Please save the date and plan to join the Delaware Highlands Conservancy for the Back to Nature Celebration at the Van Scott Nature Reserve and the Inn at Woodloch!

3:30pm • Exclusive sneak-peek tours of the Van Scott Nature Reserve in Beach Lake, PA.
4:30pm-8pm • Travel to the Inn at Woodloch for dinner lakeside. Unwind by the fire, enjoy live music, take a boat ride, and dine on a variety of specialty gourmet barbecue and tapas-style selections with signature cocktails.

Click here for more information and stay tuned for details!

The 33rd Annual Family Raft Trip sponsored by the Upper Delaware Council will take place on Sunday, August 1. Public reservations are due by Friday, July 23. The 2021 river section to be paddled is a scenic six-mile stretch from the Staircase Access in the Town of Lumberland, NY to Kittatinny Canoes' Matamoras Based in Westfall Township, PA. Kittatinny Canoes will provide the rafts, paddles, life jackets, safety instructions, and shuttle transportation. Plan to arrive between 9-10 a.m. at the Matamoras Base (1147 Delaware Drive) for parking and check-in. The UDC's deeply-discounted rate is $29 for ages 13 and up, and $19 for ages 4-12. Minimum occupancy per raft is four people.

Contact Ashley Hall-Bagdonas at (845) 252-3022 or ashley@upperdelawarecouncil.org to register or find out more information.

The Gala is New Jersey LCV's biggest fundraising event of the year, with the proceeds directly supporting their year-round policy, advocacy, and civic engagement work so they can fight for clean air, clean water, sustainable forests, and healthy communities for all of New Jersey. They are fighting to stop more than a dozen needless and dirty fossil fuel power plants, pipelines, and compressor stations, and passed the most aggressive electric vehicle legislation and Energy Master plan that puts NJ on track for 2050.

This year their fundraiser is going virtual again! Join them to celebrate all that they've accomplished for New Jersey's air, water, and open spaces!

Register for the gala here!

Please save the date!  DRBC’s Water Management Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, June 17, 2021, beginning at 10 a.m.

The committee will meet virtually via Zoom; the meeting is open to the public.

To Join: https://zoom.us/j/99902342480?pwd=bFkxb1NEb2NyRm9ycTl1WjFHVFp0Zz09

• Meeting ID: 999 0234 2480

• Access Code: 373090

• Dial-in: +1 (929) 205-6099

An agenda for the meeting is forthcoming.

Please contact Michael Thompson, with any questions.

Join Conservation Voters of PA and New Jersey LCV for a presentation with Allen Mattison of Trister, Ross, Schadler & Gold, PLLC who will break down what advocacy activities c3s can engage in without compromising their c3 status and ways c3s can advocate using funding with lobbying restrictions.

Register for the webinar here!

Join DCVA and Clean Air Council for a comprehensive look at stormwater management, how it affects people on a local scale and on a larger scale.

Clean Air Council staff will discuss stormwater management, combined sewer overflows, and other local sources of water pollution with an eye toward local solutions at the municipal level. This webinar will also address nearby industrial sources of water pollution, including legacy industrial sites, and how individuals, community groups and local governments can work with the state to ensure that regulations overseeing industrial permitting protect public health and the environment.

Register for the webinar here!

A Virtual Lecture by Author & Illustrator Hal Taylor
The Delaware River: An Illustrated History
• A Delaware River Heritage Lecture Sponsored by the Delaware River Greenway Partnership (DRGP)
• Free Preregistration Required: https://outdoors.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlcO2urT4oGNUMqhit_5dmkl4PPwCUYNHa

The Delaware River: An Illustrated History
Hal Taylor will present an illustrated travelogue tracing more than 300 miles and 400 years of history about one of America’s most storied rivers. See the country’s oldest resort in Cape May, the Delaware Bay and its fabled oyster industry, forts that span the Revolutionary War to WWII, the commercial importance of Burlington, Bordentown, and Trenton, (including the canals and the railroads), along with scenic old river towns including New Hope and Lambertville. On to the era of the Delaware Water Gap grand hotels and the tragic tale of the Tock’s Island fiasco.

