Summer in our Watersheds
by David Hilbert
While summer seems like a season of green, leafy stasis for the plants in our watersheds compared to the hyperactive growth of spring, there is plenty going on behind the scenes. The spring's soft tissues are lignifying, becoming new, solid wood; seeds mature and provide sustenance to all sorts of wildlife, and there is a transition from cool-season to warm-season grasses that occupy a crucial role where the tree canopy has not yet developed or cannot yet reach.
Also, while the number of active blooms has declined since the spring, there are still trees and shrubs providing color/scent to us and nectar to wildlife, if you know where to look. On some of our cooler slopes, you might find American Basswood (Tilia americana) blooming with its sweet-scented pale yellow flowers that have long been renowned for their honey production potential. On exposed, rocky slopes, Sumac flowers (Rhus spp.) will soon form ripening lemony-tasting fruits that have long been prized by foragers and birds alike. In our lowland areas, you can smell Summersweet (Clethra) and its prolific, brush-like flower stalks along slow-moving riverbends, as well as dense clusters of soon-ripening Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), anchoring soils whose history of urban use would seem to exclude such an energetic native plant.
CRC Maintenance a One-Man Job During Covid
Last summer CRC was locked down by Covid and our group activities were out of reach, but Tree Planting Coordinator David Hilbert worked tirelessly in the hot weather to keep CRC’s maintenance up to date. He spent 30-odd hours a week between prior planting sites, working on caging upkeep and replacement, removing invasive plants like knotweed, porcelain berry and Japanese honeysuckle and generally making sure that the trees and shrubs were healthy and growing well.
His efforts encompassed Smedley Park in Springfield, the Newtown Square ballfields, the Serpentine Preserve in Malvern, Crozer Park in Chester, and Aston’s Lewis Fisher Park.
Staff Keeps Working Thanks to Donors, PPP Loans
CRC’s commitment to our watersheds – and the staff that support our work in them – was unimpeded by the Covid pandemic, although some elements became more challenging. Without the ability to hold larger events and fundraisers, the budget did take something of a hit. The generosity of members and sponsors was pivotal to CRC’s ability to keep working, as was a Payroll Protection Program loan through the CARES Act. During this time, we also benefitted from the helpful enthusiasm of Carly Lare, a student at West Chester University and our new grants research intern, who helped Meghan Lockman work on grant funding opportunities.
Okehocking Crowded with Pandemic Visitors, Nature Gets a Boost
During those hot summer pandemic months, most CRC staff labored at home, connecting via phone and zoom, like everybody else. But occasionally, David or Charlotte needed to gather tools or check on the office, and they would head to Willistown Township’s Okehocking Preserve, where CRC headquarters are located. Almost any day of the week would find a packed parking lot, full of cars that had dispatched more people who just needed to get out of the house and into the beautiful fresh air and open space of Okehocking. Families, individuals, and of course dogs fanned out over the green expanses and explored the creek, enjoying a welcome respite from computers, television, and the boundaries of home.
In fact, Okehocking illustrated a larger phenomenon: during the pandemic, people found joy in both nature and their near environment. Unable to travel, walkers and explorers poked around local parks, took walks in the forest, and generally became more environmentally-focused. And nature took note: during the Covid shutdowns there were fewer commuters and travelers, and air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, and water quality all improved. (It remains to be seen if any of these positive effects will last as the economy churns back to life.)
A Board Expansion
In late July, CRC was delighted to announce that Lisa Gaffney, of Brookhaven, had joined the CRC Board of Directors, bringing with her a deep understanding of both the Chester City waterfront and watersheds and the community of Chester, an increasing focus for CRC. Lisa is the Executive Director for the Chester Economic Development Authority, responsible for housing programs, economic development, grant writing and redevelopment projects. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Riverfront Alliance of Delaware County, a nonprofit membership organization of major waterfront businesses and institutions. Currently, Lisa administers the Chester Shade Tree Commission and serves on the Board of the Housing Equality Center.
Lisa had worked with CRC during several of the organization’s Annual Streams Cleanups. “Even as a relatively small organization, CRC has made a significant contribution to the environmental health of the targeted watersheds and I look forward to playing a part in these efforts,” she says. “I am also very interested in expanding CRC’s role in Chester and other communities located in the lower sections of the watershed.” Gaffney notes that these communities suffer from development upstream and do not always have adequate resources to address the cleanliness of the streams, the lack of tree canopy near the creeks or the detrimental impact of invasive species. “I hope to encourage more involvement from residents and employers in these communities,” she says.
“We are incredibly proud to have Lisa on our Board,” says CRC President Ted Leisenring. “Her expertise in environmental work and the needs of Chester point to our core mission and an increasing focus for CRC. We look forward to her input and advice.”
Building CRC’s Volunteer Reserves
Summer is not CRC’s busiest volunteer activity season (too many vacations and too many hot and humid days), but Volunteer Coordinator, Lynn Meza, keeps working to build our pool of enthusiastic members.
This summer, Lynn spent time researching potential volunteer groups - companies, schools, churches, and more. Although many organizations had put a moratorium on group volunteerism throughout 2020, Lynn made contacts that are resulting in new partnerships with companies and schools ready to get out and volunteer again.
CRC is always looking to involve new people and groups as CRC volunteers! Click the 'Email Us' button to email lynn@crcwatersheds.org if you would like to get involved.
