Greenway Study Plan May Be Complete in 2017

Photo by Evan Brandt

Montgomery County Planner Donna Fabry with the regional planning

award presented to the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning

Committee recently by the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce.

What's the best way to manage the stream that runs through your property?

Should a township mow a field all summer or let it turn into a natural meadow if its now being used?

Can planting more street trees help reduce stormwater runoff in developed areas and reduce the need for costly storm sewer upgrades?

Its questions like these that may soon have an answer in our little corner of Southeast PA.

Well, not so little actually.

The largest greenway stewardship study ever funded by the Pennnsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is currently under way in 26 different municipalities in Montgomery and Chester counties.

Undertaken by a partnership between the Montgomery County Planning Commission and the Natural Lands Trust, the greenway stewardship study is looking at more than 4,000 properties in four adjoining regional planning commissions -- the Pottstown Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Committee and those in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, Central Perkiomen Valley and Indian Valley.

Overlay map shows different landscapes that

are part of the Greenway study.

Already a year old, the massive undertaking aims to inventory all parcels over 10 acres, identify the type of one of 10-landscapes it represents and to develop best management practices for the owners, whether private or public.

The data gather phase will be competed by the end of this year or the beginning of the next, said Montgomery County Planner Eric Jarrell.

Then the plan will be written at the same time the Natural Lands Trust, which is helping gather the data and assess the properties, will be writing a guide for the best ways to manage your fields, streams, forests and urban greenways.

Representatives from each of the four regional planning groups will then be tasked with helping the outreach effort to provide education and information to those property owners to help them make ecologically helpful decisions about how they manage their property.

The other item of interest which occurred during the regional planning meeting was discussion of major projects in Lower Pottsgrove, most notably Sanatoga Green.

Tom Troutman, the township's representative, questioned whether large projects such as these comply with the regional comprehensive plan.

Montgomery County Donna Fabry said that when Lower Pottsgrove changed the zoning that made Sanatoga Green possible, it was not in keeping with the regional comprehensive plan, but that the planners have no authority to stop it.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Pottstown Takes the Classroom Outside

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown School District

This school year will feature an exciting twist on STEM learning for Pottstown fourth graders thanks to a new program being offered in a partnership between the School District, NorthBay, a premier outdoor education center, and Natural Lands Trust, the regional conservation organization.

The program emphasizes exploration in nature, authentic scientific investigation, and character development in order to improve essential academic skills and help students understand that the choices they make have the power to transform the planet, their community, and themselves. And it will all happen outside.

“The fate of our environment and our communities ultimately depends upon the decisions we make on a daily basis,” noted Molly Morrison, President of Natural Lands Trust. “Those choices, and the impact they have on ourselves and the world around us, are at the heart of this curriculum. It is a unique approach that helps children to identify issues in the environment, their community, or in their own lives and empowers them to act.”

The program kicked off on Monday, Sept. 12, when all fourth grade students conducted a study of the natural habitats on their school grounds.

Later this fall, students will visit Memorial Park in Pottstown where they will assess the quality of Manatawny Creek and consider how the way land around the creek is used impacts the stream. Next spring, the students will take a field trip to Natural Lands Trust’s Crow’s Nest Preserve in nearby Warwick to learn about water quality in a more natural setting. At the end of the school year, the students will develop an action project designed to address an environmental issue on their schoolyard.

Here is a video of the program in action:

Pottstown - Schoolyard Assessment from NorthBay Media on Vimeo.

Keith Williams, Executive Director of NorthBay said, “NorthBay is thrilled to partner with Natural Lands Trust and Pottstown School District to serve Pottstown students through the delivery of NorthBay’s unique environmental and character education curriculum. Students will become champions of their environment as they engage in authentic investigations that will help to reconnect the Schuylkill River and Manatawny Creek with the community.”

The organizers of the program plan to extend it into 5th and 6th grades in the coming years, providing a rare opportunity for students to participate in a long-term outdoor education curriculum.

“Many of our students are not exposed to the glorious and beautiful environment which surrounds us,” said Stephen Rodriguez, Acting Superintendent of the Pottstown School District. “In a day and age where man's impact on nature is increasingly felt, it is vitally important for students to understand environment, natural habitats, ecology, and the effect we have on our own world. To that end, our new partnership with NorthBay and Natural Lands Trust is so exciting and vital to our education of the whole child. As the future leaders of tomorrow, our students need to know about the place they live as well as have opportunities for positive character education and teambuilding exercises. We are grateful for this excellent opportunity and look forward to the positive outcome in the next generation."

