Columbia Montour Quarterly Vol. 5: July-September 2022

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR WATERWAY EXPLORATION TRAINING SESSION

From the desk of John Zaktansky, Executive Director of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association

The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association will hold a new Waterway Exploration Training (WET) educational expe- rience from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at the Montour Preserve near Washingtonville. The program, designed for young people ages 8-12 and their families, will include a three-station rotation focused on in- troducing them to freshwater organisms, streams and water- sheds, including how pollution can impact our ecosystem and how they can make positive changes at home. “We strive to find new ways to connect young people to our outdoor resources, and this program allows us to get their feet ‘wet’ in the concepts of freshwater ecosystems and the impor- tance of curbing our negative impacts on those ecosystems,” said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. “It is so exciting to partner with the Montour Preserve to offer a pro- gram that will hopefully inspire the next generation of water- shed stewards.” Participants, and their families, will rotate through three sta- tions, including a guided hike with Naturalist Jon Beam, a hands-on stream exploration session by Riverkeeper John Zaktansky and a presentation by Middle Susquehanna River- keeper Association intern Peyton Curley using our Enviroscape model focused on how watersheds work, how pollution can move through a watershed and what can be done at home to make a lasting difference.

Parents are encouraged to participate with their children, and all participants should be prepared for hiking, getting wet during stream exploration and being out in the elements (sun- screen, bottled water, etc.) The program is free, but spots are limited, so families are en- couraged to register ASAP by using the sign up button below. Questions? Send an email to midsusriver@gmail.com or call 570-768-6300. The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association protects and promotes our river-based resources across the 11,000-square- mile middle Susquehanna watershed, that includes all land that ultimately drains into the North and West branches of the Susquehanna River. For more information about the association, including regular blog post and podcast updates about the greater watershed, visit www.MiddleSusquehannaRiverkeeper.org.