Riverkeeper reflections |
 Eight-year-old Hannah Read, of Lewisburg, loved the 2024 Environmental Education Expo at the Montour Preserve so much, that she insisted that her mother bring her back for the 2025 show on Saturday, Feb. 8. “I was so fun. I begged to come back again,” she said, adding that trips to the preserve are a regular occurrence for the family. “Sometimes, we go for my birthday to the fossil pit!” Her favorite part of this year’s show included “talking to the author of ‘Good Morning Susquehanna’ and the scavenger hunt,” she said. Her mother, Hannah, admitted that they were all excited to learn about other programs, such as the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s HERYN Program (day sessions for kids to learn kayaking and fishing) and the Vernal School’s WREN (Women Reconnecting and Engaging with Nature). “We also really loved walking to the sugar shack and past the study pond,” she said. “It is always fun to learn about new activities for kids to learn outdoor skills throughout the year.” That was also a highlight for Janet Adams, who grew up in the Turbotville/Watsontown area, and also attended both last year and this year’s Environmental Education Expos. “There is so much information for families to get out in nature and explore,” she said. “I learned about the Sea Scouts group that I never knew existed. The Montour Preserve is dear to my heart. We have enjoyed many family get-togethers there over the years!” The expo featured 24 different hands-on booths run by a wide variety of state agencies, nonprofits and other groups committed to STEM, nature and hands-on learning. “I was able to I make great community connections and tell people about Rider Park that didn't know we existed. It was also a great opportunity to promote educational programs at the park and push our website,” said Sara Street, manager of Rider Park, near Williamsport. “Additionally, I especially enjoyed making personal connections with groups who I can collaborate with at the park for programs and park improvements.” Alyssa Maddalena enjoyed speaking with so many people about her new children’s book, “Good Morning Susquehanna” as well as the river and other local waterways. “I come from a whimsical perspective of growing up along the Susquehanna fishing and kayaking, and now being an author to a children's book. I learned more about the importance of protection and safety for our environment,” she said. “There are countless dedicated folks and organizations that I honestly took for granted who fight every day for our waterways.” One of those, the Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR), offered a combination of fun trout puppets, macroinvertebrates (stream bugs) and a game of “Macro Bingo” to “reinforce their learning and recall knowledge to remember around 30 different species of bugs pretty quickly and they did,” said coalition executive director Bobby Hughes. “The event allowed us to bring awareness to the work we do across northeast and northcentral Pennsylvania on abandoned mine drainage, abandoned mine reclamation, environmental education and watershed assessments that lead to implementation projects.” Participants also got to experiment with LEGO boat building, a hands-on beaver dam stream table, hikes with the PA Master Naturalists, tying flies with Trout Unlimited, building birding resources, nature journaling and more. “I had a great day meeting with parents and children to share the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit’s resources, including engineering pollinators, our weather appliances and our "Shared Waters" curriculum,” said Colleen Epler-Ruth. “I also enjoyed meeting all of the other collaborators and getting see them face-to-face.” Among those collaborators was Andrew Rockhound, of the Central PA Rock and Mineral Club and Geology Club. “It was incredible to give away free PA fossil posters to kids and those ‘young at heart’ with the most engaged attendees receiving a free specimen and info giveaway bag from the Geology Club,” Rockhound said. “People got to touch and feel an ancient beach or hold an extinct trilobite – the goal was to excite and motivate everyone to return in the future to explore and learn more at the Montour Preserve fossil pit and gain more insights into what they can find in their own local streams.” Ultimately, the goal of the event was to showcase the growing partnership of groups available for programming and other resources at the Montour Preserve via the Vernal School Environmental Education Partnership, according to Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. “It is neat to see so many people sharing their own unique passions for the outdoors in one spot – it makes wanting to learn more about nature and our natural surroundings contagious,” he said. “What better way to prepare for 2025 than to show off all these great opportunities and groups that can help you get there? We are excited about the programs coming up this year at the Montour Preserve, and this was just a sneak peak of what is to come. Stay tuned!” Groups in attendance (some others had to pull out beforehand due to illness) included:
Those interested in providing information/data on the Montour Preserve in extension of what was being collected at the computer lab for mapping can fill out this online survey. You can learn more about upcoming programs, projects and more at www.vernalschool.org.
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AuthorsRiverkeeper John Zaktansky is an award-winning journalist and avid promoter of the outdoors who loves camping, kayaking, fishing and hunting with the family. Archives
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