Support for the partnership program is being provided by J.P. Mascaro & Sons, the Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, NorthBay, and the members of Natural Lands Trust.

Regional Recreation and Stewardship

Photos by Evan Brandt

This map shows the many factors which will go into an upcoming multi-regional greenway and stewardship study in Montgomery and Chester counties.

Well, the summer is over and that means that the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Committee has started meeting again and after two months of absence, they had some pretty good stuff stored up.

Justin Keller with his October events calendar.

First of all, it was the time for the one-year review of how the regional recreation effort, headed by circuit rider Justin Keller is going.

Judging by the successes, the grants and the plans -- the answer seems to be "pretty well."

He outlined a number of initiatives, including a new one at the West Pottsgrove Township Pool which sounds interesting, and said in addition to obtaining about $100,000 in grants this year, there is still nearly $173,000 pending (delayed because of the budget impasse).

He has also produced a monthly events calendar which is catching on and may also be used for long-term planning.

Also of great interest is an effort that involves not just the Pottstown regional planning committee, but several others throughout Montgomery County.

Montgomery County planner Matt Schelly outlines the 

multi-regional study to the Pottstown area planners.

Matt Schelly from the Montgomery County Planning Commission outlined how the Multi-Regional
Greenway and Stewardship Study will work, and the ways in which it will be helpful not only to municipalities, but to private property owners as well.

Of particular interest to me, a poor student of geology, was the many ways a particular type of soil, called diabase, had influenced the land use in the region.

Land uses, such as forest, agriculture, watersheds and ridge lines, important birding areas, will all guide a comprehensive look at a large region that will produce specific recommendations geared toward maintenance, stewardship and best practices.

Interesting stuff for the policy wonks in the room.

Anyway, you can read about it all, as I Tweeted it live, as if you were there in the room.

Managing Your Green

Fragmented forest space, like this, has too many edges to be

effective forest.

So as it turns out, all open spaces are not created equally -- at least not when it comes to the wildlife and natural services they are intended to perform.

In short, round is better.

That was just part of the lesson Peter Williamson, vice president of preservation services for the Natural Lands Trust, had for the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Committee recently.

Williamson was there to talk about the various aspects of open space management with which municipal officials may not be familiar.

Now in its 60th year, Williamson said Natural Lands Trust has 41 preserves and one quarter of them are in Montgomery County.

Better to have one large forest, like this.

One thing those years have taught the preserve managers, Williamson said, is that
fragmented open space does not provide the range or benefits or larger sized preserves, and further, that "edges" reduce that effectiveness even more.

For example forest edges allow more light and more invasive species to protrude deeper into the forest, reducing its effectiveness at water retention and as habitat for native species, he said.

Invasive species are perhaps the second largest problem facing preserved open space, both in meadows, marshes and forest.

Dumping fast-moving storm water into streams, causes

erosion like this.

Another challenge is deer which are multiplying in southeast Pennsylvania with no natural predators and eat everything below six feet high.

And lastly, there's storm water.

For many years, storm water was something engineers wanted to get rid of as quickly as possible. Then, when it was realized the sudden influx of high-velocity water to streams was damaging, it became necessary to hold or retain the water, to allow it to be absorbed into the ground and released through the ground as stream base flow as a more constant rate.

A healthy stream bank looks like this.

Any municipality that owns or manages open space, therefore, faces these challenges, Williamson explained.

When considering meadows, he provided several recommendations.

Only mow twice a year, around St. Patrick's Day and the Fourth of July. This allows the grasses to provide cover to animals that need them.

"Mow the edges, along roads, and it gives the property a managed feeling without impacting the wildlife," he suggested.

Also, plant a mix of warm and cool season grasses, so the meadow is more weather resilient and green for most of the year.

Mowing a meadow along the roadside, gives it

a managed look while preserving habitat.

To learn more, particularly about storm water management, mark your calendar for May 30.

That's when the organization's annual "Green Futures" event will be held, this year right here in Pottstown at the Montgomery County Community College's Pottstown Campus.

Click here for details and sign-up information.

Mini Grants in the Highlands

A new brochure for the Hopewell Big Woods will be paid for with one of the mini grands announced Monday.