This talk, one in a series, open to the public and free of charge, is sponsored by the Delaware River Greenway Partnership (DRGP) about different aspects of the cultural, recreational, and natural heritage of the Delaware River. An environmental nonprofit, DRGP supports the Delaware River Scenic Byway , the Lower Delaware Wild & Scenic River, the Delaware River Water Trail, and the Delaware River Heritage Trail.

To register go to: https://outdoors.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlcO2urT4oGNUMqhit_5dmkl4PPwCUYNHa. After registering, meeting link information will appear below the lecture description. Registrants will also be emailed a confirmation and meeting reminders.

Christine Ticehurst Recreation and Interpretation Program Coordinator with the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources will introduce registrants to programs DCNR provides, their ideas for the future of those programs, and new ones. In sharing what they are doing, it will provide ideas of community connections to local State Parks, ideas of cross-partnering to implement unique, and exciting programs, and give a different perspective on programs to connect more women to their local waters, conservation, and, of course, fishing.

Register for the event here!

Join the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Air Council, PennFuture & Environment New Jersey for a webinar series to learn more about the history of water quality conditions and protections in the tidal Delaware River, the state of the River today, and actions we can take to finish the work of past generations to preserve the River in perpetuity for our communities and for the life that depends on it. (webinars will be recorded for later viewing)

In the final webinar of the series, join their scientific and policy experts for a group discussion on the Estuary’s restoration. Evidence will be briefly reviewed, and then the experts will embark with participants on an exploration of this history, the current controversies, and the future possibilities.

Register for the webinar here!

Conservation Voters of PA and New Jersey LCV is once again offering a list enhancement service to help build watershed partners’ capacity.

Working with the LCV Education Fund, we will match your supporter list to the national voter file, and return demographic, geographic, and constituent model scores. It can mean more phone numbers, DOBs, county and other geographic districts, and behavioral insights to help you strategically segment your supporters.

To learn more about what the opportunity and how to participate, join Kristin Zilcosky for a 30-minute webinar. Register for it here!

Register for an event looking into why African Americans and other BIPOC communities are not represented as much in the outdoors!

Mr. Dudley Edmondson connects the dots on why African Americans and others from BIPOC communities are underrepresented in the outdoors.

He is an established photographer, author, filmmaker, and presenter whose passion is nature and getting People of Color outdoors.

Unsatisfied with the numbers of people who looked like him among those he encountered in his outdoor pursuits, Mr. Edmondson set out to create a set of outdoor role models for the African American community by writing his landmark book, Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places (AdventureKeen Publications, 2006), featuring luminaries in the environmental and outdoor recreation fields. Mr. Edmondson has also been immersed in the effort to help the conservation sector become more inclusive.

Mr. Edmondson’s photography has been featured in galleries and nearly 100 publications around the world. His most recent book is What’s that Flower? A Beginner’s Guide to Wildflowers (DK Publishing, 2013).

Register here for the event!

Join Bucks Audubon to discover local wildflowers, what grows in their fields, along the streams, and spotted throughout the forests during this Virtual program! You will learn how to identify wild flowers, and the importance of natives in the landscape.

Program is free, however donations are greatly appreciated. Upon registration, you will be emailed the zoom link. Click here to register!

Mandy Nix Watershed Education Specialist with the Stroud Water Research Center and Judi Sittler Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited member and Chair of the PATU Youth Education Committee will introduce attendees to what STREAM Girls is on a national level as well as dive in to how TU chapters and their partners are implementing STREAM Girls In PA (e.g. when it began, how it is growing, and adapting). Participants will also learn how to get a STREAM Girls program started in their own community.

Register for the event here!

Join the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Air Council, PennFuture & Environment New Jersey for a webinar series to learn more about the history of water quality conditions and protections in the tidal Delaware River, the state of the River today, and actions we can take to finish the work of past generations to preserve the River in perpetuity for our communities and for the life that depends on it. (webinars will be recorded for later viewing)

In the second webinar, they explore the legal and regulatory mandates from the Clean Water Act for improving water quality in the tidal Delaware River. Learn how to get involved in this campaign and actions you can take to protect the River.

Register for the webinar here!

