Fifteen youths immersed in kayaking and fishing instruction via June 26 HERYN program experience6/28/2024 Fifteen youths concluded the first batch of HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia on Wednesday, June 26.
The experience included learning key fundamentals about each activity and working toward building confidence in competitions in kayaking and fishing the campground's lake, where participants caught more than 100 panfish.
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Nineteen participants catch more than 300 fish and a new zeal for kayaking, fishing at June 25 HERYN6/25/2024 “I fished some and kayaked once before, but now I know about both and want to do them both more,” said 11-year-old Jack Scerbo, of Bloomsburg, in his exit survey after attending the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s June 25, 2024, HERYN (Helping Engage our River’s Youth with Nature) program.
“And I learned to make sure I pick up my fishing line if I go fishing,” he added. Nineteen students, ages 9-11, attended the program day, the largest number of participants for one day in the four years the program has been offered. They are taught the fundamentals of fishing and kayaking, building confidence and skills so they can teach others and hopefully continued these hobbies while serving as stewards for our natural resources. Eleven-year-old Malachi Kuhns, of Middleburg, admitted that Monday, June 24th's HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program expanded not only his fishing skills, but also his excitement for kayaking.
"I am always up for fishing, but today also gave me a lot more confidence in kayaking," he said in an exit interview after the program. Fourteen young people representing a wide variety of towns across the watershed, converged at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia for the program. Thirteen participants gain confidence kayaking and fishing during Friday, June 22 HERYN program day6/23/2024 "I learned that fish and bug invasive species populations can effect an ecosystem drastically," said 13-year-old Alyssa Almedilla, of Bloomsburg, in her exit survey for the Saturday, June 22, 2024, HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing program day. "It is important to consider the environmental effect your actions can cause."
Alyssa was one of thirteen participants during the program day, held at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground neawr New Columbia. The experience is designed to help engage kids with the fundamentals of kayaking and fishing while inspiring the next generation of stewards. Ten kids learn about kayaking, fishing and how to keep waterways clean at June 21 HERYN program6/21/2024 Ten young people participated in the Friday, June 21, HERYN (Helping Engage our Rier's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing program day, catching nearly 100 fish and learning the important fundamentals of both kayaking and fishing.
"I learned new ways to cast and fish and had never kayaked before today," said Maddie, age 12. "The program today made me want to fish and kayak a lot more," said 11-year-old Nolan. Thirteen students, ages 8-13, completed the first day of HERYN (Helping Engage the River's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing day camps at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia.
The participants learned the fundamentals of both fishing and kayaking while developing confidence and building up to competitions in kayaks and catching more than 100 fish from the campground's lake. Column: Manmade dams and rock piles can cause major negative ripple effects in our waterways6/19/2024 ![]() This photo of a dead hellbender near a manmade rock structure was widely circulated when people became more aware of the potential negative impacts of cairns (manmade rock piles created as landmarks or monuments). The construction of the tower in the background may have led to this hellbender being crushed, according to one source. Image by David Herasimtschuk. Riverkeeper's note: The following column was written by Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh.
While man-made rock dams might seem like a fun spot to swim and recreate, these structures may unfortunately have negative effects on the stream, aquatic organisms, people and pets. Rock dams, cairns (a heap of stones set up as a landmark, monument, tombstone, etc.) and other manipulation of stream substrate are not recommended, especially in headwater streams. Riverkeeper board members, staff, interns gear up for popular HERYN kayaking, fishing day programs6/17/2024 On Saturday, June 15, 2024, many of the board members of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association along with family members, interns and employees of the group met at the Central PA Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia for a workday preparing for its annual HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) kayaking and fishing program, as well as enjoying a picnic together and holding its monthly meeting in person.
Check out some images from the workday and some fun shared afterward in the photo gallery below. "We have a great team that is dedicated to clean water and connecting people to our resources to inspire the next generation of stewards," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "It was great to have everyone together preparing for one of our flagship programs and bonding over some kayaking, fishing, a picnic and then our monthly board meeting." Fifty-three people participate in first Floating Classroom of 2024, learn about snails of watershed6/11/2024 Fifty-three people boarded the Hiawatha Paddleboat near Williamsport on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, to learn about snails that can be found in the Susquehanna River watershed.
The lower level presentation was led by Dr. Edward Levri of Penn State, a snail expert who has studied the New Zealand mud snail exclusively both abroad in the local river basin. Participants learned about this invasive species, what sort of impacts they can have on waterways, why they are so successful in taking over an ecosystem and how to help reduce the spread. Eleven HERYN graduates paddle Penns Creek while fishing, exploring and picking up trash on June 106/10/2024 Eleven young people paddled four hours down Penns Creek on Monday, June 10, to wrap up the final scheduled Blue HERYN (Helping Engage our River's Youth with Nature) program day for the summer of 2024.
The group got into some good fishing and witnessed a variety of interesting wildlife, including numerous sightings of a bald eagle, a water snake and much more. |
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
July 2024
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