Blogger's Note: The following is an announcement provided by the Schyulkill Highlands organization and includes several local projects,including in North Coventry, Spring City and Trappe.

Nine projects have received funding through a Schuylkill Highlands Mini Grant Program jointly administered by Natural Lands Trust and the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. 

The Director of the Schuylkill Highlands, Carol DeWolf of Natural Lands Trust is pleased to announce that several great projects are being awarded supportive grant funding as part of the Schuylkill Highlands Mini Grant Program Round 6 awards. 

Several programs at the Speakers House
in Trappe will be funded by grants.

“We had an especially great round of conservation projects submitted, and we are pleased to announce that many water resource protection projects within key sub watersheds were chosen to receive funding including, riparian buffer projects to protect streamside historic sites and enhance recreational areas, watershed habitat assessments and visitor amenities to deepen their experience when visiting historic sites”.

The grants, totaling over $77, 000 advance natural resource conservation and nature-based tourism within the Schuylkill Highlands. 

Included among the nine projects funded are: 

• The land protection and stewardship along Tulpehocken Creek and the Union Canal Trail awarded to the Berks County Parks Department, 
• A riparian buffer project being undertaken by the North Coventry Parks Department at Kenilworth Park, 
• A stream monitoring program for the Hopewell Big Woods undertaken by the Hay Creek Watershed,
• A water resources habitat assessment and fishing access and trail project by French Creek by French and Pickering Creeks Conservancy, 
• A new brochure for the Hopewell Big Woods, being completed by the Friends of Hopewell Furnace, 
• Historic markers in Spring City at Bridge Street, 
• A new brochure for the Schuylkill Canal trails system , and 



A new brochure for the Schuylkill Canal Trails system is among
the grant winners. Pictured, Lock 60 in Mont Clare.

• Several initiatives at the historic Speakers House in Trappe. 

The grants represent the fall 2012 Application Round of Awards, and work will be progressing on these starting this month. 

The Schuylkill Highlands Mini Grant Program began in 2010 to support the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative (CLI) and is funded by Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the William Penn Foundation. 

Thus far the Schuylkill Highlands Mini Grant Program has awarded over $600,000 in supportive grants to regional projects. These grants have served to protect the natural and cultural resources of this region, adding also to the user experiences and connecting residents to the myriad of offerings provided in this region.

The Schuylkill Highlands is an area which encompasses a large geography including the Schuylkill River watershed in part and the Pennsylvania Highlands. 

The Schuylkill River in Berks County

The Schuylkill Highlands CLI is a place based strategy for natural resource and stewardship supporting this key landscape where there is local willingness and support for conservation as well as locally driven planning and community economic development. 

The Schuylkill Highlands Partnership has forged a variety of partners within the Schuylkill Highlands, all working together to preserve, restore, and enhance the natural, historic, cultural, and recreational resources, and encourage sustainable practices to create healthy and vibrant communities for current and future residents.

Turning to the Dark Side

The PA Outdoor Lighting Council wants to limit light pollution in the Hopewell Big Woods.

Blogger's Note: The following was submitted by Stan Stubbe on behalf of the PA Outdoor Lighting Council.

Is there anything that can be done to control the ever increasing light pollution in the Hopewell Big Woods?  

 Plenty, says the PA Outdoor Lighting Council, and to that end they hope to protect the area as Pennsylvania's first "Night Skies Conservation Area."  

The night sky within the 110 square mile Hopewell Big Woods, which includes French Creek State Park and Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, used to be dark enough for viewing of the stars and Milky Way. 

Increased development, and number of shopping centers and other overly lit venues has added a glow to the sky that denies plants and animals the natural darkness they need each night.  The unwanted glare from floodlights on homes robs neighbors of a restful night of sleep.  

The aim of the Night Skies Conservation Area designation, as stated by POLC member Stan Stubbe, "is to support the preservation aims within the 73,000-acre Hopewell Big Wood's.  Outdoor lighting that is excessive, improperly aimed, unshielded or on when not needed is bad for the environment, bad for our wallets, bad for our neighbors, and spoils the natural beauty of Pennsylvania's night sky." he said. 

Using the Night-Skies Conservation Area designation as the theme, the POLC plans to inform homeowners, businesses and municipal officials about the ill effects of light pollution and to provide solutions on how it can be reduced or prevented.   

