Director Sweeney Honored with National Awards
Bern Sweeney, Stroud Water Research Center’s director since 1988, was honored with two prestigious awards this spring: the Margaret Douglas Medal from the Garden Club of America and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
October 14, 21, 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rain or Shine!
Help plant 2,300 trees along the headwaters of White Clay Creek in Jennersville, Pennsylvania. The planting is part of a program called TreeVitalize, which is funded by the state and administered by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Its goal is to replace some of the 5 million trees southeastern Pennsylvania has lost since 1990. Stroud Water Research Center’s objective is to plant trees along the banks of streams, both to protect the health of their waters and to pursue our research on “riparian buffers.”
Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Benefits the Stroud Center
On Sunday, November 5, 2006, enjoy a fabulous day of horse racing on the hillside in Chester County at the 72nd running of the historic Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. The Unionville course is on land that is now permanently protected by conservation easements. Proceeds from the event benefit Stroud Water Research Center and four other environmental organizations. Bring the family to enjoy a day in the country featuring great timber racing, hot food, and holiday shopping in our equestrian boutique, and interact with five fantastic conservation organizations.
Preview: Peru Expedition
As of this writing, 10 scientists and two educators are braving the wild tributaries of the Amazon to study over 20 research sites in the Madre de Dios watershed. This is part of a new research project funded by the Moore Foundation that will assess the current health of the Amazon watersheds, create a baseline against which to measure future changes in water quality and provide local people the tools to monitor conditions in their watershed and to practice effective stewardship of their resources.
A new and exciting component of this project is the direct, real-time integration of research and education. This is accomplished by having one educator scout out the territory, prepare the logistics of workshops, and chronicle the activities in the watershed. The other educator will work directly with the scientists in order to directly observe the research and translate it into the presentations. The workshops will be attended by NGO representatives and other local conservation leaders in Peru and Costa Rica
Look for a detailed account of the Peru project in future publications.
You May be Eligible for a Cost-Sharing Grant to Reforest Your Streamside Buffer
Stroud Water Research Center has received a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide technical assistance to landowners for the establishment of riparian forest buffers in the Red and White Clay Watersheds. The program’s goal is to plan Riparian Forest Buffers for 50 stream miles in these watersheds. Eligible property owners include farmers, individual property owners, housing developments, businesses, and municipalities with a stream on the property in the Red or White Clay Watersheds that is not completely forested. Once the plan has been completed, the landowner is eligible for financial assistance to install the buffer.
The cost-share incentive programs will pay fifty to seventy-five percent of the installation costs. The cost share is a reimbursement; the landowner is required to make the initial payments. Assistance is also available for the installation of livestock exclusion fencing, livestock and equipment stream crossings, and streambank restoration.
Nobel Laureate to Lecture at The Water’s Edge
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2006, LONGWOOD GARDENS
Wangari Maathai, an environmental activist from Kenya and the 2004 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, will be the Joan and Dick Stroud Memorial lecturer at The Water’s Edge — the Stroud Center’s fourth annual event highlighting environmental issues and celebrating its commitment to fresh water. In 2004, Professor Maathai was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace, stemming from her work on community empowerment and environmental conservation. She is the first African woman to receive this prestigious award. Join us and experience Wangari’s inspiring message of peace through conservation. Invitations will be sent to current Friends of the Stroud Center at the end of August. Tickets will become available to the public on September 15.
