This summer, TTF is partnering with The Circuit and Rails to Trails for bike ride watershed lessons in Tacony Creek Park!
Simple Cycle‘s summer camp joined us on July 21 with to ride from the I Street & Ramona Avenue gateway to the Whitaker & Loudon gateway and back, learning about the various plants and trees along the trail. One stop the Fisher’s Lane bridge — a historic bridge dating back to the 1700’s! Here, Watershed Educator Tom McKeon talked to the group about what the definitions of a watershed and riparian buffer, and the important role buffers play in improving our water quality.
Along the way, we sampled scented trees like Spicebush and Juniper berries — these smell like just like Christmas trees.
We ended the ride by venturing off-trail towards the creek to look for living critters in the water. Using a net, Tom scooped up some water from the creek and put it into a bucket. We looked into the bucket for signs of life. Using a macroinvertebrate chart, we identified a lunged snail, a caddisfly and a leech!
Check out pictures from this ride here.
Join us on for our next free bike ride adventure on August 18. We’ll meet at Whitaker Avenue & Loudon Street. You’ll be able to explore the creek and learn about the plants along the trail and and unique facts, such as the difference between a lunged snail and a gilled snail.
Contact Doryán at doryan@ttfwatershed or 215.744.1853 to RSVP.