The Hopewell Big Woods Partnership is administered by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Natural Lands Trust.  

According to Dr. Jim Thorne, Coordinator of the Partnership, "the aim of the project is to have the area preserved and protected from further uncontrolled development. It encompasses the last large, unbroken forest left in southeastern Pennsylvania and one of the most important natural areas in the region. The area is an exceptional resource with hundreds of plant and bird species, pristine forest, unique wetlands and clean streams providing open space, drinking water, and unique scenic, cultural and natural resources.  It is greatly valued as an asset for public recreation."  

Eric Brown, Manager of French Creek State Park and Marsh Creek State Park, has expressed his enthusiasm in supporting the effort to control light pollution within the Parks. 

Just two weeks ago, Hopewell Furnace hosted Starfest

Lisa Miller, instructor at the Park, is taking steps to increase awareness of campers and visitors by holding night walks to point out the beauty of the star-filled sky and to explain the ill-effects of light pollution on the environment. 

According to Edie Sheehan Hammond, Superintendent of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, "We take our role to control light pollution within the park very seriously. Our outdoor lights are shielded and on only when needed. In the Visitor Center we have available for purchase special shields for floodlights that make them neighbor and dark-sky friendly.  In support of amateur astronomers, we host Chesmont Astronomical Society's StarFest and other stargazing events."  

Crow's Nest Preserve, a 612 acre land set-aside within Hopewell Big Woods and owned and maintained by Natural Lands Trust, adheres to the principles of good lighting. 

Dan Barringer, Preserve Manager, observed that their outdoor lighting throughout the Preserve uses energy-efficient LED shielded sources that  is motion-sensor controlled so on only when needed. 

Of the nine municipalities within Hopewell Big Woods -- East Vincent, East Nantmeal, North Coventry, South Coventry, Union, Robeson, Warwick, West Vincent, and West Nantmeal -- eight have effective outdoor lighting ordinances and they enforce them, especially when developers of commercial establishments propose to use bad lighting practices.  

The following legislators who represent the municipalities and residents within Hopewell Big Woods have provided letters in support of the movement to bring light pollution under control:  U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-6th Dist., State Senators John Rafferty, Jr. and Andy Dinniman, and State Representatives Curt Schroder and Mark Gillen.  

The PA Outdoor Lighting Council is a volunteer non-profit organization whose aim is to protect the environment, the night sky and neighbors from abusive and wasteful outdoor lighting. 

Visit the POLC website at www.polcouncil.org. 

For additional information contact Stan Stubbe, 610 972-9803 or polcouncil@gmail.com

First in Berks

These fields in Robeson were destined for high-density housing until they were preserved by the Natural Lands Trust as part of the newly former Green Hills Preserve.

 Nearly 170 acres of verdant land in Robeson Township, Berks County, has been saved from the high-density development first proposed there, by the very people who hoped to profit from its development.

Further, the property, now known as Green Hills Preserve, provides crucial habitat for wildlife including the bog turtles a species considered to be critically endangered, the highest risk category assigned for wild species.

The bog turtle is a very small, very endangered species.

The discovery of the turtles reduced the acreage available for development, Robeson Township Manager Thomas Keim told The Reading Eagle.

In an announcement made last week on its web site, the Natural Lands Trust made known that it had acquired its first preserve in Berks County.

The property features gently rolling agricultural fields, woodlands, and wetlands. Allegheny Creek, a PA Department of Environmental Protection-designated “Cold Water Fishery” stream, bisects the newly established preserve.

Now called the "Green Hills Preserve," the 168-acre parcel, between Morgantown and Gunhart roads, had been approved for "high-density development" of 670 homes called Villages of Green Hills.

But in 2009, as you may recall, the housing market was not so hot and the developer went bankrupt.

That's when Ed Ritti, Vice President and Associate Broker of Prudential Fox & Roach’s Land Development Division, had an idea for a different kind of buyer.

“Thanks to Ed Ritti’s out-of-the-box thinking and the support of many funders and partners, this beautiful property will be protected forever,” said Molly Morrison, president of Natural Lands Trust. “We are thrilled to now have a presence in Berks County and to add Green Hills to our network of 41 nature preserves.”

After more than two years working to piece together critical funding, Natural Lands Trust was able to purchase the property from the lender

Funders and partners for this project include Berks County Conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Open Space Institute, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pottstown-based Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, Southern Berks Land Company, Susquehanna Bank, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Cretella Mars Foundation, and the Wyomissing Foundation.