From supporting local parks to protecting a multi-state watershed, advocating for the environment and our communities has never been more important. During Love Your Park week, FOW will be joined by speakers from the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed (CDRW) and the Philadelphia Parks Alliance for a conversation on building coalitions, mobilizing communities, and effective advocacy to create change – as well as how you can make a difference!

Grab a drink, get comfortable with a laptop (or smartphone), and join the program via Zoom. This event will also be recorded for participants.

Register for the event here!

The Musconetcong Watershed Association (MWA) is hosting their annual Native Plant Sale on May 8th! Native plants not only filter stormwater and improve water quality, they provided habitat to pollinators and local wildlife.

MWA’s knowledgeable Board members and volunteers will be on hand to help you choose the best native perennials for your yard! Already know what you want? Visit their website and shop ahead of time! Order now and pick up on May 8th. If you live within 2 miles of our River Resource Center property, or spend over $100 and live within or near our watershed towns, someone will drop everything off to you! Keep checking our website! We will be adding new plants as we continue to work with local growers!

PATU WDI Co-Chairs Amidea Daniel NC Region Outreach Education Coordinator with the PA Fish and Boat Commission and Kelly Williams Watershed Specialist with the Clearfield County Conservation District will introduce the PATU WDI committee efforts , plans for this year, and ideas for the future .

Register for the event here!

Join the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Air Council, PennFuture & Environment New Jersey for a webinar series to learn more about the history of water quality conditions and protections in the tidal Delaware River, the state of the River today, and actions we can take to finish the work of past generations to preserve the River in perpetuity for our communities and for the life that depends on it. (webinars will be recorded for later viewing)

The first webinar in the series will go through the history and economics of oxygen restoration in the tidal Delaware Estuary. Hear from experts on groundbreaking new research about the economic benefits of preserving this ecosystem, and how it matters for policy decisions today.

Register here for the webinar!

SBN’s 5th Annual Excellence in GSI Awards on Thursday, April 22, at 5:30 pm, is free for all and held virtually this year. See the link here for more information.

Join SBN's GSI Partners Initative on Thursday, April 22, along with the region’s industry professionals, developers and property owners, government and non-profit institutions, and academics to acknowledge and celebrate the region’s excellence in green stormwater infrastructure. Awards will be given to projects in the following categories: Public Projects, Innovation, and the winners of the "Best of Green City, Clean Waters" online poll! Vote today!

This year's special guests include: 

Keynote Address: Andrew Sawyers, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Closing Remarks: Randy E. Hayman, Esq., Commissioner and CEO for the Philadelphia Water Department

This year marks not only SBN’s 20th anniversary but also the 10th anniversary of Philadelphia’s innovative Green City, Clean Waters plan, which will be recognized throughout the ceremony. The Excellence in GSI Awards is the region’s only award ceremony that recognizes the projects and people that bring the triple bottom line (environmental, social, and economic) benefits of green stormwater infrastructure to life.

Earth Day 21 – a perfect day to explore for ephemeral spring wildflowers, like trout lily, bloodroot, trillium, violet, and spring beauty. Meander past what feels like a mountain cascade. Then spend some meditative moments on Council Rock, at the base of Teedyuscung, leader of the Lenni Lenape, who could teach a lot about humans’ relationship with Earth. While on Council Rock, there will be a brief discussion about the Lenni Lenape regard for the planet. There will also be a short discussion on “land ethic,” a concept that originates from Aldo Leopold.

Click here to register and learn more about the event!

Join the American Littoral Society on the beach in Delaware Bay to plant dune grass!

In early April work will be completed on sand berms that will prevent horseshoe crabs from being washed into the marsh during extreme high tides. To create a more resilient beach berm and keep the sand in place, we will then plant dune grass.

The easiest way to plant dune grasses is to create a hole in the sand with a broom handle. If you have a broom or something with similar handle, please bring it to the event.

Parking will be along Reeds Beach Road. Please dress for the weather.

Click here to register!

COVID-19 Precautions: Littoral Society staff and volunteers will follow all state-mandated COVID-19 safety protocols and ask that all volunteers wear a mask, keep six feet distance from other volunteers, and to please stay home if you or someone you have been in contact with are sick. Society staff reserves the right to ask volunteers who are not following these guidelines to leave immediately.