Leslie Rieck, assistant professor of biology at Lycoming College's Clean Water Institute, is an aquatic ecologist working on a variety of issues, including stormwater management practices of communities along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

In the most recent episode of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Podcast, she talks about her background, stormwater concerns, impending changes within the Clean Water Institute as director Melvin Zimmerman nears retirement, one benefit she's seen along the Susquehanna that other waterways have been lacking and tips on how everyone can make a difference for our freshwater resources.

The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association held a special private Floating Classroom program with the kids and staff of the Selinsgrove REC program on Aug. 19, 2022.

The program was focused on bird species of the river and included assistance from volunteers of the Lycoming Audubon Society.

The lower level featured speaker Bruce Buckle as he reviewed different bird species that frequent our waterways, covering general identification, behaviors and patterns of each species. 

On the upper level, students borrowed binoculars to view birds along the route, seeing a wide variety of species, including an interaction between a bald eagle and great blue heron.

Photos from the program include:

In the second of what will be a three-part series on invasive flathead catfish, ​PA Fish and Boat Commission biologist Geoffrey Smith, research student Sydney Stark and Assistant Professor of Biology at Penn State-Hazleton Megan Schall chatted with John Zaktansky o on the most recent episode of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Podcast.

The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's Aug. 2, 2022, Floating Classroom focused on bats and the role they play within the greater aquatic ecosystem.

Isis Lawson and Paeton Peluso, both of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, shared a pair of presentations on different bat species, some of the main threats facing bats in our watershed (such as white nose syndrome, insecticides, etc.), the importance of bat roosts and houses and how our waterways provide an important habitat for different bat species.