By Frankie Lazauskas, TTF’s Upstream Conservation Leader
Citizen scientists from nearby the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford, Wissahickon, Pennypack, Poquessing, and Darby/Cobbs watersheds came together to celebrate the work that was accomplished in Phase 1 of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative and to lay out a vision for the future of citizen water quality monitoring as we enter Phase 2. Nearly 60 volunteers from all five watersheds met on September 23rd at Glenside Hall in Wyncote for this celebration.
These citizen scientists, more fondly known as our StreamKeepers, have been monitoring sites throughout the watershed every month and provide us key information on the health of our streams. At this celebration, we premiered the video Streamkeepers: Keeping an Eye on Our Creeks, made by GreenTreks Network, and enjoyed presentations highlighting each watersheds’ monitoring program, as well as a guest presentation from Kathryn Christopher of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
As a perk for our amazing citizen scientists, we’ve planned out an entire year’s worth of specialty trainings for our StreamKeepers that will include training on invasive plant identification and control, visual habitat assessments, mussel surveys, and more! The next special training is Saturday, October 28.
Interested in becoming a SteamKeeper? We’re always looking for enthusiastic volunteers! Contact Frankie@ttfwatershed.org to get started.
