work with contractors to design and construct projects, and then planting with the community. But the work doesn't stop with planting! Maintenance is key to the success of a restoration project.
Maintenance takes many different forms: pulling invasive vines off of trees or shrubs, repairing an eroding berm, fixing fencing to protect a planting from deer, and in some cases, making adjustments to improve project functionality. Sometimes, this maintenance is performed by partners, sometimes by TTF staff.
It has been a busy summer! Here's a restoration site maintenance work review.
|
|
In Alverthorpe Park, we made adjustments to the swale and series of rain gardens installed along the baseball field in the fall of 2021. Larger than expected amounts of stormwater were being held in one of the rain gardens. Rain gardens are designed to retain stormwater for 24-48 hours after a storm. We installed a small pipe in the garden to drain water more quickly. The drain under the garden was opened. We also transplanted a number of Irises from another Alverthorpe feature. This is just one example of the changing nature of restoration projects.
Sometimes, a feature is installed and after some time, it may not function the way it was intended, so we make adjustments. In other cases, at a site where the plants are thriving, we divide plants, collect seeds or take cuttings to utilize at other restoration sites.
|
|
Another example of the shifting dynamics of restoration projects and the need for continued maintenance is the Manor College rain garden. Installed in the fall of 2015, the inlet to the rain garden from the parking lot experienced a large amount of erosion due to the high velocity and volume of stormwater. In this case, we removed sediment from the inlet, regraded and stabilized it with jute matting, and installed 3" to 5" stone to slow down the velocity of the water.
|
|
A new identity for a special creek? |
|
This summer, we began the process of gaining recognition for and naming the small tributary that runs through the Conklin Pool property. We hosted a program at the pool in partnership with local artist Rebecca Schultz that featured art activities and an opportunity for people to share their thoughts on the creek and to suggest names. We hope to work in collaboration with Cheltenham and the Historical Commission to submit a name for approval to the US Board on Geographic Names. We hope to support Cheltenham to named other unnamed creeks.
|
|
Creek Care Days are back! |
|
Creek Care days are back after a summer break!
We hosted an exciting cleanup at Ethel Jordan Park on August 27, when we began the process of removing the buffer fencing. Fencing is removed when trees and shrubs are mature enough to withstand the pressures of deer and other environmental threats.
Creek Care Day
Saturday, September 24 from 10am to 12pm
Abington Friends School
575 Washington Lane, Jenkintown 19046
Want to help, but can't make a regular program?
|
|
Streamkeepers learn about local government |
|
This workshop covered local government structure, as well as authorities and limitations; how and why local government land use decisions impact our watersheds and the tools to guide these decisions. It also covered the roles, priorities and perspectives of the key actors in these decisions, and how we can align local government decision making with conservation priorities.
|
|
We Love Our Streamkeepers! |
|
We can't say enough about how much we love our Streamkeepers for their active involvement! They don't just do monthly monitoring and help at cleanups. They're writers, students and educators, learning as they go and sharing that knowledge with others. That's why we'd like to highlight a few of our Streamkeepers.
Longtime Streamkeeper Dave Bell is a published author -- one of his recent books has won a pair of awards! His book Awesome Chesapeake: A Kid's Guide to the Bay was recognized by Skipping Stones Magazine for its contribution to "ecological awareness in children's literature." Story Monsters awarded it a "Certificate for Excellence in Literature" as winner of their environmental issues category. This exciting environmental education resource for elementary and middle school children explores the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay through the plants and animals that call this 2,500 square mile bay home.
|
|
This program provides extensive training in watershed related topics: stream ecology, stormwater management and invasive plants. Certified master watershed stewards complete 40 hours of training and 50 hours of volunteer service, with ongoing service and training each year.
|
|
Nature Series in Cheltenham Continues! |
|
We're halfway thought the Cheltenham Nature Series for the year! Join us for one of the upcoming dates with environmental educator Judith Gratz, as she covers assorted nature topics.
Next Nature Series:
Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, September 17 from 1pm to 2:30pm
Kleinheinz Pond, 35 Tookany Creek Parkway, Cheltenham 19012 (walk towards Jenkintown Road)
FREE!
Win points and prizes when you find natural items, using cards from the challenging game “Aqua Marooned”. Search and play by yourself or with a partner. Either way, you are guaranteed to have a fun time, and perhaps see some nifty surprises, some hidden, some in plain sight.
For most ages. Reading involved, so adults will need to read to younger children. Class size limited to 15. No walk-ins. Please complete one form for each person in your party attending.
Register, there's only a few spots left!
You can register for this and future events here.
|
|
TTF sales rain barrels as part of our efforts to connect our communities to their creeks and to educate them about watershed issues.
Rain barrels are recycled barrels that connect to rain gutters, and store the stormwater for later use or so that it may be slowly released. Rain barrels combat the number one issue in our watershed -- urban runoff caused by stormwater running off of impervious surfaces such as roofs and sidewalks. We partner with Camels Hump Rain Barrels to sell rain barrels This summer has been busy.
We've sold 31 rain barrels. Since 2018, we have provided rain barrels to well over 100 residents across the watershed (see the rain barrel map below)!
|
|
Join your neighbors & order a rain barrel now! |
|
TTF 355
TTF355 is a new Streamkeeper site, located along a branch to Baeder Creek in the Coates Preserve. This site is just upstream from two branches of Baeder Creek that join within the park before flowing downstream and eventually joining the Tookany Creek as one of it's main tributaries. The creek through this area has a large amount of canopy cover and flows through a more natural setting than many of our suburban creeks.
An interesting note for this site is the unusually high conductivity readings that have been gathered from this Baeder Creek branch, which will make for an interesting cross comparison with the other Baeder Creek branch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
