Riverkeeper reflections |
 Riverkeeper note: On Tuesday, July 18, aboard one of eight Floating Classrooms held by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, intern Peyton Johnson gave a presentation on aquaponics, hydroponics, and the benefits and importance of each as well as demonstrating how to make your own recycled water bottle hydroponic garden at home.
The presentation was a brief introduction to the topics and how they are currently being used. Some of the main points were how they each operate, the benefits, how they are being used on a large scale, and how they can be integrated into your home and everyday life. The following blog post was written by Peyton Johnson as a review of that program: Sustainability, water conservation, and efficiency are all important benefits of hydroponic and aquaponic growing systems.
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Nearly 50 people learn about PFAS, plants aboard July 18 Floating Classroom aboard the Hiawatha7/19/2023  Nearly 50 people joined the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's July 18, 2023, Floating Classroom aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat in Williamsport.
The cruise featured two unique presentations ... one on emerging river contaminant PFAS and the other focused on plants in terms of hydroponics, aquaponics and sustainable growing techniques. Berwick teen center students engage with Riverkeeper, Briar Creek to learn more about ecosystem7/14/2023  The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association traveled to the Berwick Teen Center to discuss river ecology and do a creek stomp experience looking for signs of creek life and the inter-connectedness across the aquatic ecosystem.
Students found a wide variety of different macroinvertebrates and other species and talked about their importance in the greater watershed. Fifty people learn about aquatic insects on July 11 Floating Classroom aboard the Hiawatha7/11/2023  Fifty people learned about insects of our watershed aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat near Williamsport on Tuesday, July 11, during the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's Floating Classroom series.
Presenters on both levels were from Lycoming College's Clean Water Institute, including professor Leslie Rieck and numerous students.  On June 13, 60 people learned about the river's geology and types of rocks that can be found along the Susquehanna in the first Floating Classroom hosted by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association during the 2023 summer season.
Central PA Rocks and Minerals Club president Andrew "Rockhound" Eppig headed up the downstairs presentation on different types of rocks that can be found in different parts of the greater Susquehanna watershed.  Youths from the Selinsgrove REC check out various insects, including hellgrammites, with instruction from Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association board member Doug Fessler during a new Riverwalk experience called OTTERS (Observational Tours To Explore River Systems) designed to experience the interconnectedness of our aquatic ecosystem. Nearly 50 young people from the Selinsgrove REC enjoyed a morning exploration trip along the Susquehanna River below Sunbury as part of a new program offered by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association.
OTTERS (Observational Tours To Explore River Systems) is designed for middle and/or high school students as an immersive experience to see the river in a new way, searching for various species of all kinds and how they are interconnected with each other in the greater aquatic ecosystem. "This is basically a guided riverside adventure where we equip kids with various tools to see the river on a whole new hands-on level," said Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "We break them up into smaller teams and give each team an exploration bag with various tools and equipment and then encourage them to get wet and muddy and creatively explore the various elements of the river."  The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association will be the featured nonprofit organization for the Williamsport Crosscutters' Aug. 1 game vs. the West Virginia Black Bears. Game time is 6:35 p.m. EST.
As part of this promotion, the association will have a booth in the concourse with information about our work, a pregame interview and will get to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the game.  A total of 86 young people ages 9-14 participated in one of six Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association HERYN (Helping Engage Our River's Youth with Nature) program days held between June 22 and June 28, 2023, at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia.
Check out the following overview of each day's activities, photos, videos and links to news coverage: Confidence, appreciation, awareness among key lessons for 86 young people during 2023 HERYN Program7/3/2023  Hayden Scholl, 13, of Milton, gets some help from Emma Farley, of Williamsport, in showing off a largemouth bass he caught at the recent Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association's HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing program. On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, thirteen-year-old Hayden Scholl (of Milton) caught his first fish at the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s HERYN (Helping Engage our River’s Youth with Nature) Program.
He added 11 more catches by the end of the day, including a decent-sized largemouth bass, helping him win his program day’s “Most Improved Angler” award. The accomplishment was especially meaningful for a young man who, at six months of age, was diagnosed with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), more commonly called “Bubble Boy Disease.” Children with the condition lack the ability to produce their own immune system and usually must be isolated from others until a secondary “adopted” immune system can be developed. |
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
November 2025
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