Green Hills Preserve is situated within the Schuylkill Highlands, a region at the nexus of two landscapes that have been prioritized for protection: the Highlands (as defined by the US Congress) and the Schuylkill River watershed (a focus of much planning work by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Philadelphia Water Department).

The area’s importance derives from the need for water quality protection, habitat conservation, and recreational development in a region set for considerable growth over the next 20 years.

Like many of Natural Lands Trust’s other nature preserves throughout the region, Green Hills Preserve eventually will be open—free-of-charge—to visitors for passive recreation once a hiking trail system has been established and a parking area is built. Funds to construct those amenities—as well as ongoing habitat restoration and stewardship work—still need to be raised.

Since its founding in 1953, Natural Lands Trust has protected more than 100,000 acres of land, including 41 nature preserves that it owns and manages in 13 counties. It recently joined forces with Montgomery County Lands Trust and about five of its preserves are located within Montgomery County.

Nearly all of them are in the greater Delaware Valley.

So it seems that although the collapse of the housing market has had an undeniably negative effect on the country and the economy, some silver linings can be found.

A Congress You Can Love...For a Change

The Schuylkill Watershed is nearly 2,000 square miles

How would you like to have a Congress you could feel good about for a change?

You can, just clear your calendar for Saturday, March 10.

That's when the 15th Annual Schuylkill Watershed Congress will be held right here in lovely downtown Pottstown.

As has been the case for the past several years, it will be held at the West Campus of Montgomery County Community College on College Drive in Pottstown.

Mont Clare's Lock 60, along the Schuylkill

The Congress brings together groups from throughout the 1,900 square-mile watershed so they can learn from each other.

"With a focus on networking across disciplines, the Watershed Congress melds science, policy and practical applications into one program," according to an e-mail I received from Bill Cannon, one of the river's most dedicated champions.

Perkiomen Creek is the 2nd largest Schuylkill tributary

The 2012 program, a full copy of which can be viewed by clicking here, includes sessions on:

• Native plants;
• Green infrastructure;
• Monitoring and evaluating in the Big Woods;
• Schuylkill Watershed geology;
• Dam removal;
• Next steps in American shad restoration;
• Sustainable stormwater management;
• Chemical-free lawn management;
• Constructed wetlands for on-lot wastewater treatment

And that's just the beginning.

This year's keynote panel will be Carol DeWolf, director of the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative, Jim Thorne, senior director of science for Natural Lands Trust, and Helen Delano, senior geologic scientist for the Pennsylvania Geological Survey.

Congress-goers can visit Pottstown's Riverfront Park.

Their presentation will present (SCIENCE GEEK ALERT!) the basic of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and its uses in the Schuylkill Highlands Natural Resource Greenway for Habitat Monitoring and Sustainability.

(Wow that was a mouthful. Almost as hard to type as it would be to say.)

Now, in English: They'll show how they LiDAR is used to measure aspects of the Birdsboro Waters Forest Legacy Easement and how to use it for habitat monitoring in the greenway. There is an effort to create a greenway along the river and its streams "to protect wildlife, habitats and our critical water supply."

Philly's Waterworks, part of the nation's 1st public water system

(In case you didn't know, the Schuylkill River and the streams which feed it provide drinking water to more than a million people, including Pottstown, Royersford, Phoenixville and other communities. It has been a public water supply since Ben Franklin's time. In fact, he helped create Fairmount Park to protect Wissahickon Creek, which fed the city's first reservoir.)

So why am I telling you NOW about something that doesn't happen until March 10?

Because I'm trying to save you money, THAT'S WHY.

As great as this Congress is, and I have covered quite a few of them (for free) for The Mercury, it ain't cheap folks.

Every spring, the Schuylkill River Sojourn runs the length of the river.

The registration fee is $50.

And after March 2, the price jumps to $60.

BUT, if you sign up by Friday, Feb. 17, it's only $40!

See that gentle reader? Reading The Digital Notebook has already saved you $20. Aren't you glad you're a regular reader? (And if you aren't, see why you should be?)

You can register on-line by clicking here.

Or, if you like the feel of paper between your fingers, you can download a registration form by clicking here.

Think about it. It could be worth your time. I have never attended this Congress and not come away smarter than when I went in (not that such a thing is all that difficult, but hey...)